Student A, aged 16, joined the service in May 2023 suffering with anxiety, suicidal ideologies and low mood. They had been referred by their mother who themselves  struggled with depression and anxiety and had been told about the service on a school drop off. Student A was given an appointment within 24 hours of the initial contact and promptly attended. They were somewhat apprehensive and distrusted adults however after 2 sessions they opened up and explained that life at home was very difficult after the father had left the family home a few years earlier and the mother had withdrawn from societal life. Money had been very tight and life in South Africa to them seemed pointless with the blackouts. During the next few session we explored their suicidal ideologies and it was noted that they became obsessed with the thought of planning their demise to even the littlest of detail. We had according to their plan just weeks to save them. Over the next 3 weeks we talked through things and how they could focus on hobbies as they explained that they loved sport and was good at it, but had stopped playing because of the mother’s constant controlling behaviour. In the last session the mother was invited to join in to draw up an activity  plan Student A could do over the course of the month. The mother agreed to support the plan and it was evident this meant a lot to Student A. Upon checking several weeks later student A’s process was transformative. They were playing sports with peers and outside in communal areas with friends, and the mother had stuck to the agreement even cheering them on. It was further agreed that the plan would remain in place and that Student A would have access to my services at any point when they needed it. 

Student B an 18 year old male contacted the service because they felt suicidal. He was dealing with issues around his sexuality and he felt unable to come out. His father was a pastor in a Christian church and the family was well known in their community. The mother was an active member of a women’s golf group and the family lived in an affluent area of Johannesburg. The young man was in his matric year and was desperate to tell his family about how he was feeling, but knew that his father would never accept him as a gay man. Over 6 weeks we worked on the importance of being true to self and on a plan for him to gain his independence after he finished school so he could live the life he wanted to live in peace. The importance of honesty with his family was reinforced but he felt unable to do so. Instead he was looking at ways to make his own life. He had met someone this year and wanted to explore a life with them. After the program ended the student reported feeling confident, no longer suicidal, but hopeful for his future which he wanted to live as a gay man. The service wishes him well. 

Student C, is a 12 year old child who reported self harming. This had started several months prior whilst in the care of her new stepmother and biological father. The child was very unhappy as the stepmother had assaulted her several times and had threatened to throw her to the ‘swarte wolve’ which the stepmother had labelled all black men. This usually happened when the father was not around and the child started bed wetting in the evening when the father left for work. The child appeared to have a bruise on her left cheek as early as her first video call with me. She reported that the stepmother had slapped her because she had eaten a piece of bread without permission! She had self harmed as she wanted someone to help her but no one came to the rescue but when she told a friend at school, the girl gave her my WhatsApp number which her mother had saved on her phone in case she ever needed it!  Over the course of the therapy sessions the child became very distressed as things were getting worse at home and I had no option but to alert social services as to what was happening in the home. A week later Social services reported back that the father had no idea this had been happening and the stepmother was asked to leave the family home. I recently checked in with child C and the father and they are doing well with no current instances of self harm. The child remains supported by social services.