Our Mission is
Our Mission – to see lives that are set free and totally changed. We long to see a life that once was stuck, broken, empty and addicted become whole, purposeful and experience joy and freedom. We know that this is not instant (but small break-through’s can be). We see them every day through counselling, life coaching and training. Whatever change you want to see in your life – big or small – we would be honoured if you would let us to come along and support you as you journey towards wholeness and freedom.
Spirit – We believe that there is a deep part of us that calls out for something, well… deeper, more meaningful and way beyond us. We believe that it takes healing deep in our spirit to overcome the darkest that life has thrown at us.
Mind – We believe that our beliefs, thoughts and words carry a power to shape our lives. We believe that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a helpful (and quick) tool to help you form more helpful thinking habits that bring new life.
Body – We believe the body heals through play, through fresh experience and attention to parts once neglected, shocked or starved. We know the value of time in nature, movement, expression and health and want to be part of leading you back into that.
Spirit, Mind, Body - That's how we think of it anyway! Healing our spirits is so often last on our list. We believe it should be first every time and brings the most freedom, by far.
Meet our Founder
MERRICK HOLTAK – “We are all shaped by our experiences. Growing up I always seemed to have a gift of sensing the moods and underlying feelings of others. From a young age I enjoyed listening and I listened without judgement. As an adult I trained first as a Project Manager and then as a Counsellor at the SA College of Applied Psychology. As I developed as a counsellor over the last 3 years, I prioritised offering my clients a safe, non-judgemental space and discovered my gift for connecting with many types of people, people of different cultures and races.
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In 2017 my counselling focused on abused women and I became driven to understand what drove men to abuse their partners. This exploration lead me to pray (I believe in a God who loves us and guides us into great adventures). I asked other men to pray with me. The answer came, “Start a centre where people are given the counselling, coaching and skills to transform their lives”. This gave me the space to start life-affirming groups for men and teenage boys so they may develop new ways of expressing their feelings and needs without violence… and so the Life Transformation Centre was born!
Meet our team
Hi, I’m Natalie Bossi I will be running a four-week course for the families of those suffering from addiction. It starts in October (23, 30 Oct and Nov, 6, 13) from 4pm to 6pm). I am also available for counselling for those suffering from addiction or gambling addiction and their families. I was born in the Netherlands, but have lived most of my life in the Cape. I have always been fascinated by human behaviour. I come from a home where both parents were alcoholics. Learning to cope with the effects of alcoholism, led me to study various schools of thought, including psychology and in particular, addiction. Purely by chance, (if there is such a thing), I landed up working for the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF) for nine years, where the focus was on gambling addiction. While I was there, I was given the chance to do a post-graduate Diploma in Addictions Care at UCT. This led me into the field of training and counselling in substance use disorders (SUD’s).
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Another gift I received at the SARGF, was a course in Motivational Interviewing. This is an evidence-based treatment (EBT), originally developed to address alcohol use disorders, but which has found application in numerous other fields. It was a life-changing experience and one which I have gone on to share with numerous groups of people. Motivational Interviewing forms the basis of my counselling skills, together with other counselling theories and techniques. In teaching I share what I learn and in learning I heal. Very few things are as rewarding as seeing someone’ face light up with a new idea or way of looking at the world and realizing that it can change their life for the better. Of course theory without practice is a bit of a wasted opportunity. So the challenge is always to be effective in increasing the ability of people to implement change into their lives. As one of the brokers from my finance work used to say so many years ago: “This is exciting!”
Kathryn Cloete – A Brief Biography Hi, I’m Kathryn! I am an HPCSA Registered Counsellor with a passion for counselling and aiding others in a psychotherapeutic manner. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and received my formal training and education through Pearson Institute of Higher Education. I have worked with people across an array of ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds alongside various NPO’s, NGO’s, local schools, and community clinics within Cape Town, South Africa. I have formally provided counselling services individually, in groups, with couples, as well as in family settings. I have successfully provided counselling services aimed at guiding, supporting, and aiding those individuals in need in many areas of their lives to aid in their personal growth, discovery, and empowerment. My expertise centre around depression, anxiety, substance-use, career guidance, trauma, as well as school counselling. I chose a career in counselling for my love and passion towards aiding and supporting people, as well as having a great interest in the field of Psychology. I am very patient, accommodating, adaptable, and enjoy engaging with others in a non-judgemental and genuine manner. I treat my clients with respect and dignity and encourage self-discovery and exploration. My aim is to aid individuals in personal growth as well as enforce ones happiness and psychological health and wellbeing.
LOUISE TUCKER – A Brief Biography Louise has a Master’s Degree as well as an Honours in Psychology, which has been a passion of hers since a young age. She has done numerous additional courses in the human psyche and what makes us tick, over the years; and is a specialist in the Enneagram, a Personality Typology that provides enormous insight into people and what drives them. Other courses include Counselling, with Lifeline and Childline; Trauma Counselling, with SAPS and ABSA; along with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; Coaching and Mentoring, amongst others. Having worked at Hope House as a Volunteer Counsellor, as well as in the field of Coaching for a number of years, Louise has experienced a broad spectrum of issues, people, and problems, from youngsters to the elderly. She is particularly interested in trauma work, along with suicide, depression and anxiety, and uses a multi-facetted approach in her approach with clients. Personal strengths include patience; compassion; insight, and a genuine love of people and helping them to become the best version of themselves, so that they can lead happy and fulfilling lives.
