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Christian Van Tonder

General psychologist, specialising in:

See available times
  • Adjustment Difficulties and Life Transitions
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Attachment and Family Dynamics
Not taking new clients
English, Afrikaans

Hi, I’m Christian

I have the rare pleasure of meeting you in this manner, today! This is an important first step in this change (and learning) journey.

I have often needed someone that could listen to me and have my best interests at heart; with whom I could share my uncertainties and fears, and bounce off ideas; and who could help me make sense of difficult life and work situations or decisions… and assist me in making those changes I desire. This is why I became a psychologist… no-one is immune to the strains and demands of living and working. We all need someone, at some stage, to work with us to lead more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

I value the opportunity to ‘partner’ with you, in order to optimise who you are, and so you could make the most of every day.

I look forward to meet you in person…

I can help you with

  • Adjustment Difficulties and Life Transitions
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Attachment and Family Dynamics
  • Burnout
  • Career Concerns
  • Communication Difficulties
  • Confidence
  • Depression and Low Mood
  • Educational Supports and Adjustments
  • Existential Distress
  • Family Difficulties
  • Health and Lifestyle
  • Meaning and Values
  • Mood Disorders
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Parenting and New-Parent Support
  • Perfectionism
  • Performance
  • Relationship Difficulties
  • Self-Development
  • Self-Esteem
  • Stress Management
  • Trauma
  • Wellbeing Coaching
  • Workplace Relations
  • Workplace Stress

I’m trained in

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
  • Problem-Solving Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)

Qualifications

Chris is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. He obtained several degrees in Psychology (BA, Hons BA in Psychology, MA Industrial Psychology, PhD in Industrial/Organisational Psychology) and completed a professional internship in the Military Psychological Institute. Additional training included various counselling approaches e.g., Rational Emotive Therapy (RET), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and related programmes e.g., Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment (cognitive development). He held various professorships and published books/articles on change, identity, stress and burnout.; Chris' professional experience straddles several decades, during which he provided counselling and psychological services to a range of clients (adults, adolescents and children) in diverse settings. These included the military, corporate / business settings, non-governmental and community organisations, school and educational settings, and in private practice (family, individual counselling). Professional interests included, among other, personal and lifecycle change and adaptation; stress, burnout and PTSD; self-esteem and identity challenges; relationship and interpersonal issues; scholastic and vocational / career dynamics, etc.