Counsellor profile
Dr. Amanda Van Der Westhuizen, HCPC
United Kingdom
HCPC counsellor - trauma and relationships
Continue with AmandaWhere Amanda stands
- Credentials
- HCPC
- Registration
- HCPC, United Kingdom / PYL040429
- Experience
- 17 years
- Languages
- English, Afrikaans
- Location
- United Kingdom
About
- Trauma-focused work
- Client-centred approach
- EMDR offered
About Amanda
Dr. Amanda Van Der Westhuizen is HCPC registered and has 17 years of clinical experience in the UK and South Africa. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties and trauma. She also supports people dealing with addiction, ADHD, codependency and issues around identity and self‑esteem.
Amanda is comfortable with complex presentations and with clients who have co‑occurring conditions. She has worked with neurodiverse people and those living with chronic illness. In practice she focuses on helping people notice patterns that cause distress and on building clearer choices for daily life.
Sessions are conversational and practical. Amanda adapts her style to each person and uses tried approaches for trauma and emotional difficulty. She helps clients break problems into manageable steps and practise new ways of responding to stress and relationship strain.
She describes her work as respectful and sensitive. Appointments move at a pace the client can manage, with attention to what a person finds helpful in the moment. She aims to strengthen a person's sense of identity and self‑worth alongside symptom relief.
People often come to her when they feel overwhelmed by other people's needs, caught in repeating relationship patterns, or carrying unresolved grief or loss. She supports people who want clearer boundaries and more control over their day to day choices.
How sessions work
How Amanda uses trauma work and client‑centred methods online
Client‑centred therapy focuses on honest conversation and listening. The therapist follows the person's lead, clarifies what matters and helps people find their own solutions. This approach suits people who want time to reflect and build confidence in making different choices.Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is used for troubling memories and distress linked to past events. It involves guided attention while recalling upsetting material to reduce emotional intensity and help the person reframe painful memories. Trauma‑focused therapy looks at the impact of traumatic events on thoughts, feelings and behaviour and uses structured ways to reduce symptoms and improve daily coping.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Amanda will discuss options, explain what each method involves and make decisions with the client based on needs, goals and preferences. That collaborative choice can change as therapy progresses.
If you want to use online sessions, check the current session formats before booking to confirm what's offered. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments around work, reduce travel time and allow shorter check‑ins when schedules are tight. Some methods need an initial discussion about practical setup; Amanda will explain what to expect for the approaches that may be used.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
17+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English, Afrikaans
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship difficulties, plus related concerns such as addiction, codependency and self‑esteem.
What is her general therapeutic style?
She uses a client‑centred approach with practical, conversational sessions and draws on trauma‑focused methods when needed.
How many years has she practised?
She has 17 years of professional experience working in the UK and South Africa.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is registered with the HCPC and is based in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and Afrikaans.
Can she work with clients outside the UK?
International clients are accepted; confirm time zones and session arrangements when booking.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a course of sessions?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule your first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe at home, use the crisis and helpline numbers.