October: A Time for Healing - Mental Health Awareness Month

This October, I choose to acknowledge my mental health - my strength, my vulnerabilities and my continuous journey toward wholeness.

This year, my reflection feels particularly personal. I recently experienced a traumatic incident that led to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The experience has been both humbling and awakening. It reminded me that no amount of strength, faith or discipline makes us immune to pain, but that healing is always possible when we give ourselves permission to receive professional help.

Through a personalised, curated and integrated care approach involving an internationally accredited team consisting of a professional life coach, specialist psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, clinical social workers, around-the-clock registered nursing team, occupational therapists, art therapist, drama therapist, music therapist and dietician-informed gut health Chef, I’ve been learning the importance of holistic recovery. Healing, I’ve realised, is not a straight path. It’s layered, patient and deeply personal. It requires courage, community and consistency.

Many of us silently carry anxiety, stress and burnout from the pressures of life - yet we dismiss or minimise our emotions until they become unmanageable. As you read this, I want to encourage you to not take the stresses and anxieties of life lightly.

- Your mind and heart deserve the same attention and compassion you give to others.

While certain things that happen to us are not our fault, our healing will always be our responsibility.

It’s a sacred act of self-respect - one that says, “I choose to heal, even from what I did not deserve.”

While it may not always be easy to access, help is certainly available.

This month's campaign affords us time to shine light on mental wellness, reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help, connect and support one another safely as opposed to living in ignorance. 

Lately, I have had the unique opportunity to actively re-learn how my own mind has been processing events and situations that led to my most recent diagnosis. 

A key lesson has been that while Mindfulness has and continues to preserve my mental health in ways I cannot emphasize enough, sometimes we require more than self-healing modalities particularly when our daily functioning becomes disrupted.

My desire is to offer not only hope but also practical resources - where you can find mental health care, counselling, therapy and psychiatric services across public and private settings in South Africa.

How the Public Mental Health System Works in South Africa

• Mental health care is integrated into the public health system: the first point of contact is often local clinics or primary health centres (district/PHC level).
• If more specialised care is needed, referrals can be made to district or regional hospitals, followed by tertiary or specialist psychiatric hospitals. 
• Admission to a public mental health institution can be voluntary or, in some cases, involuntary (following legal procedures) under the Mental Health Care Act. 
• One challenge is that public mental health services are often under-resourced and there can be long waiting lists or limited availability.

Examples of Public (Government / State) Mental Health Facilities & Services

Here are some (non-exhaustive) public mental health hospitals or specialist psychiatric institutions across provinces:

 

Additionally, the South African Government site provides guidance on admission to mental health institutions via the public system:

Examples of Private Mental Health Centres & Hospitals

Here are a selection of private / non-government mental health institutions:

• Palm Tree Clinic (Table View, Cape Town)
  Boutique mental health clinic with a holistic approach. Palm Tree Clinic
• Vista Clinic
  Private psychiatric hospital for people aged 16+; treats mood, anxiety, PTSD, etc. Vista Clinic
• Papillon Recovery Centre (Johannesburg)
  Mental health rehabilitation & psychiatric recovery services. Papillon Recovery Centre
• Harmony Clinic (Cape Town)
  Private psychiatric facility in Cape Town. Harmony Clinic Cape Town
• Life Path Health (Private mental health hospitals group)
  They operate several clinics/hospitals in different provinces. Life Path Group+2Life Path Group+2
• Claro Clinic (N1 City, Cape Town)
  Part of Life Path, providing general psychiatry & addiction treatment. Life Path Group
• Mediclinic Crescent Mental Health Services
  A private psychiatric care provider/hospital. Mediclinic
• Akeso & other psychiatric clinics in Gauteng
  The Medpages listing shows many private psychiatric clinics in Gauteng (Akeso Parktown, Akeso Alberton, Akeso Randburg, etc.) Medpages
• ZwavelStream Clinic
  Integrative mental health specialists (private). ZwavelStream Clinic
• Optima@RustenVrede
  Provides mental health and developmental disorder treatment.  OptimaRustEnVrede

Mental Health Advocacy, Helplines & Support Organisations

• SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) is one of the largest mental health movement / non-profit organisations in South Africa, offering counselling, helplines and outreach. Wikipedia+2GroundUp News+2
• SAFMH Help Desk - The South African Federation for Mental Health has a “Help Desk / list of mental health societies & helplines” across provinces. SAFMH
• Mental Health Information Centre of Southern Africa provides up-to-date mental health information and resources. Mental Health South Africa
• National 24-hour mental health lines via UNHCR / health services listing: 0800 567 567 is listed as a “Mental Health Information Line” in South Africa. UNHCR help.unhcr.org

 

For the past 14 years, I have committed to checking in on myself regularly through breathwork, journaling, art therapy, drama therapy, sound therapy, physical exercise and seeking professional help when needed. 

This October, I honour my healing journey - the messy, tender and courageous parts of it. I’ve learned that healing is not about erasing what happened, but about transforming how we carry it.

I hope that as you read this, you remember that you are not alone, that you are worthy of rest, care and recovery. Please reach out if you need help - whether through a professional, a trusted indivdual or a community that holds space for you.

Your healing may begin quietly, but its impact will echo loudly in every area of your life.

May we all choose peace, one mindful act at a time.

– With deep compassion and care,
Tebogo