Meet The Team

Gerrie Pretorius founded Life Counsel in 2010 and specialises in Trauma and Marriage Counselling. I’m Registered as a Counsellor with the Council for Counsellors and is full time dedicated to Counselling, Training and managing operations at Life Counsel. Gerrie is an Accredited Trauma Facilitator and a TIR Trainer in South Africa.

Finished my Bachelors of Theology Degree in 2006 and decided to go into full time counselling in 2010. Was introduced to Applied Meta Psychology in 2012 and started my journey in becoming a Trauma Facilitator and a Trainer of Traumatic Incident Reduction.

Have always been passionate about people and wanted to assists in improving peoples mental and emotional well-being.

I have obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Registered Counsellor) at CTI now known as University of Pearson Institute of Higher Education in 2016. I have been practicing as a Registered Counsellor for the last 3 years and is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). I have also completed a play therapy course in 2018 to enhance my personal development. 

After I obtained my degree, I worked in various settings which provided me with the opportunity to broaden my experience in counselling. The work settings include the Non-Profit Organizations (NPO) sector (i.e. Hope House Counselling Center), facilitation of children with special needs in Schools, home support to children with behavioral difficulties, volunteering for the South African Police Service (SAPS) to do debriefing and containment after a crime scene and debriefing and containment in cooperate settings after traumatic incidents. 

Since a very young age, I knew I had a profound purpose to help and encourage others when they need it most. It was only a few years ago that I learned, my name (Monique) means advisor/counsellor. It was then that I realized not only is it a passion, but it is inscribed in me as a person to be able to counsel and advise others where possible. Everyone has experienced some form of hardships or difficulty at any given point in their life and I believe that one should never be ashamed to seek help. My goal is to create a safe space for my clients where they can freely express themselves, their thoughts and emotions without feeling judged or criticized. Respecting each client, for the person they are and what they believe is something I really take to heart. Each day my need to make a difference in the lives of others keeps on growing.

I am an HPCSA accredited trainer.  I train clinical, counselling and educational psychologists as well as counselors and social workers in a technique called TRAUMATIC Incident Reduction (TIR). I am registered as a TIR trainer with the TIR association of America.

I also give a one day TIR introductory talk to psychologists.  This talk aims at facilitating an epistemological shift in terms of  a different perspective on the dynamics of emotional experiences and psychological issues and psychiatric disorders.  It promotes a respectful approach to the primary role of trauma in emotional and mental well being.

I am also a clinical psychologist in private practice.  I have over 17 years experience in psychotherapy and work over a broad spectrum of psychological issues and symptoms.  I work with adults, teenagers and couples.