Hannelie Spies - Educational Psychologist

Hannelie Spies - Educational Psychologist I am Hannelie Spies, an Educational Psychologist working in Stellenbosch.

Women's Month is often a time to celebrate strength, resilience and achievement.But it is also worth acknowledging that ...
05/08/2026

Women's Month is often a time to celebrate strength, resilience and achievement.
But it is also worth acknowledging that many women carry an invisible mental load every day. Managing work, parenting, relationships, caring for others and trying to meet expectations that often feel impossible.

Looking after your own emotional wellbeing is not selfish. It allows you to show up more fully for the people and responsibilities that matter most.

Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is recognise when you need support too.

One of the biggest misconceptions about trauma therapy is that healing means repeatedly talking about painful experience...
31/07/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions about trauma therapy is that healing means repeatedly talking about painful experiences. For many people, that thought alone feels overwhelming.

Therapeutic approaches such as BWRT® (BrainWorking Recursive Therapy) take a different approach. Rather than revisiting every detail of a distressing experience, BWRT® works with the brain's automatic response patterns that continue to trigger anxiety, fear or emotional distress long after the event has passed.

If you would like to understand whether BWRT® may be appropriate for you, learn more about my therapeutic approach on my website.

Executive functioning affects much more than school or work.It influences how we manage our time, make decisions, rememb...
23/07/2026

Executive functioning affects much more than school or work.
It influences how we manage our time, make decisions, remember important information, regulate our emotions and follow through on intentions.

When these skills are under strain, even simple tasks can feel disproportionately difficult.

The good news is that executive functioning skills can be strengthened with the right understanding, practical strategies and support.

If executive functioning challenges are affecting you or your child, you are welcome to learn more about the support and services I offer on my website.

One of the things I often remind my clients is that progress does not always look the way we expect.Sometimes it can be ...
15/07/2026

One of the things I often remind my clients is that progress does not always look the way we expect.

Sometimes it can be feeling a little less overwhelmed than you did a few weeks ago, responding differently to a situation that would once have caused significant anxiety. Or simply recognising a pattern and understanding yourself with a little more compassion.

Healing is rarely about one big breakthrough. More often, it is a series of small, meaningful steps that gradually change the way you experience life.
Be patient with your progress. The small changes matter more than you may realise.

Many people understand that a past experience affected them. What is often more frustrating is continuing to react in wa...
09/07/2026

Many people understand that a past experience affected them. What is often more frustrating is continuing to react in ways they do not fully understand.

This is because trauma and distressing experiences can create automatic response patterns within the brain.

BrainWorking Recursive Therapy SA ® works with these patterns, helping the brain respond differently to situations that previously triggered distress, fear, anxiety or overwhelm.

The goal is not to erase memories, but to change the emotional impact they continue to have on daily life.

If you would like to learn more about BWRT® and how it may help, further information is available on my website. www.hanneliespies.co.za
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𝟱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻Children and teenagers may genuinely want to complete a task but...
03/07/2026

𝟱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Children and teenagers may genuinely want to complete a task but struggle with the mental processes needed to get started, stay organised or follow through.
5 important things parents should know:
🔹Wanting to do something and being able to start are not always the same thing
🔹Reminders alone are often not enough
🔹Being overwhelmed can look like avoidance
🔹Emotional regulation and executive functioning are closely connected
🔹Support and skills development are more effective than criticism

Understanding the challenge often changes the way we respond.

Psychologists are increasingly seeing anxiety across all age groups. While anxiety has always existed, today's individua...
30/06/2026

Psychologists are increasingly seeing anxiety across all age groups. While anxiety has always existed, today's individuals are navigating:
➡️constant access to information
➡️academic pressure
➡️social comparison
➡️uncertainty about the future
➡️increasing demands on attention and performance

For many people, the nervous system has very little opportunity to slow down and recover. Understanding anxiety is not about eliminating stress completely. It is about developing healthier ways of responding to it.

You do not have to navigate anxiety alone. Support is available.

Many individuals seek support not because of what happened to them, but because of how those experiences continue to aff...
19/06/2026

Many individuals seek support not because of what happened to them, but because of how those experiences continue to affect their lives today.

Responses such as anxiety, difficulty trusting others, persistent self-doubt or strong emotional reactions often began as adaptive ways of coping.

Therapeutic approaches such as BWRT® can help individuals process these patterns and develop new responses that better support present-day functioning and wellbeing.

More information about my therapeutic approach and services can be found on my website. [www.hanneliespies.co.za]

BrainWorking Recursive Therapy SA

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!Teenagers today are growing up in a world that places ...
08/06/2026

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!
Teenagers today are growing up in a world that places demands on them that previous generations never had to navigate.
Behind the mood swings, withdrawal, anxiety or struggles with self-esteem, there is often a young person trying to make sense of a fast-moving, highly connected and often overwhelming world.

This video offers a thought-provoking perspective on the challenges facing adolescents today and why supportive relationships matter more than ever.

As parents, caregivers and educators, understanding what our young people are experiencing can help us respond with greater empathy and connection.
Take a moment to listen. https://shorturl.at/J9uQy

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻...
02/06/2026

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁?

This can look like procrastination or poor time management. But for many teens with ADHD, the challenge is not knowing what to do. It is managing the executive functioning skills needed to plan, prioritise, organise and initiate tasks.

Over time, this can affect confidence, increase anxiety, and leave students feeling as though they are constantly falling behind, despite putting in significant effort.

Support is available for adolescents and young adults navigating ADHD, executive functioning challenges and the emotional impact these difficulties can have on everyday life.

Address

Corner Of Suidwal Road And Piet Retief Street
Stellenbosch
7140

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+27726533585

Website

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