Safia

Ms Safia Dockrat

Clinical Psychologist

verified by TherapyRoute

“I believe that it takes courage to seek help, and that it is a privilege to be able to work with clients to enrich their lives and enhance their psychological well-being. In order to do this, I endeavour to create a safe space that is non-judgemental, in order to build a trusting and safe therapeutic alliance.”

About Me

I am a clinical psychologist and a psychodynamic therapist dedicated to supporting individuals through a warm, collaborative, and deeply reflective therapeutic process. Central to my work is building a strong therapeutic relationship with a a foundation where openness, trust, curiosity, and genuine human connection allows for meaningful insight and transformation to emerge. My practice emphasises curiosity and compassion; both toward your inner experience and the ways we make meaning of emotions, patterns, and life stories. I believe that healing often grows out of understanding: understanding emotions, interpersonal patterns, unconscious influences, and the links between past experiences and present life. Together, we explore these themes in ways that feel safe, paced, and meaningful for you.

Approach

Honouring that first step, I work with you to gently map patterns that underpin present struggles and to name feelings as they arise. The process of therapy is grounded in respectful curiosity. Through psychodynamic exploration and diagnostic assessment we trace how earlier experiences shape current relationships and self-worth, combining reflective dialogue with small, practical steps between meetings when helpful. This approach often resonates with adults and couples facing anxiety, mood shifts, self esteem and/or relationship difficulties. My approach is grounded in psychodynamic principles, enriched by contemporary relational perspectives. I hold a firm belief in the human capacity for growth and resilience, and I support clients in developing deeper self-awareness, emotional regulation, and more fulfilling relationships.I am committed to ongoing professional development, ethical practice, and culturally responsive care.
Contact Safia

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

Services

I work with adults navigating a broad range of life challenges, including childhood trauma, emotional distress, relationship difficulties, identity concerns, self-esteem struggles, life transitions, and unresolved patterns from the past.

Services Offered:

  • •
    Psych & Diagnostic Assessment

    Formal psychological testing to identify conditions, understand cognitive and emotional functioning, and guide treatment planning.

  • •
    Psychodynamic Therapy

    A therapy that explores how past experiences and unconscious patterns shape current feelings, relationships, and behaviour.

    Learn more about Psychodynamic Therapy
  • •
    Individual Psychotherapy

    In-depth one-on-one therapy that explores the deeper roots of a person's difficulties, often drawing on psychodynamic or psychoanalytic models.

Works With:

  • •Adults
  • •Couples

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • •
    Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • •
    Grief & Loss

    The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.

    Learn more about Grief & Loss
  • •
    Mood Disorder

    A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.

    Learn more about Mood Disorder
  • •
    Life Transitions

    Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.

    Learn more about Life Transitions
  • •
    Personality Difficulties

    Long-standing patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating to others that cause persistent distress or problems in relationships and daily life.

  • •
    Relationship Issues

    Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.

    Learn more about Relationship Issues
  • •
    Self-Esteem

    A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.

    Learn more about Self-Esteem
  • •
    Trauma

    The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.

    Learn more about Trauma

Professional Title:

  • •
    Clinical Psychologist

    An advanced mental health professional trained to assess and treat a wide range of difficulties, from anxiety and depression to trauma and complex conditions.

Qualifications

University of Pretoria

University of the Witwatersrand

University of the Witwatersrand

Registrations

Health Professions Council Of South Africa (HPCSA); Board of Health Funders (BHF)

Psychologist

Service Area

The Peartree

In-person & Online

Craighall Park

Johannesburg, Gauteng

South Africa