Dr Mariska Pienaar
My primary aim is to provide that one, unique space where you are able to fully be yourself, be seen for who you are, and have your true self understood, affirmed, and valued. I aim to provide an open, non-judgmental, warm, and empathic environment within which clients can feel safe while navigating their journey of self-exploration. I naturally tend towards a focus on clients' strengths rather than what they often see as “deficiencies” within themselves.
I primarily focus on the treatment of depression, anxiety, trauma, emotion dysregulation, distress intolerance, social isolation and loneliness, self-esteem, and goal achievement. I additionally offer support to tertiary education students for a range of issues. I support clients through life transitions, and also focus on personal growth, self-awareness, and creation of meaning in life.
I am primarily psychodynamically oriented with a deep affinity for existentialism and a growing passion for humanistic psychology. However, in terms of the therapeutic process itself, I draw from a range of therapeutic modalities to best suit the client’s needs, unique dynamics, challenges, and strengths.