Louise Bolton
My Story
My journey to becoming a clinical psychologist has been an adventure that began in entrepreneurship and has been driven by my insatiable appetite for learning. At some point, I could no longer deny the relationship between my passion for helping people and the world of psychology. I therefore renounced my role as business owner and pursued an undergraduate and thereafter an honours degree in psychology and criminology which I graduated Cum Laude. Hereafter I gained valuable and diverse experience in academics, corporate wellness, management, and business optimization within the corporate world. However, as I embraced this new knowledge, it quickly became clear that I craved more.
I then returned to university to study psychometry and landed an internship through Jopie van Rooyen (JvR) thereafter, here I gained experience in clinical assessments and psychometric batteries. It wasn’t long here after that my reignited enthusiasm for psychology led me to pursue my master’s degree in clinical psychology.
At university, I was exposed to various therapeutic disciplines and techniques that have aided me in developing my own successful, personalized approach. Along the way, I discovered my interest in the relational influence of generational gaps within families, which provided me with a new understanding of the deeper issues that may affect our behaviour and thinking patterns as adults. Simultaneously, I was involved in the neuropsychological evaluation of patients, as well as a rural community service endeavour.
A great deal of the wisdom and knowledge that I apply to my work was accumulated during my internship at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria. There, I focused on psychotherapeutic input relating to psychiatric diagnosis, adult psychotherapy, adolescent psychotherapy, family and couples therapy, forensics, and sex therapy. Additionally, I gained experience in rape victim evaluation, which involved judicial mandates for determining mental age and ability to consent. I also co-presented a parenting workshop in conjunction with the University of Pretoria, trained hospital staff on psychological issues, and ran a substance abuse rehabilitative group.
Having had criminology as a major during my studies; I further pursued this interest through forensic psychiatric evaluation at Weskoppies and then subsequently elaborated my understanding of this field through employment at the Department of Correctional Services. During this time, I gained a unique skill set in psychological risk assessment of violent and sexual offenders for parole eligibility. I was also tasked with the facilitation of psychological group programmes and individual psychotherapy for adult male convicts.
About My Services
Currently, as private practitioner I treat a variety of different disorders and challenges. These may range from depression to bipolar, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, OCD, social anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, eating disorders, and self-esteem issues. I mainly rely on behaviour-centred methods, however, I also utilize techniques from a variety of therapeutic modalities based on your needs. Together, we will clarify your goals and determine which is the best path to reach them for you as an individual.
Additionally, I offer compassionate services for couples, which may involve restoring friendship or intimacy, improving communication, and healing from infidelity or other forms of betrayal. In my practice, I find that, for many couples, discernment therapy is the best approach for deciding whether or not to end their relationship. If an end is inevitable, I can also teach you healthy coping mechanisms to smooth the transition.
Helping others achieve and maintain optimal mental health through teaching skillset is what I strive for. I am heavily invested in every person I work with, and I thoroughly enjoy bringing my confident expertise, empathetic support, personal relatability, and sincere compassion to this profoundly transformative work. For me, nothing is more rewarding than assisting my clients in identifying their challenges, innovating effective solutions, and watching them master the art of metamorphic personal healing.