What are the opening hours?

Monday 08:30 - 16:00 Tuesday 08:30 - 16:00 Wednesday 08:30 - 16:00 Thursday 08:30 - 16:00 Friday 08:30 - 16:00

Christel Maritz Clinical Psychologist

Home
South Africa
Cape Town
Christel Maritz Clinical Psychologist

Christel Maritz is a qualified Clinical Psychologist based in Somerset West. She obtained her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology in 1991.

Over the past 22 years she has come to realize that although there are different schools of psychotherapy, certain common denominators are occurring and that these denominators are brain based. ‘People seeking help from one therapist, may hear a completely different perspective about their problem than they would from another well-meaning therapist from a different theoretical school’ John Arden

; Brain2Brain, Enacting Client Change through the persuasive power of Neuroscience. Being keenly interested in Maths and Science, but also in the human psyche, she started off by studying B.Sc Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch majoring in Mathematical statistics and Psychology. Through 22 years of private practice she did various courses in neuroscience and specifically the effect of psychotherapy on the different brain structures as well as to be able to take a specific patient’s brain functioning into account in planning tailor made therapy. Therapeutic modalities that she currently uses, are evidence based, ensuring patients that they are being treated with research based and sound strategies. Including psycho-education about neuroscience as part of therapy, greatly assist patients in understanding their behaviour and emotions. It changes them from being helpless victims of a diagnoses to active participants in their own recovery process, by having a neuro scientific understanding of their symptoms and learning more about their brain and the brain-body connection. Christel is committed to on going study and recently added the modality of Brain Working Recursive Therapy to her repertoire. BWRT® is a ground breaking therapy that reflects the way our brain operates to change previously formed patterns that are preventing us from living life to the full. Research shows that the brain has already processed information and initiated a reaction before our conscious minds are even aware of it. So when we are trying to address areas such as anxiety, stress, fears, phobias, relationship problems, confidence, and other negative or limiting habits, we often fail or struggle despite thinking rationally after years of being in therapy. BWRT® bypasses this problem by retraining the neuro-pathway of the brain’s patterns. BWRT® is also quite effective in treating Post traumatic symptoms. Working with predominantly Christian patients, Christel also realized that for many, their relationship with God is fundamental to their identity and many emotional and relationship problems stem from their religious perspectives of themselves and God. Differentiating between Body, Soul and Spirit as well as understanding the relationship between the three concepts, assists patients in having a point of reference to start working on religious issues. She thus furthered her studies in the field of Behavioral Life Style Counselling. She obtained an extra qualification in Biblical counselling to enable her to also assist patients with spiritual issues. An integrated neuroscientific approach in the planning and executing of therapy for each individual, is thus the essence of Christel’s approach to treating her patients. Treating and addressing symptoms instead of labelling and treating diagnoses, is of utmost importance to her.

18/06/2026

Unlike women, who are often diagnosed with depression based on feelings of sadness, men frequently manifest emotional pain in completely different ways. These often go unrecognized as mental health issues and include:

**Irritability and sudden anger;

**Aggression or violent outbursts;

**Risk-taking behaviors (e.g., reckless driving or extreme hobbies);

**Emotional withdrawal from friends and family;

**Self-medicating with alcohol or illicit drugs.

15/06/2026

One of the greatest mistakes we make is viewing neurodivergent traits only through the lens of what society finds inconvenient.
What if some of the traits people criticize are simply strengths that have been misunderstood?

☑️The child who "asks too many questions" may become the researcher who discovers what others overlooked.
☑️The person who is "obsessed" with a topic may develop expertise that others never achieve.
☑️The individual who is "too sensitive" may notice subtle emotional shifts in a room before anyone else does.
☑️The one who is "rigid" may become the person everyone trusts because they are dependable, consistent, and principled.
☑️The person who "can't let things go" may be the one who perseveres long after others have given up.
☑️The individual who "talks too much" may have a mind overflowing with ideas, creativity, and connections.
☑️The one who "daydreams constantly" may be imagining possibilities that do not yet exist.
☑️The person who "overthinks everything" may see risks, patterns, and solutions that others miss.
☑️The individual who is "socially awkward" may simply value authenticity more than social performance.
☑️The one who struggles with small talk may be seeking genuine connection rather than superficial conversation.
☑️The person who notices every detail may become the quality controller, engineer, artist, or investigator who prevents costly mistakes.
☑️The child who challenges authority may grow into an adult who questions injustice.
☑️The individual who dislikes change may provide stability in a world obsessed with constant motion.
☑️The one who is easily overwhelmed by noise, crowds, and chaos may possess a nervous system that is highly attuned to their environment.
☑️The person who becomes intensely focused may accomplish in a few hours what others cannot achieve in days.
☑️The individual who feels emotions deeply may also love deeply, care deeply, and show extraordinary compassion.

