Are you concerned about some aspect of your appearance, so much so that it negatively affects your lifestyle? For instance, do you spend many hours a day checking your 'defect' in the mirror or do you, perhaps, spend hours attempting to hide what you regard as a flaw. Maybe you actually remain at home, avoiding dating and other social interactions. If this is you or someone you know, you might perhaps have Body Dysmorphic Disorder – a little-known mental disorder.

Article as it appeared in Weigh-Less magazine. By Natasha Liviero

An unwelcomed fixture on the life circuit, rejection affects everyone in some way or form. From friends rebuffing issues close to our hearts, to lovers ending relationships and bosses declining deserved promotions ... life often draws more rejection than acceptance!

Article as it appeared in Vroukeur magazine. By Lize Maritz (Translated into English)

Exposure to trauma as a child, such as witnessing your parents ongoing violence towards each other, may have repercussions in your adult life. Most adults, however, do not associate their adult behavioural patterns with their childhood trauma. Understanding this link empowers you to make powerful changes in your life.

Article as it appeared in the Vrouekeur magazine. By Lize Maritz (Translated into English)

If your partner has been raped, it does not only change her (or his) life, it also changes yours. 

Such a traumatic experience can impose great strain on a relationship, but it is possible to survive it as a couple and in fact come out of it positively. For this to happen, you need to support each other and have the support of family and friends.

Article as it appeared in the Vrouekeur magazine. By Tanya de Venter (Translated into English)

Are you working more but feel as if you are getting less done?

Are you becoming more critical of your own, or other people's inabilities?
Have you lost your sense of humour?

If this sounds like you, you could be burning out. Take the Burnout Test to assess your risk, and read what you can do to help yourself.

There are probably as many misconceptions, myths and stereotypes about mental disorders as there are mental disorders. Popular fiction and film often perpetuate these misconceptions, reinforcing the belief that those suffering from a mental disorder are 'crazy' and should be institutionalised.  Gaining a deeper understanding of mental disorders and their causes can help us deal more effectively with affected loved ones or colleagues.

The adage, “You’ll worry yourself sick,” is not just an old wives’ tale. Prolonged stress can have an impact on our health. But it’s not only negative pressures that cause stress. Change – even positive change – can affect our wellbeing. How can we identify which events in our lives have the biggest impact, and how at risk are we of falling ill because of them? 

Burnout is characterised by physical and emotional exhaustion - usually as a result of too much work. Many people experience burnout without even realising it, and only know something’s wrong when their symptoms become severe enough to significantly interfere with their work and family life. How at risk of burnout are you, and what can you do to help yourself?

It is normal to feel anxious in certain situations. It keeps us on our toes and stops us from ignoring danger. Abnormal anxiety causes much greater disturbance, and professional help is usually needed in order to cope. But how can we recognise whether our anxiousness is just a normal response to a situation, or the beginnings of a serious disorder?