{"id":4137,"date":"2025-03-26T14:47:13","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/?page_id=4137"},"modified":"2025-04-08T00:43:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T22:43:07","slug":"vernon-shunmugam","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/?page_id=4137","title":{"rendered":"Vernon Shunmugam"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"4137\" class=\"elementor elementor-4137\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b702fe6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-invisible\" data-id=\"b702fe6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;animation_delay&quot;:100}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9f1a1da\" data-id=\"9f1a1da\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86cc321 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"86cc321\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Vernon Shunmugam<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a6acc0 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7a6acc0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-4198\" alt=\"Counselling session - Laken Folster\" srcset=\"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2898769 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2898769\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As a registered Clinical Psychologist, my approach to therapy is centered on creating a collaborative and safe environment in which we can explore and navigate your unique journey toward healing and growth. I aim to build a therapeutic alliance that fosters trust and mutual respect, ensuring that you feel supported throughout the process.<\/p><p>I am primarily trained in systemic psychotherapy, and I adopt an integrative, holistic approach, tailoring interventions to suit the individual needs of each patient. This flexible approach allows for the\u00a0 consideration of both the psychological and broader life context, promoting more effective and lasting change.<\/p><p>My professional experience spans across diverse clinical settings, including work at a psychiatric institution and a tertiary medical hospital, where I provided psychiatry liaison services, DBT, group and individual therapy. I am currently practicing within a specialised psychiatric institution, where I focus on general mental health, adolescent care, and dual diagnosis treatment.<\/p><p>I am committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate care to help you overcome challenges and achieve your mental health goals.<\/p><p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">&#8220;What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.&#8221; &#8211; Plutarch<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7cc83b5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7cc83b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Areas of interest<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64d0367 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"64d0367\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>Mood and Anxiety Disorders<\/li><li>Personality Disorders<\/li><li>Substance Use and Addiction<\/li><li>Adolescents and Adult psychotherapy<\/li><li>Play therapy<\/li><li>Family and Couples Therapy<\/li><li>Neuropsychological and Psychological Assessments<\/li><li>Male Mental Health<\/li><li>Sexual Health<\/li><li>Marital Conflict<\/li><li>Parental Alienation and Child Custody\u00a0<\/li><li>Dialectical Behavioural Therapy<\/li><li>Interactional Pattern Analysis<\/li><li>Forensics<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-764d9db elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"764d9db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Qualifications<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e071e60 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e071e60\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)(Unisa) &#8211; Registered Social Worker<\/li><li>BA honours Psychology (Unisa)<\/li><li>MA Clinical Psychology (Unisa)<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-106dde7 elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-phone\" data-id=\"106dde7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-999c480 elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-mobile elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"999c480\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-4198\" alt=\"Counselling session - Laken Folster\" srcset=\"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-alex-green-5699466-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b4f022 elementor-align-center elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-phone elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"1b4f022\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/#contact\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Book an Appointment<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d78c670 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet\" data-id=\"d78c670\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0a06fbd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0a06fbd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5218fc2\" data-id=\"5218fc2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a5aa16d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a5aa16d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5f299d5\" data-id=\"5f299d5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-711100f elementor-align-center elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"711100f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/#contact\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Book an Appointment<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vernon Shunmugam As a registered Clinical Psychologist, my approach to therapy is centered on creating a collaborative and safe environment in which we can explore and navigate your unique journey toward healing and growth. I aim to build a therapeutic alliance that fosters trust and mutual respect, ensuring that you feel supported throughout the process. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4137"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4137"}],"version-history":[{"count":49,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4225,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4137\/revisions\/4225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingpsychologist.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}