Meet your counsellor

Dr Thea van der Merwe

Could Dr Thea Van Der Merwe, a Johannesburg psychiatrist specialising in addiction treatment, provide specialist psychiatric care to support lasting recovery?

Confidential • Registered clinical team • Johannesburg

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Changes Rehab

Dr Thea has worked in private practice since 2006 and has worked closely with other physicians and neurologists to find better ways to treat patients more comprehensively. She took a special interest in addiction back in 2003 while she was still studying. She learned that addiction was a much more complex mental health issue than it seemed and that the substance abuse was often only a symptom of many complex deeper problems.

It became my passion to look at a patient as a whole, using medication, supplements, therapy and some lifestyle changes. These all play a role. Full Remission is the goal in modern psychiatry. We should do as much as we can to achieve this.

Did you know Changes Rehab is accredited by all major healthcare associations and national health organisations and adheres to internal protocols that far exceed the codes of conduct or norms and standards for effective treatment of patients with addictions and other mental health issues.

Premium South African Medical Aid associations pay for patient treatment for the first 21 days in our private primary care facility in Johannesburg.

Changes addiction counsellors are registered professionals who use a proven track record and therapeutic techniques to help your loved one overcome their addiction. With expertise and compassionate approaches, we are able to guide individuals towards leading a healthy, normal life, free from addiction.

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With over 100 years of collective experience, the majority of the Changes Multidisciplinary Addiction Counselling Team has faced addiction firsthand. They not only hold the qualifications but also possess the personal experience to truly understand and assist loved ones that are struggling through addiction. It is a privilege to work alongside some of the best counselling minds in South Africa.

Clients Questions

What difference does it make to have a psychiatrist who specialises in addiction?

A psychiatrist like Dr Thea understands how substances and mental illness interact, so medication, diagnosis and risk are handled with the nuance they deserve instead of being treated as separate, competing problems.

How does Dr Thea approach medication for people scared of swapping one addiction for another?

She explains the evidence, clarifies which medicines are dependence forming and which are not, and uses the lowest effective doses with clear monitoring, so treatment is deliberate rather than a random mix of pills.

What happens in a psychiatric review during detox and early treatment?

She looks at past history, current symptoms, risk of self harm or psychosis, interactions with substances and existing meds, then adjusts the plan step by step instead of making dramatic changes based on one bad night.

How does she handle complex cases with trauma, bipolar disorder or psychosis on top of addiction?

Rather than blaming everything on the substance, she stabilises acute symptoms, differentiates illness from intoxication and builds a long term strategy that includes therapy, medication and realistic expectations for everyone involved.

What should families share with Dr Thea to help her make better decisions?

Families help most by giving honest timelines, previous diagnoses, responses to meds, risk history and what they see at home, not by editing the story to protect anyone’s pride or image.

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