Aadilah Dadabhay

My interest and curiosity in the field of psychology blossomed from an early age. Growing up in a family that was actively involved in community initiatives and welfare organisations, as a young girl I found myself being exposed to people from all walks of life.

This led me to discover that while our similarities may help us connect and bring us together, each individual also had their own unique story to tell; A life story with many chapters and one that overflowed with pages of rich cultural, political, socio-economic and geographical history. I always wondered what it would be like to live in another person’s shoes and found that I easily gravitated towards offering support and often adopted the role of an active listener.

Naturally, these characteristics led me to pursuing a career in psychology. While this journey has been filled with learning opportunities and a plethora of emotions, my most meaningful discovery has been that of my own; developing my own level of introspection and a greater sense of self-awareness. As a practitioner, I believe that understanding yourself is a cornerstone to providing effective treatment and in being able to understand others.

I obtained my Masters Degree in Educational Psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand and completed my internship at an accredited NGO in Johannesburg. Through this experience, I was able to receive an extensive amount of training and exposure to working in multi-disciplinary teams and with a diverse population from as little as 5 years of age right up to the adult population.

These institutions provided me with a well-grounded foundation in Psychodynamic theory and this predominantly forms the basis of my therapeutic approach. However, and when working with children, I enjoy working from a systemic paradigm as it illustrates the effectiveness of collaborating and extending the therapeutic process to involve key role players such as parents, caregivers, siblings and teachers. Each individual is unique and I believe in tailoring my approach to prioritise my client’s needs.

As a woman of colour, I am passionate about breaking down stigma and barriers to mental health in our community. I have an interest in working with emotional and behavioural difficulties in children, bereavement and loss, trauma, adjustment difficulties and anxiety and depression.

As Sandberg (2018) once said, “We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change”. Through therapy, this is what I strive to provide my clients with; A nurturing and supportive space to help them achieve greater self-awareness, the ability to recognise unhealthy defence mechanisms and the tools to guide them to living a better and more self-fulfilled life.