Of course, neurodivergence comes with real struggles. Difficulties should never be dismissed or minimized. But there is a difference between helping someone manage their challenges and teaching them that who they are is fundamentally wrong.

Many traits become "problems" only when viewed in the wrong environment. A fish is not defective because it cannot climb a tree. A person is not broken because their mind works differently. Sometimes the question is not, "How do we fix this person?"

Sometimes the better question is, "What strengths are hidden inside the very trait we have been trying to eliminate?"
What we call a flaw may, in the right context, become a gift.

12/06/2026

You find peace when you stop negotiating with chaos. For many of us, peace feels like something we can earn by trying harder, explaining more, or convincing the chaotic part of our lives (or someone else) to finally behave. But chaos doesn’t negotiate. It fuels on the struggle.

Peace comes when you:

Stop trying to control what is uncontrollable
Stop arguing with your own feelings, thoughts, or triggers
Stop making yourself small to keep someone else calm
Start choosing boundaries, stillness, and self-trust instead

When you stop negotiating with chaos, you stop giving it power. You create space for clarity, calm, and real healing.

Try this today:
Notice one area where you’re still negotiating.
Then gently ask: “What would peace look like if I stopped trying to fix this?” You don’t need to win the chaos. You just need to walk away from it.
That’s where peace begins.

08/06/2026

The amygdala has no sense of time. When a current experience resembles an old wound, even in subtle ways, it can sound the alarm as though the original threat is happening right now. In those moments, we often react from the emotional age and capacity we had when the trauma occurred, rather than from the resources and wisdom we possess today. The question is not how to stop triggers from happening altogether, but how to recognise them for what they are: echoes of the past, not necessarily realities of the present. Healing begins when we learn to pause, observe, and gently remind ourselves that while the memory is old, we are no longer the person we were when it was first created.

As we step into a new week, remember that focus is everything. What we repeatedly focus on becomes the lens through which we interpret our experiences and ultimately shapes the reality we create. We can focus on fear, old narratives, and past hurts, or we can intentionally direct our attention toward growth, possibility, and the strengths we have developed along the way. This does not mean ignoring pain; it means choosing not to let it dictate the story. Every day offers an opportunity to shift our focus from what happened to us, toward who we are becoming. And in that shift lies the power to create a different future.

— Christel Maritz, Clinical Psychologist 🌿

04/06/2026

ROOM AVAILABLE IN ESTABLISHED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PRACTICE

A fully furnished consulting room is available in a well-established, supportive multi-disciplinary practice situated in an exceptional location near Somerset Mall and Busamed Hospital, close to Strand in the Western Cape.

I have personally worked from these premises for over 10 years, and can confidently say the accessibility, professional environment, and overall working conditions are excellent for both practitioners and clients.

Rental includes:
• Reception services
• Running costs
• Professional consulting environment
(Accounts excluded)

Suitable for:
• Psychiatrists
• Psychologists
• Allied Mental Health Professionals

This is an ideal opportunity for a practitioner looking for a stable, professional, and well-established therapeutic setting.

For enquiries or viewing arrangements, please contact:
Christel Maritz Clinical Psychologist
📞 +27 72 242 5857

Serious enquiries welcome.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6iXD2rpfGH7cFLaEA

01/06/2026

Feeling different doesn’t mean something is wrong, it often means your brain is simply working on a different formula.

ADHD isn’t just distraction or laziness. It’s a unique way of thinking, feeling, and responding to the world. For many people ADHD means:

Attention that is selective, able to hyperfocus on what matters, but hard to direct when tasks feel boring.

Motivation tied to meaning and stimulation, not willpower.

Hyperactivity that can be internal, racing thoughts and constant mental energy.

Divergent thinking, creativity, fast connections, and original problem-solving.

A heavy emotional toll from years of misunderstanding, self-blame, and unfair expectations.

If you or someone you care for struggles with inconsistent focus, unexpected bursts of productivity, or overwhelming internal energy, know this: these are features of how your brain is wired, not moral failures. With compassion and the right strategies, structure that’s flexible, supports that make sense, and self-kindness, life can feel much lighter.

