- 17 years experience
- Trauma-informed care
- Speaks Afrikaans
About Amanda
Dr. Amanda Van Der Westhuizen is a counsellor with 17 years of professional experience in the United Kingdom and South Africa. She works with people facing anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship difficulties. She aims to offer respectful, sensitive support that matches each person’s pace and needs.
Her approach is collaborative and client-focused. She tailors conversations and plans to each person’s situation rather than using a one-size-fits-all method. She often supports people with complex presentations, including neurodiversity and co-occurring mental health conditions.
Dr. Van Der Westhuizen lists Client-Centred Therapy among her approaches and also uses Trauma-Focused Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. In practical terms this means sessions can centre on the person’s experience, with trauma work when needed, and techniques to process distressing memories.
She has worked with a wide range of concerns from grief, addiction and bipolar issues to compassion fatigue, chronic pain and attachment difficulties. She also supports people dealing with intimacy, identity, career stress and questions about control or codependency.
Sessions are shaped around what each person wants to achieve. The emphasis is on steady steps, active listening and tailoring goals. Dr. Van Der Westhuizen describes walking alongside clients as they make changes and build a life they want.
How therapeutic approaches guide online work
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on what matters to the person in the room. The counsellor listens closely, reflects back what is said and helps the person identify goals. This approach suits people who want a respectful, non-directive place to make sense of feelings and choices.Trauma-Focused Therapy concentrates on the impact of distressing events and on practical steps to rebuild everyday functioning. It often involves paced conversations about traumatic memories alongside skills to manage feeling overwhelmed.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a method used to reduce the intensity of troubling memories. It involves guided processing that can help people feel less stuck by past events and is commonly used when trauma is part of the problem.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will collaborate with the person to choose or adapt methods based on needs, goals and how comfortable they feel. This can mean starting with client-centred dialogue and adding trauma-focused techniques if they seem helpful.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, cut travel time and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. It can also allow people to continue therapy when they are living abroad or when schedules are tight, with the counsellor arranging a plan that suits each person’s routine.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
17+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English, Afrikaans
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does this counsellor help with?
She supports people with anxiety, stress, depression and trauma as well as relationship and intimacy-related issues. Other areas include addiction, bipolar, grief, ADHD and career concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her work is client-centred, meaning sessions focus on the person’s own goals and experience. She aims to tailor the pace and approach to suit each individual.
What background and experience does she have?
She has 17 years of professional experience and experience supporting people with complex and co-occurring difficulties, including neurodiversity and trauma.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is registered with the HCPC and practices in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Afrikaans. International clients are also accepted.
What formats are used for sessions?
The original biography does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options with the service before booking.
How are costs and payment organised?
Cost varies with location and therapist arrangements; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with this counsellor?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to the therapist’s availability.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.