Dr. Amanda Van Der Westhuizen , HCPC

Dr. Amanda Van Der Westhuizen is a clinician with 17 years of professional experience who brings calm, clarity, and practical support to people navigating stress, trauma, relationship challenges, and identity concerns. She is licensed to practise in the United Kingdom and South Africa and holds HCPC registration - HCPC stands for the Health and Care Professions Council, the UK regulator for certain health professions. Her background includes working with clients across the lifespan and from varied cultural and social backgrounds, and she places value on recognising and honouring diversity in every therapeutic relationship.

She has particular experience supporting individuals with complex presentations, including neurodiversity and co-occurring mental health conditions, and commonly works with issues such as trauma, depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, and low self-esteem. Her practice blends empathy with structure, aiming to help clients strengthen identity, build coping skills, and make meaningful changes in daily life.

Dr. Van Der Westhuizen adapts conversations and treatment plans to each person’s needs and preferred pace, offering a collaborative approach that balances active guidance with respect for individual choice. She frames therapy as a partnership, walking alongside clients as they take steps toward a more fulfilling life. Taking the first step toward change can be courageous, and she offers steady support throughout that process.

Trauma-Informed and Client-Focused Care Online

Dr. Amanda Van Der Westhuizen combines evidence-informed methods with a compassionate, client-centred stance to address emotional pain and life challenges. Client-Centered Therapy emphasises empathy, active listening, and collaboration so that clients feel heard and are supported to explore their values and goals; this approach helps with self-esteem, relationship issues, and life transitions. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) offers a structured way to process distressing memories and reduce their emotional intensity, and it is often used for trauma-related symptoms. Trauma-Focused Therapy concentrates directly on the effects of traumatic experiences and helps people develop coping skills, reprocess memories, and restore a sense of safety and agency.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work itself, and Dr. Van Der Westhuizen takes a collaborative stance to determine what fits best for each person. She discusses options, listens to client preferences and goals, and adjusts methods as therapy progresses so that the plan reflects individual needs and pacing.

Online therapy offers practical benefits such as flexible scheduling and easier access for people living far from in-person services. Sessions can be held via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing clients to choose formats that suit their comfort level and daily routines. This flexibility helps maintain continuity of care and supports consistent progress toward therapy goals.