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Candice van der Merwe

Candice van der Merwe

Counselling Psychologist, MCouns

Registered counselling psychologist with over a decade of experience supporting people through trauma, OCD, depression, anxiety and emotion dysregulation.

About Candice

Candice is a registered counselling psychologist with more than eleven years of experience. She works with adults navigating trauma and PTSD, OCD, depression, anxiety, grief, emotion dysregulation and personality disorders — including complex histories that haven't responded to earlier attempts at therapy.

Her style is warm, empathetic, non-judgemental and collaborative. Candice believes every person's story is different, so she works with you to understand what is actually going on and to tailor an approach that fits your goals, your pace, and your life.

Therapeutic approach

Candice works integratively, drawing on a range of evidence-based approaches and choosing what fits you rather than following a fixed protocol. For trauma she uses Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Eye Movement Integration (EMI), BrainWorking Recursive Therapy (BWRT) and somatic-based work. For OCD and anxiety she uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). For emotion regulation and personality-level difficulties she draws on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Underneath the techniques, Candice's commitment is simple: to meet you where you are, to take your story seriously, and to work together on a plan that respects who you are and where you want to get to.

Areas of expertise

  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Depression and mood disorders (including bipolar)
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Emotion dysregulation and personality disorders (including BPD)
  • Grief and life adjustment
  • Chronic pain and self-esteem

Therapies offered

  • Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Eye Movement Integration (EMI)
  • BrainWorking Recursive Therapy (BWRT)
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) & Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
  • Somatic, person-centred and positive-psychology approaches