More about Ethelwyn

In 1993 I graduated with a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology through UNISA and some twelve years later I completed another Masters Degree, this time in Creative Writing, through the University of the Witwatersrand. Psychology and Literature have both been my great loves because they both deal, in different ways, with the challenges of being human.

I have come to view everyone as the hero or heroine of his or her own tale. Some chapters have happy themes, some deal with difficulties. At times, the sufferings endured are so severe that the protagonist involved feels crushed and threatened with an annihilation of his or her sense of self. An individual’s understanding of his or her story may be destructive, inspiring depression, a sense of despair and hopelessness. In such instances, therapy needs to arouse the person from his or her particular nightmare, engendering a more positive and tolerant account of him or herself and perhaps others.

Novelists keep their plots moving to the end, but in real life, an individual may feel that he or she has become trapped in painful situations and perceptions. As a psychotherapist, I view my job as essentially that of aiding such folk to move on to the next chapter of their lives. Human beings need to be reminded that what they are going through is only a section of their life’s narrative. Movement, change and difference often have to be assisted. On occasion this requires a great deal of thought and intervention, on other occasions it requires only an empathic listener who offers validation and who facilitates thoughtful exploration and resolution, thereby enabling healing.

​