Shai Friedland (MA Clin. Psych. cum laude)

Shai Friedland is a clinical psychologist working from a cognitive behavioural perspective. He graduated (cum laude) from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and completed both his internship and community service at Sterkfontein Hospital. He now works full-time in private practice alongside other CBT therapists.

Shai utilizes CBT in both an individual and group context with children, teenagers and adults. His areas of special interest include Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anxiety Disorders, Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder), Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder, Weight Loss Management, and Sport Psychology. Shai has undergone and continues to obtain CBT training online from the Beck Institute.

He has also attended the WCBCT (World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies) in Boston and has attended the EABCT (European Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies) in Jerusalem. Shai has been a member of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) for over 10 years now. He started out as a telephonic counsellor and has progressed to giving mental health talks for SADAG on various topics and then to running the Substance Abuse talks and workshops for SADAG, in conjunction with the Department of Social Development, to schools across the country.

Shai continues to attend and give mental health talks for SADAG and is now a SADAG Board Member.