Meet Ilze
Take a moment to explore and see how I can support your journey to wellness.
I am a Registered Psychological Counsellor based in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa. My passion lies in helping adults overcome trauma and navigate life’s challenges.
I work full-time as a counsellor, dedicating three days a week to supporting tertiary education students and the remaining two days to my private practice. In addition, I am actively involved in outdoor eco-coaching and facilitating workshops.
Whether you’re looking for the calm of nature through outdoor eco-coaching, the comfort of a private session at my Bloubergstrand office, or the ease of online counselling, we’ll work together to find the best fit for you!
Life can be chaotic and messy, and feeling overwhelmed is perfectly okay. My mission is to create a deeply supportive and empowering experience for my clients. It's essential that everyone feels truly understood, valued, and guided within a safe space where they can openly explore their thoughts and emotions. At Ilze Van Zyl Psychological Services, I aim to help clients uncover their inherent strengths and resilience, fostering positive personal growth and well-being in a holistic manner.
Different Approaches: Counselling and Nature Based Approaches
Which One Speaks to You?
My Approach
I believe every person is unique - your story, your strengths, and your challenges all matter. That’s why I take a personalised approach to counselling, working alongside you to define meaningful goals that align with your individual needs. Whether we meet in a traditional setting or out in nature through eco-coaching, the space we create together will be one of respect, reflection, and renewal.
I work from an Integrative, Intersectional, and Person-Centered (Rogerian) framework. This means I focus on building a counselling relationship that is empathetic, empowering, and deeply respectful of who you are and where you’ve been. A key part of this work involves helping clients strengthen communication skills - crucial for building healthy relationships and navigating life’s interpersonal challenges.
Every session is tailored to you. I draw from a variety of evidence-based approaches, including:
-
Mindfulness-Based Interventions
-
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) – selected tools and techniques
-
Intersectional Pattern Analysis
I also integrate methods from a wide range of modalities, including:
-
Trauma-Informed Care
-
BWRT (BrainWorking Recursive Therapy)
-
TIR (Traumatic Incident Reduction)
-
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
-
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
-
MI (Motivational Interviewing)
-
SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy)
-
Gestalt, Adlerian, and Humanistic Approaches
-
Narrative Therapy
-
Experiential and Wilderness-Based Therapy
This diverse toolkit allows us to find what truly resonates with you—supporting your growth, healing, and the life you’re working to create.
My trauma-focused work includes
-
Nervous System Regulation
-
Using grounding techniques to help clients manage stress and build emotional resilience
-
Strength-Based and Empowering Language
-
Promoting a sense of agency and reducing shame
-
Identity Exploration, Meaning-Making, and Narrative Work
-
Assisting clients in understanding their life story in a coherent, compassionate, and non-shaming way
-
Safety Planning and Stabilisation
-
Ensuring clients feel emotionally and physically safe before engaging in deeper trauma processing
Counselling
Individual counselling sessions offer a confidential and supportive environment for clients to explore their thoughts, emotions, and challenges. Each session is customised to address the specific needs and goals of every individual.
-
Setting: Typically takes place in a traditional office setting or online.
-
Approach: Focuses on addressing psychological issues, emotional difficulties, and mental health concerns through various counselling techniques.
-
Goals: Aims to help individuals understand and resolve past trauma, manage current mental health issues, and develop coping strategies for future challenges.
-
Methods: Utilises parts of evidence-based counselling modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Informed Care, and others.
-
Professional Role: Conducted by licensed professionals (e.g., Registered Counsellors, Psychologists) with specialised training in mental health.
-
Client Focus: Can be reactive (addressing existing problems) or proactive (preventing future issues).
"Like nature, you thrive when given the space, light, and time to grow on your own terms - empowerment begins not by being fixed, but by having someone walk beside you as you discover your own strength."
Nature-Based & Experiential Approaches
In addition to traditional counselling, I offer outdoor and nature-based sessions—powerful, grounding experiences that help clients reconnect with themselves and the world around them. These approaches are especially effective for supporting:
-
Self-regulation
-
Embodiment
-
Sensory integration
By engaging directly with the natural environment, clients often find it easier to relax, open up, and explore new perspectives. Nature offers a gentle yet powerful container for emotional growth, clarity, and healing.
Client-Specific Eco-Coaching
For those who prefer a more relaxed, goal-oriented, and less formal approach, eco-coaching may be the perfect fit. These sessions are client-specific, meaning they’re tailored to your comfort level, personality, and goals. Many clients appreciate that this method feels less confrontational and more like a natural conversation—with clear, actionable steps woven in.
-
Setting: Held outdoors in calming natural spaces—parks, forests, beaches, or trails—these sessions blend movement with meaningful dialogue.
-
Approach: We combine traditional coaching methods with the therapeutic benefits of nature. The focus is on personal growth, resilience, and well-being, using the environment as a co-facilitator.
-
Goals: Eco-coaching supports goal setting, self-awareness, and emotional resilience. It’s ideal for those looking to gain clarity, build life skills, or simply reconnect with themselves outside the pressures of everyday life.
Methods May Include:
-
Nature walks & reflective conversation
-
Mindfulness and grounding exercises
-
Outdoor experiential activities
-
Creative or somatic practices in nature
Professional Guidance: These sessions are facilitated by a qualified professional trained in coaching, nature-based therapeutic practices and as an Adventure Guide. While they don’t replace clinical counselling, they offer a proactive, empowering path for growth and self-discovery.
Secure Your Session Today!
Begin Your Journey to Emotional Wellness
Phone
Address
+27 (0)64 500 5603
West Coast Psychology Practice
Unit A108 Sandown Square Business Park, Passerina Rd, Sandown, Cape Town, 7441
Service the following surrounding areas: Bloubergstrand, Melkbosstrand, Milnerton, Montague Gardens, Parklands, Table View, West Beach and surrounds (Northern Suburbs).
Practice Hours
Tuesdays
(08:00AM - 18:00PM)
In Person & Online
Fridays
(08:00AM - 13:00PM)
In Person
(13:00PM - 16:00PM)
Online only
Closed on Public Holidays
Ilze Van Zyl
Registered Counsellor
Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology (BPsych Equivalent) with Cornerstone Institute (Cum Laude)
HPCSA Registration PRC0042625
BHF Practice Number 1183389
Licensed Adventure Site Guide
Wilderness First Responder
Venture Forth International
CATHSSETA Registration WC12263
Certified NLP Life Coach
Action Factory Global
