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HELPLINE NUMBERS

24-HOUR TOLL-FREE EMERGENCY HELPLINES

Suicide Crisis Helpline
0800 567 567

Department of Social Development Substance Abuse Helpline
0800 12 13 14
SMS 32312

Cipla Mental Health Helpline
0800 456 789
SMS 31393

NPOwer SA Helpline
0800 515 515
SMS 43010

Healthcare Workers Care Network Helpline
0800 21 21 21
SMS 43001

UFS #Fair Kitchens Chefs Helpline
0800 006 333

8AM-8PM TOLL-FREE HELPLINES

Dr Reddy’s Mental Health Helpline
0800 21 22 23

Adcock Ingram Depression & Anxiety Helpline
0800 70 80 90

ADHD Helpline
0800 55 44 33

Pharma Dynamics Police & Trauma Helpline
0800 20 50 26

8AM-8PM SADAG OFFICE NUMBER

SADAG
011 234 4837

WHATSAPP NUMBERS

8AM – 5PM

Cipla Mental Health
076 882 2775

Maybelline BraveTogether
087 163 2030

Ke Moja Substance Abuse
087 163 2025

Have Hope Chat Line
087 163 2050

FOUNDER ZANE WILSON

Contact Founder: Zane@sadag.org

Click Here

UNIVERSITY LINES

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EMERGENCY Contact Numbers for Students in South Africa - Click here

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SUPPORT GROUPS

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SADAG has over 160 free Support Groups. To find out more about joining or starting a Support Group click here.

Mental Health Calendar 2024

2023 Mental Health Calendar

To view our Mental Health Calendar
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QUESTIONNAIRES

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Do You want to check your Mental Health?

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I completed my undergraduate studies at Wits in 1989, then moved to RAU for Honours (1990) and Masters in Psychology (1991-1992), graduating in 1993 with an M.A. Clinical Psychology (cum laude). At the time, Prof Eddie Wolff (a Fullbright scholar who trained in CBT in the US) was part of the faculty, and I was able to obtain additional cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) training from him, which started a lifelong passion for this approach. My training at Wits was psychodynamic, and at RAU a combination of systemic, interpersonal and person-centred. The CBT completed the picture.

I had done my internship at Sterkfontein Hospital, mainly with adults, and on qualifying I spent a year as Resident Psychologist at two Places of Safety, assessing and working with children and teens, until commencing full-time private practice in 1995, focusing mostly on the anxiety disorders (panic, social phobia, agoraphobiaa), and with an interest in stress, health and pre-surgery intervention. I continue to find the cognitive-behavioral (CBT) paradigm most useful, and have made several trips to congresses as well to David Barlow's unit (CARD) in Boston, to receive further training.

In addition to private practice, in 1999 I was elected to the Scientific and Advisory Board of the South African Depression and Anxiety Support group (SADAG), where I am currently the Chairperson. My work for SADAG is my CSI initiative, and my responsibilities include selection, training, supervision and debriefing of counsellors, as well as being a media spokesperson. I have trained several colleagues in the use of cognitive behaviour therapy, and co-run a CBT supervision group for psychologists wishing to continue their education. I have also been working with Maureen Kark and Associates for several years, doing Employee Assisstance Programme (EAP) workshops and talks, also individual work (CBT and resilience coaching) at Investec, Silica, Oracle and Growthpoint.

Writing has always been an interest, leading first to the completion of a Doctorate in Psychology (2000) and then to authoring ‘Get the balance right- coping strategies for working mothers’ (Metz Press, 2005) and a guest chapter in the CALE leadership handbook (2009). The audio book "Butterfly wisdom" and CD "Relax to optimal functioning" were part of this process.

Sharing information widely is another interest, and to this end I have ended up featuring as a psychology expert in the media- written (Longevity, Femina, Cosmo, The Star), radio (A word on Psychology, the Jenny Crwys-Williams show- radio 702; Monica Fairral's Health Show, SAFM) and television (3 Talk, Great Expectations, Morning Live). My latest project is a self-help website based in CBT: www.thoughtsfirst.com. As our thoughts (cognitions) are what give rise to our emotions and behaviours, modifying negative thoughts is where it all begins.

In recent years I have discovered meditation and mindfulness, and I use mindfulness combined with CBT, a new trend in the CBT research.

My approach can be summed up in a wonderful quote from Alvin Toffler: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

 

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