Aleta Hugo

Counselling Psychologist - Vincent, East London

M Soc Sc Counselling Psychology UFH; BA Hons (Criminology) UP; BPsych UP

I am glad that you have decided to look into the sort of therapy I provide. As a psychologist in East London, my hope is to help you live the life you most prefer. I firmly believe that everyone has abilities that allow them to live the life they most prefer but our life experiences, culture, relationships, and thoughts often conceal these abilities from us. When I work with people I do not regard them as the problem. Rather I embrace a non-blaming approach in which I view problems as separate from people. I believe that the problem is the problem. As a narrative therapist, I work collaboratively with people who consult with me and believe that they are the experts of their own lives.

Problems have a way of finding their way into our lives, and these problems end up influencing how we and others think of us. Our life narratives can become saturated by problematic utterances like: "disappointment", "depressed", "panicky", "obsessive-compulsive" or "hyperactive". When a person seeks therapy, it is usually because some of the dominant or "problem-saturated" stories have obtained enough strength to make ineffective a preferred way of living.

When I first meet with people, I am interested in finding out as much as possible about the problem - how it might be getting in the way of school or work, friends, family, activities, thoughts and with everyday life. I invite clients to assess the effect of their problems on their lives. We converse about beliefs and ideas that may support the problem to persist. Our dialogue then shifts to other possibilities or different manners of living that are not under the influence of the problem. These narrative conversations endeavour to map the person’s strengths, abilities, values and commitments that have been concealed by the problem. This shrinks the influence of the problem. Before long alternative stories emerge that assist people in reclaiming their lives from the problem's influence.

Narrative therapy has been used to address problems including but not limited to:

• Depression, sadness
• Attention deficit and hyperactivity
• Anxiety, stress
• Substance misuse
• Anorexia/Bulimia
• Grief/loss
• Divorce
• Relationships
• Work
• Parenting
• HIV and AIDS
• Poor Self-Concept

One of my focus and on going training areas is forensic psychological assessments. I conduct scholastic and school readiness assessments for preschool and school going learners and offer career guidance and planning. Additionally I work extensively with communities throughout the Eastern Cape, conducting therapeutic groups and psych-educational workshops particularly for children’s homes and rural communities.

Practice No: 0860000307211
HPCSA Reg: PS 0103926