Meraki Team

Mariska Profile pic

Mariska van der Meulen

I have always experienced my greatest sense of  accomplishment in helping people deal with challenges. After completing my BLC LLB, this passion led to my completing a Honours Degree in Psychology at the University of Pretoria in 2004.  I trained as a counsellor for an NGO,  focusing on marriage and relationship counselling, individual counselling and trauma related counselling for the last 10 years, furthering my passion and knowledge with key courses in trauma counselling and couples therapy. I have been lecturing various modules of Psychology since 2011 - Marriage counselling, Sexual trauma, Personology and Social Psychology.

I regularly host workshops or talks on a variety of subjects from dealing with your teenager, to coping with stress, resolving relationship issues and more.  I am a wife and mother, which gives me deeper insight into my clients’ experiences and challenges.

As the owner of Meraki Counselling, I pride myself on providing quality services, by guiding, facilitating and supporting our clients to the best of our ability.

Location:  Rosebank, Jhb

Mariska is no longer taking new clients for counselling.  She is however available for customised training or for her talks.  View our training page here

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Alicia van Vuuren

Alicia Obtained a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work at the UCT and has worked as a Clinical Social Worker both nationally and internationally. She is also an accredited Enneagram Practitioner and is currently undertaking her PhD.

Special interests:

  • Couple’s and relationship counselling
  • Teenage counselling
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Trauma
  • Training and Development

Location:  Rosebank, Jhb

Integrative
Pumelela Dano

Pumelela Dano

Pumelela is a passionate counsellor who believes that through the process of therapy anyone can discover and become their true selves and be the person that they strive to be. She has a Bachelor of Social work from the University of Pretoria, as well as a Bachelors of Social Sciences majoring in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Cape Town.  She is also registered with the SACSSP.
Pumelela has knowledge and experience working as a counsellor with individuals who have undergone traumatic experiences. She has worked within the hospital setting in assisting people with Psychosocial challenges that came with and post the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her interests include:

Anxiety and depression.
Trauma counseling and debriefing.
Couples and relationship counseling.
Conflict management.
Mental health counseling.
Adolescent counseling.
Pumelela speaks isiXhosa, isiZulu and English.
Location: Rosebank
Estelle Prinsloo - Meraki Counselling | F2F Online Counselling Services

Estelle Prinsoo

Estelle is a registered Social Worker with vast experience providing counseling to couples and individuals. Individual relationship counseling is provided with regards to oneself experiencing anxiety/depression/low self-esteem etc. or in relation to other people in the world around us.

She is systemically trained and has been a counselor in a family and relationship orientated organisation for 25 years.

Her skills include:
Couples Counselling
Trauma debriefing
Divorce counseling
Grief counseling
Parental guidance
Marital preparation and/ enrichment

She strives to provide a safe space where clients can process or explore the world they live in.

Estelle endeavors to stay abreast with updated studies and new techniques by attending skills workshops on a regular basis.

She is registered with the SACSSP and has been registered in private practice and with SAASWIP since 2008.

Location:  Rosebank, Jhb

Shamiso Gusha - Meraki Counselling | F2F Online Counselling Services

Shamiso Gusha

Shamiso is a Registered counsellor with the Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) who strongly believes we need to thrive not just survive. She is a compassionate and empathetic counsellor specialising in self-esteem and relationship counselling. With an understanding of the complexities that individuals face when it comes to their self-worth and interpersonal connections, Shamiso’s empathetic nature allows her to guide her clients towards personal growth, improved self-confidence, and healthier, more fulfilling relationships.

Having worked with clients from various backgrounds, cultures, religions and age groups she offers a safe and non-judgmental space for them to explore their concerns.

Areas of Specialisation:

1. Relationship Counselling:
• Enhancing communication skills within relationships
• Resolving conflicts and fostering healthier communication patterns
• Couple’s pre-marital and marriage counselling
• Navigating through life transitions impacting relationships

2. Self-Esteem Counselling:
• Helping clients develop a positive self-image, self-worth and confidence
• Resolving self-doubt, negative self-talk, and self-criticism

3. Divorce Care
• Navigating life during and after divorce
• Shamiso recognises that divorce not only affects the couple but also impacts children and extended family members. Through family therapy, she facilitates open and constructive communication, fostering understanding and stronger bonds.

Shamiso’s therapeutic approach is tailored to each individual client, as she recognises the uniqueness of their backgrounds, challenges, and goals. She combines evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy, and person-centered therapy to create a holistic and effective treatment plan.

Shamiso speaks English, Zulu, Ndebele and understands Xhosa, Venda and Tswana

Location:  Rosebank and Jhb

Mariska Kleynhans - Meraki Counselling | F2F Online Counselling Services

Mariska Kleynhans

Mariska is a Registered Counsellor registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) who specialises in play therapy. She obtained her undergraduate qualification at the University of Pretoria and completed her BPsych Equivalent qualification at the South African College of South Africa (SACAP). She has also completed extensive training in play therapy at the Centre for Play Therapy and Training.

Mariska’s passion lies with working with children and Teenagers and their families. She has numerous years of experience in working with children and teenagers from all walks of life, cultures and backgrounds. She also has vast experience working with special needs children and believes that every child is unique. During sessions she creates a safe space for children and teens to express their feelings and to share their emotional worlds. She has a deep love and sense of compassion for children and is dearly loved by her clients. Her passion shines through everything she does!

Location:  Rosebank and Jhb

Zinzi

Zinzi Ramatseba

Zinzi has an Honours degree, Master’s degree and is currently pursuing her Ph.D in social work at WITS. She has a passion for working with people of all ages and has extensive experience in solution focused therapy, task centered therapy and person centred therapy.

