Eersterivier, Cape Town · and online
A steady place
to begin.
Counselling, trauma support and therapeutic intervention — for individuals, families and groups. Sixteen years of practice, and no pressure to have the words ready before you reach out.
About
Hi, I’m Sylvester.
I’m a registered social worker, and I’ve been practising since 2010. Most of my work is counselling, trauma counselling and group work with people going through something heavy — sometimes a single crisis, sometimes years of it.
I’ve spent my career in child protection, health and education settings, much of it as part of multidisciplinary teams. That means I’ve sat with families on their worst days, and I’ve learnt that people don’t need to be fixed. They need to be heard properly first, and then supported to find their own way forward.
What I value is straightforward: dignity, respect regardless of who you are or where you come from, and confidentiality you don’t have to ask twice about. You will not be judged in this space. My job is to make it safe enough that you can say the thing you came to say.
Outside the practice, I’ve authored five books and run two motivational programmes — TRY-UMPH Tour and Humanity. How Dare You. — for schools, organisations and community groups.
- Qualification
- BA Social Work (University of the Western Cape)
- Professional registration
- SACSSP no. 10-30067
- Practice number
- PCNS 1360698
Services
How I can help
If you’re not sure which of these fits, that’s normal. Get in touch and we’ll work it out together.
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Trauma counselling & debriefing
Support after an assault, an accident, a loss, or childhood trauma that has never been put down. Includes crisis debriefing for individuals and teams.
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Individual counselling
One-on-one sessions for stress, anxiety, anger, substance use, self-care, or simply feeling stuck and not knowing where to start.
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Grief & bereavement
Space to grieve at your own pace, whether the loss is recent or something you’ve been carrying quietly for years.
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Family, parenting & contact
Parenting plans, parent coordination, supervised contact and visitation, family preservation and reunification, and support through difficult family transitions.
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Assessments & reports
Psychosocial, child, family functioning, risk and home assessments, with professional reports prepared properly and on time.
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Groups & organisations
Group work and support groups, plus psycho-education, facilitation, staff debriefing and training for schools, NPOs and workplaces.
Also available
Conflict and anger management · Mediation · Crisis intervention · Domestic violence and GBV support · Substance-use intervention · Parenting support and life transitions · Support for caregivers · School-based social work · Hospital psychosocial assessment and discharge planning · Case management · Referrals and social assistance (SASSA, DOH) · Placement support for older persons, rehabilitation and disability
Who I work with
Adults, families, groups and organisations
- Adults
- Individuals
- Parents
- Families
- Groups
- Organisations
Sessions are available in person in Eersterivier, online by video, or over the phone — whichever is easiest for you to actually get to. I work in both Afrikaans and English.
What to expect
Reaching out is the hardest part
So here is exactly what happens, with no surprises.
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01
You make contact
Send a message through the form below, or WhatsApp me. You don’t need to explain everything — a sentence is enough. I’ll come back to you to arrange a time.
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02
A first conversation
We talk about what brought you here and what you’re hoping for. Nothing is expected of you beyond showing up. If I’m not the right person to help, I’ll tell you and refer you on.
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03
We agree on a way forward
Together we decide what support looks like — how often we meet, what we’ll work on, and what it will cost. You stay in control of the pace throughout.
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04
The work itself
Ongoing sessions, for as long as they’re useful to you. Progress is rarely a straight line, and it doesn’t need to be.
Fees
Fees, set out plainly
You shouldn’t have to phone to find out what something costs. These are my rates for 2026.
- First session & intake R850
- Individual counselling R750
- Online consultation R750
- Telephonic consultation R450
I work on a sliding scale, and there are reduced rates for learners, students and pensioners on selected services. If money is the thing standing between you and getting help, say so when you get in touch — we’ll find something workable.
Full schedule of services
Consultations & counselling
- Initial consultation / intake
- R850
- Follow-up consultation
- R750
- Brief consultation
- R450
- Individual counselling
- R750
- Child or adolescent session
- R750
- Family counselling
- R950
- Couple counselling
- R950
- Crisis intervention
- R950
- Group counselling
- R350 – R500
- Online consultation
- R750
- Telephonic consultation
- R450
Assessments
- Psychosocial assessment
- R1 500 – R2 500
- Substance-use assessment
- R1 500 – R2 500
- Risk assessment
- R1 500 – R2 500
- Comprehensive family assessment
- R2 500 – R4 500
- Child & family functioning assessment
- R2 500 – R4 500
- Parenting-capacity assessment
- R3 500 – R6 500
Reports & letters
- Social-work assessment report
- R2 000 – R4 000
- Comprehensive professional report
- R2 500 – R5 000
- Letter or certificate requiring assessment
- R750 – R1 500
- Professional letter drafting
- R750 – R1 500
- Additional report revisions
- R750 – R1 250
Court-related work
- Court report / forensic-type assessment
- R4 500 – R8 500+
- Court attendance
- R1 250 – R1 750
- Court attendance
- R4 500 – R6 500
Visits & community work
- Home visit
- R1 250 – R1 750
- School visit
- R1 000 – R1 500
- Workplace visit
- R1 250 – R1 750
- Family meeting
- R1 000 – R1 500
- Community intervention
- R1 000 – R1 500
- Mediation / conflict intervention
- R1 250
Case & professional services
- Consultation with another practitioner
- R850
- Case management
- R850
- Hospital or community discharge planning
- R850
- Referral and liaison services
- R750 – R850
- Case or file review
- R850
- Extensive file or document review
- R850
- Administrative & professional liaison
- R750
Travel, timing & cancellations
- Urgent or same-day consultation
- Normal fee + 25%
- After-hours or emergency service
- Normal fee + 50%
- Saturday appointment
- +25%
- Sunday or public holiday
- +50%
- Travel within practice area
- R6 – R8
- Travel outside practice area
- R8
- Waiting time
- R750
- Cancellation less than 24 hours before
- 50% of booked fee
- Missed appointment
- 50 – 100% of booked fee
Payment is due at the time of the session. I hold a PCNS practice number (1360698), so sessions can be invoiced for submission to a medical aid — but whether your scheme reimburses social work counselling depends on your plan, so please check with them first.
Assessment, report and court fees vary with the complexity of the matter. I’ll confirm a firm quote in writing before any of that work begins.
Confidentiality & ethics
What you say here stays here
I am registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP, no. 10-30067) and practise within its Code of Ethics and the scope of practice for registered social workers.
What you share with me is confidential. I keep records securely, and I don’t discuss your matter with anyone without your written consent.
There are limits to this, and you deserve to know them upfront. I am legally obliged to break confidentiality where there is a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, where a child or older person is being abused or neglected, or where a court of law directs me to disclose information. I’ll always tell you if that becomes necessary.
I work within my scope as a social worker. Where you need psychiatric, psychological or medical care, I will refer you to the right professional rather than work outside what I’m registered to do.
Contact
Let’s talk
Send a message and I’ll get back to you. If it’s urgent, phoning or WhatsApp is quickest.