Dr Greyling Viljoen
Clinical and Sports Psychologist
About Our Practice
I provide psychotherapy for adults, young adults, and teenagers who are dealing with emotional and psychological challenges. This may include feeling down, anxious, or overwhelmed, as well as difficulties in relationships, social interactions, or behavioural concerns such as addictive or self-destructive patterns. Psychotherapy can also be helpful for gaining clarity, developing coping skills, and finding more constructive ways of moving forward.
In my practice, I place strong emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. I believe meaningful work happens when clients feel safe, respected, and able to explore sensitive or difficult issues without fear of judgement. Creating this kind of space is important to me; one where clients can speak openly, reflect honestly, and move at a pace that feels right for them. Within this trusting relationship, healing and growth often emerge naturally. As we work together, clients tend to develop a deeper understanding of themselves, gain new perspectives, and begin to find ways of moving
forward that feel more genuine and lasting.
Our Psychotherapy Service
Psychotherapy is an effective way of dealing with emotional and psychological concerns, such as feeling down, anxious, or overwhelmed. It can also help improve relationships and social interactions and address behavioural patterns such as addictive or self-destructive behaviour.
Often, people who visit a therapist are not only concerned about their symptoms, but also about how these symptoms affect their lives. For example, a depressed mood or persistent sadness can leave you feeling isolated and lonely. In therapy, we work not only with the symptoms, but also with the underlying causes. This approach can help change how you feel and improve the impact these difficulties have on your life.
Who can benefit from therapy?
When experiencing psychological symptoms and problems
- You experience intense or prolonged emotions such as anxiety, stress, sadness, hopelessness, or anger that negatively affect your life and relationships.
- You feel that past experiences, such as childhood experiences, have left psychological scars.
- Your inner world feels unsettled or in turmoil, and you feel confused, overwhelmed, or unable to cope.
Life and living challenges
- You experience life as empty or meaningless.
- It feels as if you are living in two worlds — one you show to others and another that you keep inside.
- You are dealing with loss, trauma, or major life transitions.
- You feel isolated and lonely, sometimes despite being surrounded by others.
- You know you need to take an important step in your life but feel reluctant or unable to do so.
Relationship issues
- You are in a relationship that you find difficult to leave.
- You are in a relationship you would like to improve, but you are unsure how.
- You are going through, or have gone through, a separation or divorce and are struggling to cope.
What does a therapist do?
A psychotherapist helps you understand your moods, feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. Through this process, you can develop new ways of coping, adapting, and living more fully.
Part of the therapist’s role is to help you see more clearly. When you are overwhelmed by a problem, it can be difficult to gain perspective. An “outsider” can often help you step back, gain insight, and see things differently. This shift in understanding can influence how you think, feel, and act, and can help you make better decisions about your future.
Approach to and process of therapy
Approach to therapy
My approach to therapy draws on elements of analytical psychology and cognitive psychology.
The analytical approach recognises that past relational experiences — and how we responded to them — influence how we respond and adapt in the present. Responses that were once helpful or adaptive can sometimes become unhelpful or maladaptive later in life.
The cognitive approach emphasises the close relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. It focuses on identifying patterns of thinking that contribute to emotional distress and unhelpful behavioural responses. Often, we are not fully aware of these patterns until we begin to explore them in therapy.
Process of therapy
Talking to a “stranger” such as a psychologist can sometimes feel easier than talking to people close to you. Therapy also offers a confidential space, where you can feel safe to explore sensitive or personal issues.
During the first session, I will assess your concerns, and we will then jointly decide on the frequency and possible duration of sessions. The process of therapy is not always easy, although it can sometimes bring immediate relief. It may involve facing uncomfortable or painful experiences. Gaining self-knowledge, growing, and healing often takes time. There are no short-cuts, although effective therapy can help to accelerate the process.
Understanding yourself and others often develops gradually — in small but meaningful steps. As these insights are absorbed and worked through, they can lead to real and lasting change. Psychotherapy can help set you on a new path toward greater clarity, contentment, and peace.
Sport & Performance Psychology
Why Sport / Performance Psychology?
