Counseling Psychologist
in Cape Town

As a Counseling psychologist my passion is working with people to create change. When depression, anxiety, or even just life gets in the way of living, it can be hard to see a way out, and clients often talk about feeling 'stuck'.

My role is to work with you to discover ways out of the 'stuck-ness', to support you as you move forward, making the experience of change as safe as possible.

Hi! My name is Mark Connelly.

I am a Counseling psychologist with offices in Kenilworth, Cape Town. I've worked here for 8 years and am ideally situated to all major public transport routes and main roads.

If you come to my office you'll see that it's light and cheerful, with wonderful doors that are open most of the summer to make the most of the Cape Town weather. There might be some children's toys lying around from my previous session and my office is a relaxed and casual place to be.

No - there's not a traditional 'couch' for you to lie on! but you're more than welcome to put your feet up and get comfortable.

Over the years I've found a number of areas of work that really interest me in my counseling psychology practice. As a Counseling psychologist I focus on:

• Individual Therapy

  You and I can meet at my office and focus on the particular issues you are experiencing. I work with a lot of clients who are dealing with experiences of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, stress, anger, and poor work life balance.

• Relationship Counseling

  The conversations that are possible in a facilitated therapeutic space are often very different to those you'd have with your partner outside of this space.

  Often a specific event in a couple's life brings them to therapy, or you may just want to explore your relationship in order to make it stronger. As a counseling psychologist I'm particularly aware of the effects of poor communication, betrayal, loss of trust, experiences of distance or other differences on the relationship.

• Trauma Counseling

  I have worked with the TraumaClinic for more than 7 years and have a wealth of experience in trauma counseling. Mostly this occurs after a client has been exposed to a significant crisis, but can also be related to ongoing trauma, or trauma experienced in the past. I also provide assessments and psychotherapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• Career Assessments and Counseling

  I meet with young adults, often in their final years of school, to provide assessment and counseling with regard to careers that might suit them. Mostly I find client's want confirmation that their thoughts about career direction are correct, or they need ideas for careers that will suit them.

  I also work with adults who are thinking about changing careers, or university students who feel they're studying in the wrong direction. There's plenty of information about careers and changing careers on these pages to get you started!

Referral

If I am not able to help you directly in my counseling psychologist practice then I will refer you to someone I trust who will be able to help you. I work with a team of multi-skilled professionals who specialise in areas such as addiction, children, women's health, family therapy, and parental guidance.

Theoretical Orientation

My training as a Counseling psychologist exposed me to many theoretical orientations to therapy. I use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in my practice as this has been shown to be particularly effective dealing with anxiety and mood disorders and does not require a committment to years of therapy!

My therapy is also influenced by Systemic therapy, which emphasises relationships and interactional patterns and dynamics, Narrative therapy, and Solution Focused therapy.

I work closely with you and apply theory as I believe it suits your particular situation and needs. Ask me about this anytime.

Therapy and Payment

This is really so I can assess the extent of your concerns and is in no way an interrogation! You may want to think about questions to ask me as well!

My fee is payable at this first session, and you will be invoiced for all further appointments.

My rates fall well within the limits of those prescribed for medical aids in South Africa. I do not submit my invoices to any medical aids and prefer to contract directly with you. It takes a lot of time and effort to submit to the medical aids and then wait for payment. This is time I'd rather be spending in therapy with you. I will give you a full invoice which you can submit to your medical aid for reimbursement.

I offer a massive 15% discount on all accounts paid promptly.

If you're in Cape Town and would like to schedule an appointment, complete the request form below and we can arrange to meet.

If you've not yet decided on a counseling psychologist then please ask me for a no charge, no obligation 30 minute consultation. I believe that choosing a counseling psychologist is an essential part of your therapy process and you should interview a number of therapists before you make a choice. The 30 minute session is not an assessment, but rather an opportunity for us to meet and for you to ask me questions.

Consulting a counseling psychologist for the first time can be a stressful experience and may require a lot of bravery from you for the first few appointments. Don't let this stop you. Knowing when to ask for help is often a positive step.

Request an Appointment

If you are in Cape Town we can meet! Let me know how to contact you so we can chat about an appointment or a no charge, no obligation 30 minute meeting.

I will not use your email address or telephone number (if you choose to leave it) for any reason other than to contact you regarding an appointment.