Dr Siobhan Sweeney

Counseling Psychologist

“Psychoanalytically-orientated therapist offering a containing space to examine the self in-depth, develop acceptance and nurture strengths.”

About Me

I offer Psychoanalytically-informed psychotherapy for children, adolescents and adults in Claremont, Western Cape, South Africa. In addition, I work with parents and families providing parent work, parent-infant work and work with under fives. I also offer individual and group supervision as well as facilitate and teach courses drawing from Psychoanalytic thinking and understanding.

Approach

A measured, curious pace helps us follow the deeper stories that shape reactions and relationships. In Cape Town and online, in English, I hold sessions that balance quiet reflection with focused questions, attuned to how young children express themselves through play and how adolescents and adults use words. We move between noticing present feelings, exploring early patterns and trying small experiments between meetings; assessments are offered when clarity about development or diagnosis will aid progress. This steady, exploratory rhythm suits those facing transitions, anxiety, grief or family complexity.

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Basic Information

Cape Town, South Africa

In-person & Online

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Services

In drawing from a Psychodynamic and Psychoanalytic approach, psychotherapy aims to gain an understanding around the difficulties one is experiencing and examine in-depth what is behind one’s behaviour. By exploring one’s internal or fantasy life and being aware of how the past may influence the present, psychic pain can be alleviated and desired change brought about. In using the therapeutic relationship which offers a sense of security and containment, clients are given the opportunity to identify difficulties, reflect on experiences and reach a place where they can begin to heal through acceptance and nurturing their strengths. For children, play is their language and toys are their words so in play therapy children are provided with toys in a safe space to ‘say’ what they are feeling and express their distressing emotions. Through play therapy, defenses can be dismantled to allow for distressing feelings to be managed and for new experiences to develop. Playing out these feelings can help children to feel understood and allows them to learn how to express their thoughts and feelings in constructive ways to gain a sense of mastery. While working with children, Siobhán works closely with parents offering support with parenting difficulties and developing parenting skills.

Services Offered:

Counseling
A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.
Learn more about Counseling
Play Therapy
A therapy for children that uses play as a natural form of communication, allowing them to express feelings and process difficult experiences.
Learn more about Play Therapy
Psychology
The scientific study and clinical practice of understanding the mind, emotions, and behaviour, applied to promote healthier functioning.
Learn more about Psychology
Adolescent Therapy
Therapy designed for teenagers, using age-appropriate methods to address issues like anxiety, identity, peer pressure, and family conflict.
Learn more about Adolescent Therapy
Individual Therapy
One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.
Learn more about Individual Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
A therapy that explores how past experiences and unconscious patterns shape current feelings, relationships, and behaviour.
Learn more about Psychodynamic Therapy
Supervision
Professional oversight for therapists and counsellors, providing guidance, ethical support, and reflective space for their clinical work.
Learn more about Supervision

Works With:

Adolescents
Adults
Children
Individuals
Parents
Under Fives

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

Life Transitions
Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.
Learn more about Life Transitions
Anxiety
Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about Anxiety
Relationship Issues
Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.
Learn more about Relationship Issues
Behaviour or Conduct Issues
Persistent patterns of defiant, aggressive, or rule-breaking behaviour in children or adolescents that significantly disrupt home, school, or social life.
Grief & Loss
The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.
Learn more about Grief & Loss
Child Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal assessment of a child's psychological, cognitive, or emotional functioning to identify conditions and guide appropriate support.
Mood Disorder
A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.
Learn more about Mood Disorder
Family Issues
Difficulties within the family system, including conflict, communication breakdown, blended family tensions, or intergenerational patterns, that affect individual and collective well-being.
Personal Development
The ongoing process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching one's potential, pursued not because something is wrong but to live more fully.

Professional Title:

Counseling Psychologist
A psychologist who helps people with everyday life challenges (relationships, work stress, adjustment) as well as mental health conditions.