Psychological readiness is often what makes the difference between excelling, performing well, or underperforming. Whether in sport, business, or the performing arts, the mental side of performance plays a crucial role, especially when it matters most.
Performance psychology helps athletes and performers access their full potential by developing focus, confidence, and emotional control. The aim is often to reach what is commonly referred to as “the zone”, a state where there is a natural flow, and mind and body work together effortlessly.
In performance, the mind leads. Where the mind goes, performance often follows.
Why is mental training often overlooked?
Mental preparation can be difficult to focus on because it is less visible than physical or technical training. It is often easier to adjust technique, improve fitness, or refine skills than to develop psychological readiness.
However, mental factors such as confidence, focus, anxiety, and motivation can have a significant impact on performance. Working with a sport or performance psychologist can help athletes and performers identify and develop these psychological skills, often in collaboration with coaches and support teams.
What is sport psychology?
Sport psychology focuses on two key areas:
- Removing obstacles to performance
Obstacles are anything that interferes with optimal performance. These may include excessive pressure, self-doubt, distractions, or difficulty maintaining focus. - Enhancing performance
Through mental training and psychological skills development, athletes and performers can improve consistency, confidence, and overall performance.
Psychological skills training
Mental skills can be developed and strengthened, just like physical skills. These may include:
Goal setting
- Setting meaningful sport and performance goals
- Distinguishing between outcome, performance, and process goals
Motivation
- Identifying internal motivators
- Understanding external motivators
- Maintaining motivation over time
Stress and pressure management
- Finding the ideal level of emotional intensity (not too tense, not too relaxed)
- Learning relaxation techniques
- Performing under pressure
Focus and concentration
- Managing internal distractions (thoughts and emotions)
- Managing external distractions (crowds, competitors, environment)
- Improving concentration and mental discipline
Visualization and imagery
- Using mental rehearsal to enhance performance
- Preparing for competition and key moments
- Building confidence through imagery
All mental skills training is tailored to the individual athlete or performer, as well as the specific demands of the sport or performance environment.
Experience in Sport & Performance Psychology
As a sport psychologist, Greyling has worked with provincial and national teams, supporting many top South African athletes, including members of the 2004 and 2012 Olympic teams; some of whom were medal winners. He is also a former SASCOC-designated psychologist providing services to OPEX athletes preparing for the Olympic Games. His work spans a wide range of sports, including cricket, golf, athletics, swimming, rowing, canoeing, equestrian, shooting, and taekwondo.
As a sportsman himself, he represented his province in five sports as a junior; tennis, gymnastics, rugby, swimming, and canoeing; and later competed internationally as a national canoeist for nine years. He also served as captain and manager of the South African canoeing team and has received several awards, including the South African Sports Merit Award and the University of Pretoria Sportsman of the Year Award.
About Dr Greyling Viljoen
Greyling has been in fulltime clinical psychology practice for more than twenty years where he works with adults, young adults, and teenagers. He has a special interest in mood disorders and how to live well in a meaningful life. He has postgraduate degrees in psychology and theology from the University of Pretoria
Greyling Viljoen is a clinical psychologist in full-time private practice, offering both psychotherapy and sport/performance psychology services. His practice recently relocated from Pretoria and is now based in the Garden Route at Grootbrak Medical Centre, 97 Lang/Long St, in Great Brak River, Western Cape.
In his clinical work, he primarily works with adults and adolescents. Greyling has a particular interest in mood disorders and helping people navigate the challenges of living well. (more on psychotherapy services), and his current focus is on his clinical psychology practice. He holds postgraduate degrees in psychology and theology, including a PhD in psychotherapy from the University of Pretoria. He also has extensive experience in group facilitation, trauma debriefing and conflict resolution.
Throughout his working career, the one constant has been his work as a practicing psychotherapist (the “talking cure”). He has also worked part-time in organisational development, lecturing, and on projects in the public health sector, particularly in communicable diseases. In his clinical practice, he provided psychological services to the kidney transplant unit in Pretoria for many years.
He is married and has two young adult daughters. In his personal life he values kindness and respect.