Zinzi supervises third year students at the University of Johannesburg and loves sharing her knowledge with others. Zinzi’s special interests are couples therapy, trauma counselling and working with teens and children.

Zinzi speaks Sotho, Xhosa, Zulu and English

Location:  Rosebank, Jhb

Mzamo Mbuli - Meraki Counselling | F2F Online Counselling Services

Mzamo Mbuli

Mzamo is a Clinical Psychologist and Family trained therapist who uses an eclectic therapeutic approach. He did his training internship at 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria. In the beginning of his career, Mzamo focused more on Neuropsychological assessments and reports for clients who had traumatic brain injuries. Mzamo’s first love is psychotherapy where he assists clients in processing trauma, negative thoughts, and emotions. He is a person-centred psychologist in nature and focuses on building good rapport with clients. At Papillion Recovery Centre he has had the experience of treating dual diagnosis as well as international clients. Mzamo also discusses current psychological challenges in the country on radio and TV.

Mzamo has vast experience in:

  • Diagnosing and treating psychopathology in individuals groups and families
  • To provide psychotherapy for individual, groups, and families.
  • Assess patients with psychometric and psychopathological assessments.
  • Intermediary between management and employees.
  • Clinical intakes (clinical interviewing).
  • Scoring and interpreting of neuropsychological tests.
  • Report writing and editing of reports.
  • Compilation of joint minutes for court.

Mzamo's interests are:

Individual therapy for Adults , Adolescents and children.
Family and couples therapy
Anxiety
Depression
Personality disorders
Work related stress and anger problems.

Location:  Rosebank, Jhb

Celeste - Meraki Counselling | F2F Online Counselling Services

Celesté Robertson

Celesté obtained her undergraduate Degree at the North-West University in Psychology. Whereafter she obtained her Honours Degree in Psychology at the University of South Africa (UNISA). She continued to obtain her Masters Degree in Positive Psychology at the North-West University; and has also been trained as a Play Therapy Practitioner at the Centre for Play Therapy and Training.

Celesté is registered as a Counsellor with the HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa) and has been practicing since 2010.
She has experience in individual therapy, couples therapy, trauma therapy, family therapy, group therapy and Play Therapy.

Celesté is a kind and soft-spirited counsellor who understands and values the importance of being heard and to feel emotionally and physically safe.

Location:  Rosebank, Jhb

Sibekezelo Dube

Sibekezelo Dube

Sibekezela supports people through life challenges and relationship dynamics. She has a solid academic background with an honours degree from the University of South Africa.

She has decades of counselling experience and has been in various senior positions throughout her career. She has in-depth knowledge of human dynamics and is a people-centric counsellor. She specialises in couples counselling, teenage counselling, trauma and family matters. She uses a person-centred approach, CBT, DBT and solution-focused therapy. Sibekezelo speaks IsiZulu and English and understands SeSotho and IsiXhoza.

She is available for counselling sessions in Rosebank.

Liezl

Liezl Camphor

Liezl is a couples, individual and trauma counsellor at the Pretoria office. She believes we are our relationships; We are hard-wired to flourish in relationships that are meaningful. She helps her clients overcome relationship challenges by giving them a new perspective and a fresh paradigm of thinking and feeling – and in so doing, brings about more harmonious and meaningful relationships. It is important to have tools and strategies that can bring perspective to challenging relationships.

She sees therapy as a collaborative process, where therapist and client work together to ensure client goals are met. Liezl has a BCom. Business Management degree from the University of Pretoria as well as an Honours Degree in Psychology from Unisa. She works with clients locally as well as clients in the USA and UK. She’s a Specialist Wellness Counsellor, registered with the ASCHP.

Location:  Centurion

Funeka-Mani-

Funeka Mani

Funeka is a Registered Counsellor with the HPCSA with decades of experience. She specialises in couples counselling, family counselling,
Trauma, individual and teenage counselling.

She also has vast experience in screening and identification of mental health challenges.

Funeka speaks  IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, IsiNdebele and SiSwati. She also understands Sesotho, Setswana and Sepedi.

Location: Rosebank

Karin Botes

Karin Botes

Karin, a registered Social Worker in private practice, firmly believes that the quality of our connections and relationships shapes the quality of our lives. Her work focuses on facilitating growth and healing in relationships, and empowering individuals to flourish, on their own and in their connections with others.

With a background in counselling individuals, couples, and families, Karin holds postgraduate qualifications including an MA in Social Sciences and Psychology Honours. She is currently in the final stages of clinical training in Imago Relationship Therapy.

Her areas of counselling expertise include significant relationships, parenting, co-parenting after divorce, bereavement, trauma debriefing, anger management and anxiety.

Location: Online

Charlotte

Charlotte Hulley

Charlotte is a dedicated registered social worker with over twenty years of experience supporting diverse individuals, groups, and communities. She is passionate about the belief that everyone has the potential for healing when equipped with the right skills.

Her primary focus is on systemic therapy, a psychotherapy approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of relationships, behaviour patterns, and personal choices in addressing life's challenges. Charlotte is trained in dialectical behaviour therapy which assists her clients to recognize and acknowledge patterns, by equipping them with practical strategies and tools to understand and manage their emotions effectively.

Charlotte enjoys working with couples, teenagers and families, fostering a supportive environment to explore challenges and develop healthier coping mechanisms. Her holistic approach to therapy empowers clients to take control of their healing journey.