Hi, I’m Tanita Brenzel,

a Clinical Psychologist offering online individual therapy, as well as in-person sessions for teens, students, and young adults who are trying to figure life out (because let’s be honest, it’s a lot sometimes). 

If you are looking for a therapist who keeps it real, values honest connection, and creates space that feels safe, cozy, and totally judgement-free, you’re in the right place. Maybe you’ve been feeling anxious, stuck, overwhelmed with uni or work, stressed about relationships, or just not feeling quite yourself lately. Or maybe you’re navigating depression, self-doubt, change, or just feeling a little lost right now… whatever it is, you don’t have to go through it alone. 

This is your space

to pause

to talk it out

to find your way, gently and at your own pace. 

To grow, heal, and reconnect with you, one step at a time. 

If you are ready to start showing up for yourself and making your mental health a priority, I’m here to walk alongside you. Let’s do this together.

My Story…

I'm a Clinical Psychologist, but I'm also just a human, navigating life like everyone else. My work is my passion, my calling. It's the way I've learned to turn my own lived experiences into something meaningful for others. 

I completed my degree at the University of Johannesburg, followed by my Honours and Master's through UNISA, while gaining hands-on experience across inpatient and outpatient therapeutic settings. I’m fully registered with the HPCSA. But beyond titles and qualifications, what matters most to me is how I show up: with warmth, curiosity, compassion, and zero judgment. 

My journey into psychology started young. I grew up in a home where I often stepped into the caregiver role, trying to hold everything together, carrying what people sometimes call a "saviour complex." That role came with perfectionism, relentless achievement, and a nervous system that lived in constant fight-or-flight. Anxiety, overthinking, and depression became unwelcome but familiar companions. 

Then life bought some of its heaviest chapters. In 2018, I lost my sister to addiction. Two years later, in 2020, I lost my dad during the pandemic. And in 2025, my long-term relationship ended, and with it, the future I thought I was building. It wasn't just a breakup. It was grieving someone who was still alive. It was grieving the plans, the safety, the version of myself I had been inside that relationship. Three profound losses in a short space of time.   

There were days I felt completely shattered. Days where getting out of bed felt heavy. Nights filled with overthinking, second-guessing, and sitting with an ache I couldn’t fix or “achieve” my way out of. I had to face the parts of myself that perfectionism used to protect. I had to let myself break, without rushing to be the strong one. 

Grief didn’t just visit me. It broke and then rebuilt me. It stripped away what was performative and left me with what was real. It deepened my empathy in a way textbooks never could. It taught me that healing is messy, humbling, nonlinear, and that sometimes strength can look like falling apart and choosing to rise again. It reinforced something I believe with my whole heart: no one should have to carry that kind of pain alone. Everyone deserves a safe and supportive space where they feel seen and heard. 

Since my dad and sister passed, I often notice two butterflies appearing in moments when I need them most. For me, they’ve become a quiet reminder to pause, breathe, and remember that love and connection don’t disappear. In a world that can feel busy and overwhelming, those small moments of stillness have become something I hold close to my heart. 

That’s why I do this work. 

I want to be the person I wish I’d had in my corner when I was younger, someone to help navigate the messiness, heartbreak, and beauty of this thing we call life. Someone who just truly “gets it”. 

Outside of therapy, I’m a lover of coffee and tea (especially iced coffee and matcha). I’m also completely dachshund-obsessed, my two fur babies, Skye and Zoey, are my heart. Skye is the gentle, intuitive “therapy dog” who sits with me in sessions. Zoey is my fiery, playful little whirlwind. They keep me grounded and laughing daily.

I’m a deeply family-oriented. My mom, my only immediate family, is someone I truly admire. She’s been my constant source of strength and love, and because of her, family means so much more to me than just a word. I'm also blessed with a close-knit circle of friends who feel like soul sisters. I love deeply, and I always want the people in my life to feel seen, valued, and appreciated. 

My happiest moments are often the simplest: nature, a sunset walk, CrossFit with music loud enough to quiet the noise in my head, Netflix marathons, or a much-needed nap. And when I dance in a class, out with friends, or barefoot in my kitchen, I feel alive, free and deeply connected to myself. Music has a way of speaking to parts of me that words never could.

At the end of the day, I’m not a superhero or some distant “expert”. I’m imperfect, real, and always learning. And if we work together, I’ll walk alongside you, through the tough days, the healing, and the growth, so you never have to feel alone in it.