My aim as a couples therapist is to assist each of you to figure out how you can do your best in your relationship.
Don’t feel bad or hopeless if you are struggling.
A disagreement over the state of the kitchen can escalate quickly.
I offer a safe and confidential space in which to untangle the difficulties you are facing.
Michael Kallenbach is a friendly, thoughtful and effective couples therapist who is passionate about what he can do to help your relationship
Nobody, as long as he moves about among the chaotic currents of life, is without trouble
Niemand ist ohne Probleme, solange er sich zwischen den chaotischen Strömungen des Lebens bewegt
– Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist
Consulting rooms in Parkhurst, Johannesburg
Michael is an intelligent and thoughtful observer with a clear thinking approach – he is an astute listener and a natural admirer of the mind. He is curious to understand why people act as they do and his interventions in the consulting room are vibrant and creative. We are not always aware of the whys and wherefores of our actions, of what motivates us to feel or behave a certain way. Shedding light on your unconscious fears and desires may enable you to understand yourself better and in doing so, take greater responsibility for the changes you want to make.
Michael offers brief and long-term work to couples and individuals, helping them work through a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. He has a very real conviction in the usefulness and value of psychotherapy.
“Therapy can really work for men. Blokes are very bad at talking about their problems”
– Alex James, musician and bass player for Blur
During counselling he will bring clarity and sensitivity to the room. This will allow you to hear your story and come to your own conclusions.
We all begin our relationships with love, excitement, and the hope that we’ll have a great life together. But we often don’t anticipate or imagine how difficult it is to be a creative couple.
In therapy, it’s important to create a safe space for authentic and open discussion, encouraging self-reflection and facilitating change.
I immediately felt at ease with you; our work has brought clarity and progress. Thank you for your commitment to us and especially to our relationship. Knowing you were there for us, week after week, really helped. You showed such forthrightness and compassion.
– A former couple client
Michael works across the heterosexual and LGBT spectrum, however emotionally rich or challenging the material might be. He is passionate about helping couples and individuals, and does so in an affirmative, therapeutic way; he believes that when people are listened to with respect, problems and conflicts can be explored in a non-judgmental environment.
Michael has a wide range of relevant experience. He completed a robust and in-depth training, longer than the majority of others, qualifying at the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships in London (now Tavistock Relationships), the world’s leading organisation for couple psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Prior to returning to Johannesburg, he had consulting rooms in Harley Street, London and Marlborough, Wiltshire.