About me
My name is Jana du Preez. I am a qualified social worker and teacher, with years of experience. I have worked in the fields of child protection, foster care, children in conflict with the law, mental health and education. I have worked with people from all walks of life, both in South Africa and abroad.
It is my passion to see families restored and healed. I believe that people are resilient, and that trauma can be overcome with a lot of love. I use Gestalt Play Therapy to meet children on their level, to help them overcome their struggles and challenges.
I am blessed with a loving husband and two very busy boys. My kids are a joy in my life. We love playing outside and going cycling. However, I do not always feel like I have all the answers and often feel that I should be doing better as a parent and wife. Becoming a mother has humbled me and kept me on my knees before my Heavenly Father. My kids are such a blessing, but I also realise the huge responsibility I have to raise them well. I know that I won’t be able to shelter them from all the difficulties in life, but hopefully I can help them to build resilience to overcome any challenges they will face in life.
What is Play Therapy?
Children experience so many challenges, but are often unable to communicate their emotions clearly. They often cannot clearly identify what it is that they are experiencing, nor what it is that upset them. Parents might struggle to understand their child’s challenges and this could cause conflict between parent and child.
Play Therapy is used to understand the child and the things which they might be struggling with. The child is then taught, through play, how to better handle these difficult situations. Parents are given feedback and practical tools to better understand their child and assist them in the best possible manner. The relationship between the parent and the child is always highlighted. The aim is to help the child better understand themselves and equip the parents to better support their child.
Benefits of Play Therapy
“The natural medium of communication for children is to play.
Play-focused intervention is, therefore, an effective means to engage with children”.
Dr. Hannie Schoeman
With play therapy, I can enter the world of the child in a non-threatening manner. A child can communicate exactly what he or she feels without using words. The child will then feel “seen and heard”. Play techniques are used to make the child more resilient for life’s challenges. It is useful for all sorts of struggles that children are experiencing. Parents are given feedback and guided on how to assist their child and to strengthen their relationship with their child.
Play therapy helps with:
Enhancing Parenting Skills
Developing Life Skills and Emotional Intelligence
Making and maintaining friendships
Improving the Parent-Child Relationship
Addressing Emotional Struggles
Managing Stress
Coping with Trauma
Dealing with Loss
Navigating Divorce
Managing Bullying
Who can benefit from Play Therapy?
Families
Parents
Children
Adolescents
Who can benefit from Play Therapy?
Families
Parents
Children
Adolescents
Testimonials
Jana radically changed my view of my child’s world. I am truly thankful for her knowledge and the compassionate way she guided not only my child, but also me as parent. As a mother, I was despondent, and I saw my child’s behaviour as my inability to be a good parent. With each session, I saw the weight lift from my child’s shoulders as her self-confidence increased. Each week I became better equipped to understand and handle situations better. Jana gave loving, honest feedback which caused me as a parent to take a long, hard look in the mirror. I cannot put a worth to the change and depth that came about in my and my children’s relationships. Thank you, Jana! May you touch thousands of other families in the same manner!
~ C.S ~
Contact me
hello@bikesandkites.co.za
Phone
074 041 4574
Social Work Private Practice
SACSSP 10-29790 Pr. No. 1067267