Hi there, I’m Derek I bring my experience in Conflict Mediation to the Life Transformation Centre and I’m looking forward to offering training in Mediation at the training rooms of the centre. I also hope to host mediation session hosted by LTC. Now a little more about me… My journey towards a calling as a mediator started with my experience as a young activist during the days of the struggle. I developed a keen awareness that we can co-exist despite our political or ideological differences. After facing injustices both to my community and family I developed a deep passion for transformation, restoring wholeness to the broken and for the central call of the Gospel, to “love one another just as I have loved you”. I know that this beginning went far to equip me to offer myself as a mediator. I received training and completed mediation skills course with IEC in 1994 at the advent of the first democratic elections in South Africa. I then furthered my skills with the European Union and went on to chair countless mediations and disciplinary hearings for Woolworths. I also mediated for the NGO Mediation and Transformation Practice and the Methodist Church of South Africa.
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Most recently I’ve been involved in mediation for:
- the crisis gripping our universities (with the organisation MoreThanPeace);
- the on-going conflict in Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg in Hout Bay;
- the communities of Westlake and Vrygrond, facilitating talks with the City of Cape Town;
- taxi conflict in Delft, I was part of a team that brokered a peaceful agreement in recent violent conflict
- Zimbabwe peace-builders who were seeking to de-escalate any violence that might emerge following the contested elections held in Zimbabwe.
I’m a committed Christian with a love for justice and truth able to bring a maturity and perspective to a range of situations. I’ve worked in a range of corporate and community settings, bringing transformation, peace and solutions to many contexts. I’d love to offer my experience as a mediator and also to share my knowledge with those who feel called to this profession.
Meet Brigitte Parfitt History: Why I am working as a Counsellor? It probably began when I was still a child, I liked to share, give presents and I had a heart for those who were not always accepted by other children; – at least in my mind- they were looking for acceptance and love. I had received a lot of love and kindness from my family: Mother, Father, Siblings, Grand Parents. I suppose I thought without really being aware of it that I had enough to share and that sharing came naturally to me. Growing older I never considered to become a counsellor (or Psychologist); but then again in the 1960’s, 1970’s it was seldom talked about. When I was 62 years old I felt God had shown me in a prophetic word, that He wanted me to study to become a counsellor. I followed His word and signs, and signed up at SACAP (S. A. College of Applied Psychology in Cape Town). I graduated with a diploma in Counselling and Communication then afterwards I began to work at an NGO for over four years which I loved doing! I had observed many client’s lives change for the better as we walked the journey together. I saw their perceptions of themselves change as they discovered themselves which led to their own desires and intentions changing. These moments were great turning points for me! According to Carl Rogers to be a great counsellor you need : Congruence, Unconditional Positive Regard, Empathy and No Judgement. I resonate best with these qualities and adopt them for my counselling approach. My ultimate reward is that I find contentment and joy to be able to do what God wants me to do, and that for me is counselling.
Phone: 084 812 2358
Hi I’m Matthew I specialise in CBT and solution-focused therapy mainly, as well as a wide range of counselling areas. I’m developing an anger management course for youth that we hope to launch at Life Transformation Centre in teh next few months. I was born and raised in Cape Town and received my psychology degree from SACAP. I’ve spent most of my life in helping professions, from first aid to teaching CPR and swimming safety and most recently counselling. My passion for counselling and mental health in general stems from my own mental health history and the challenges and hardships I have endured and overcome. After seeing so many of my peers affected by the stress and uncertainty of life these days, I made the decision to start practicing and make all the difference I could in this country. I also currently volunteer at Valkenberg Hospital most days of the week in order to give back to the individuals that need it in our nation. My motivation and passion is what drives me on a daily basis and although my journey is youthful, my experience is great. In life, it is often the uncertainty of the unknown that prevents us from taking the first step to recovery, today you can face that fear and experience the benefits. Take the step.
Meet our core team
Our Partners Are
A professional counsellor is a highly trained individual who is able to use a different range of counselling approaches with their clients. There is a big difference between a professional counsellor and a person who uses some counselling skills as part of their role, for example their role as a friend or colleague.
The Academy of Life Coaching has a pool of highly trained, highly committed dedicated and experienced facilitators. The Academy of Life Coaching offers an accredited Life Skills coaching coarse which not only gives you skills and techniques but offers a unique, integrated self development opportunities in our interactive classes.
Brightseed loves new beginnings. We design websites and branding for new businesses and NGOs. We offer coaching, copy writing (from a qualified copywriter), design and SEO (helping Google point business your way). We are also passionate about helping our nation find purposeful and dignified work. So we are focusing on a YouTube project called ‘Love my Job’.