Michael’s Blog

“The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyone – young or old, wherever they live in the world,” Parktown North therapist Michael Kallenbach says. “Any time there is additional or unexpected stress put on someone’s life, this can have an impact on the ageing process....

“The lockdown had an unusual impact – for good and bad – on people’s relationships and they were faced with problems and situations they never faced before,” Parktown North couples and relationship counsellor Michael Kallenbach explained. “Suddenly you notice that the...

Johannesburg-based relationships counsellor Michael Kallenbach says although it is important for parents to set boundaries, children playing at relationships is usually just another game of pretend. “Just as children play pretend-nurse and doctor, or patient and...

What can you do if you suspect your partner may be suffering from a mental health issue? “One has to tread gently and carefully with this,” says Michael Kallenbach a couples therapist with consulting rooms in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. “Perhaps enlist another member of...

In July, Michael was asked to conduct a workshop for a staff group – numbering almost 1,000 – at EOH, Africa’s largest technology service provider.  The workshop, conducted via Zoom, was on managing relationships during the lockdown period and beyond.  EOH provides...

The colleagues I have talked to in the past few weeks appear divided between those who are working exclusively on line and others who are mixing things a little – seeing clients face-to-face as well as via video conferencing. From the outset of the lockdown at the end...

“Long distance relationships ARE sustainable,” says Michael Kallenbach, a couples therapist with consulting rooms in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. “They just require determination and commitment.  With video conferencing and free wi-fi telephone calls these...

According to Michael Kallenbach, a couples therapist with consulting rooms in Parkhurst, Johannesburg, “the 7-year-itch is something to be on the lookout for.  It might not be seven years, but many couples start to think when they have young children to bring up...

While a certain amount of conflict is inevitable in relationships, the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated matters, experts say. The Coronovirus has meant that partners across the world have less time and money and are dealing with an unprecedented amount of chaos and...