As a clinical psychologist, I help people understand their brain’s pattern and build practical, personalised ways to work with it, not against it. If this resonates, you’re not alone. Tell me: what’s one everyday moment where your brain’s “different formula” shows up? I’d love to hear and share a few small tips next week.

29/05/2026

Emotional processing often feels like a tangled mess inside the mind and nervous system. Thoughts, memories, fears, and feelings become knotted together until we can no longer tell what belongs to what.

Healing is not about forcing positivity. It is often a slow process:
First, noticing the tangle.
Then gently loosening the knots.
Separating what is fear, grief, anger, shame, or truth.
And finally braiding the experience back together in a way that creates meaning, strength, and integration.

Sometimes growth is not becoming someone new.
It is learning how to hold your inner world with more clarity, compassion, and understanding.

26/05/2026

ROOM AVAILABLE IN ESTABLISHED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PRACTICE

A fully furnished consulting room is available in a well-established multi-disciplinary practice, ideally situated near Somerset Mall and Busamed Hospital.

Rental includes:
• Reception services
• Running costs
• Professional consulting environment
(Accounts excluded)

Suitable for:
• Psychiatrists
• Psychologists
• Allied Mental Health Professionals

An ideal opportunity for a practitioner seeking a professional, established, and supportive consulting space within a respected therapeutic environment.

For enquiries, contact:
Christel Maritz Clinical Psychologist
📞 +27 72 242 5857
Immediately available

25/05/2026

If you were never taught how to emotionally regulate, you likely learned something else instead: emotional monitoring.

As a child, you may have unconsciously learned to scan the room, watch facial expressions, listen to tone changes, predict reactions, and adjust yourself accordingly. Your nervous system learned that safety depended on keeping other people calm, happy, stable, or emotionally available.

So now, as an adult, you may find yourself constantly hyper-aware of other people’s moods. If someone becomes distant, upset, quiet, irritated, or withdrawn, your body reacts as though your own safety is at risk. You may overthink, people-please, shut down, panic, or feel responsible for fixing the emotional atmosphere around you.

That is not weakness. It is often a nervous system adaptation developed in environments where emotional safety felt unpredictable.

Healing involves learning that your sense of safety cannot always depend on the emotional state of others. Regulation means developing the capacity to stay connected to yourself, your body, your emotions, and your boundaries—even when someone else is dysregulated.

You are allowed to feel safe without constantly managing everyone around you.

Christel Maritz Clinical Psychologist
Somerset West, Western Cape
Direct message at: (mailto:[email protected])

24/05/2026

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a condition where a person experiences very real neurological symptoms, but the problem is not caused by structural damage in the brain or nervous system, like a stroke, tumour, or multiple sclerosis. Instead, the brain is not sending, receiving, or processing signals correctly — almost like a “software problem” rather than “hardware damage.”

People with FND can experience symptoms such as:

Weakness or paralysis
Tremors or shaking
Non-epileptic seizures
Difficulty walking
Numbness
Speech problems
Vision changes
Chronic pain, fatigue, or cognitive difficulties (“brain fog”)

The symptoms are not imagined, exaggerated, or “all in the person’s head.” Brain scans may look normal, but the nervous system is still functioning in a dysregulated way. Stress, trauma, overwhelm, chronic anxiety, nervous system overload, or adverse life experiences can sometimes contribute, although FND can also develop after illness, injury, or without a clear trigger.

A simple way to explain it to clients is:

“Your brain and nervous system are struggling to communicate properly. The system is overloaded, stuck in survival mode, or misfiring, and the body starts expressing that distress physically.”

Treatment often involves a multidisciplinary approach:

Neurology
Physiotherapy
Occupational therapy
Psychotherapy or trauma-informed therapy
Nervous system regulation work
Sleep, pacing, and stress management

Recovery is possible, especially when people understand that the symptoms are real and that the nervous system can relearn healthier patterns over time.

Address

2B Niblick Way Tre Mondi Office Park Somerset West
Cape Town
0027

Opening Hours

Monday	08:30 - 16:00
Tuesday	08:30 - 16:00
Wednesday	08:30 - 16:00
Thursday	08:30 - 16:00
Friday	08:30 - 16:00

Website

http://www.christelmaritzpsychologist.psychpractice.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Christel Maritz Clinical Psychologist posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Christel Maritz Clinical Psychologist:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Cape Town?