Kieke Grootenhuis

I work holistically within a psychodynamic landschap. I use a variety of therapeutic tools (DBT, EMDR, CBT, Neuropsychology, Mindfulness) to ignite consciousness and capacity building. It is a journey. Short term work for me is usually around 6 months of weekly sessions. Most of my work is medium to long term work. This allows for a solid growth in awareness building and untangling of traumatic (little or more complicated) aspect of one's being. Psychodynamic: An insight-giving, consciousness or awareness building psychotherapy based on the understanding that the more you understand the way you have put yourself together through the relationships and experiences in your life, the more you have the power to accept the things you cannot change and change the things you can. Mindfulness: I am a mindfulness teacher, trained by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. Mindfulness is the practice of staying present in the space of loving awareness. It highlights the dialectic forces that are at play in life and helps us find ways to settle into the balance of these often polar dynamics, holding, as it were, two wings of a bird, to fly. It is also an active digesting and processing tool to help us work through our day, our lives and feel nurtured rather than overwhelmed by the myriad of experiences. It is a great foundation to self care. Trauma informed: In my experience, most psychological symptoms are based on little or big overwhelming, shocking, assumption breaking experiences in our lives that have unsettled us and made us feel unsafe in big or little ways. In working with this awareness we can see, acknowledge, accept, digest these moments and this shifts the weave of our personally woven fabric. Essential to this understanding is the our experience of safety. I keep this understanding central in all my work. Dialectic Behavior Therapy: Is a therapeutic approach that marries deep mindfulness concepts with solid cognitive behavioral understandings. It is both insight building and practical problem solving. It's central focus is on regulation and finding and maintaining balance. EMDR: (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) Is a trauma therapy that has been well researched and has high success rates around the globe. I have done level 1 and 2 training, and more than 100 client hours of work with this therapy form. CBT: (Cognitive Behavioral therapy) Noticing the connection between what we think and how it impacts on what we do and in becoming more aware of both we can shift the doing and the thinking where needed based on actual evidence. Breath and body: For Anxiety, depression and trauma working with the body and the breath is essential. I use basic mindfulness, yogic and EMDR based body and breath tools for support Neuropsychologically informed: An essential part of awareness building is understanding our mind brain and body on a neurophysiological way. Neuropsychological education is an important element of my work

Clinical Psychologist Private Practice, 2012 – to date  anxiety and depression management, CBT, EMDR, DBT and insight giving psychotherapy; Trauma work; Child and adult neurodiversity; couples and families struggling with conflict, divorce, and depression. Primary Clinical Psychologist; Adult and Child Psychotherapeutic ward Tara Hospital, Gauteng Health Department, 2008-2012 I was the primary psychologist on a ward with 18 beds for trauma patients. I trained in dialectic behavior therapy and mentalization therapy, and during those years also trained others. Our client base as well as our multi-disciplinary team were both culturally and socio-economically diverse. Workshop designer and facilitator: “Refugee Mental health Care” UNHCR, 2010 and 2011 Developed and implemented two specialized workshops around understanding and supporting refugees in South Africa and their mental health needs. Research assistant University of the Witwatersrand, 2007 School counselor Parktown Boys High School, 2007

MASTER’S DEGREE Clinical Psychology Witwatersrand University 2005-2008 Bachelor of Social Studies Honors(psychology) University of Kwa Zulu Natal 2004-2005 BACHELOR OF MEDECINE (MBBS) University of Maastricht 1995-2000 IB DIPLOMA& HIGHSCHOOL