Meet Clara
About Me
Humble Beginnings
Hi, I’m Clara.
I was born and raised in Namibia, South-West Africa.
I grew up on a farm before moving to the Namibian capital, Windhoek, in 2008. Being raised as a farm girl taught me some timeless life skills and influenced my mindset in tremendous ways. While it taught me what being isolated feels like, it also taught me how to be independent and think for myself from a very young age.
Bonus skill was a strong love for sustainable living and using my hands to create, shape, and fix things. So, when I am not working on my business or seeing clients, I like to escape into my kitchen, garden or the little workshop in my garage to build and create things by hand - a deeply therapeutic way to make sure I don’t burn out and can show up as best as possible for my clients.
The Route to Psychology
I graduated school in 2013 and in 2015, I started studying at the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP) in Cape Town.
With no end goal in mind, I started with a 2-year Diploma in Counselling and Communication and fell in love with psychology! Once I completed the two years, I applied for the Bachelors of Applied Social Science at SACAP.
In 2017, I hit a small bump in the road. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis right in the middle of my studies. It was difficult pill to swallow but I shaped me into the person and professional that I am today (more on that in my blog).
Irrespective of the diagnosis, I graduated with both qualifications in 2019 and about 200 hours of training at St. Luke’s Hospice (SA), Nazareth House (SA), and St. Paul’s College (NA).
End of 2020, I applied for the Honours degree in psychology at SACAP. A very competitive degree that only takes 15 students a year. I got in and started studying in 2021. End of 2022, I graduated with another 300 hours of training.
I was finally eligible to register as a counsellor in South Africa. Unfortunately, I learned too late that as a non-South African, that was not possible. So I withdrew from the HPCSA exam and moved home again to figure out what’s next.
Founding the Vision: CH Life Coaching
It all started with an idea and a basic logo in mid-2023.
After the disappointment of not being able to register in South Africa, I needed to come up with a plan B. I had to make lemonade out of the lemons that I was handed.
“I can offer some life coaching”, I thought. Initially it was meant to be temporary, but I fell in love with the both the structure and freedom that running my own life coaching practice promised.
Turns out, founding CH Life Coaching WAS my plan B.
Starting my own business from scratch without a mentor was tough - and sometimes still is - but it didn’t break me. The excitement to do what I love in a different way was much bigger than my fears and uncertainty.
From ‘Life Coaching’ to ‘Psychology-based Life Coaching’
After a year of being a life coach and running my practice as
‘CH Life Coaching’, I quickly realised that not only was just simple life coaching not as fulfilling, but also that there is a gap in the market; no real middle ground between therapy and coaching.
That is how ‘psychology-based coaching’ came to life - a non-clinical space designed for people who don’t want the woo-woo type of life coaching, and would benefit from a blend between two powerful approaches - coaching and psychology (without it being therapy or counselling).
I knew I had the passion, the skills, the tools, and the training to deepen my approach and offer people something more.
And that is where I am today; in a career that not only allows me to weave in my passion for psychology, but also having created a space that helps others in an even deeper and more meaningful way. It has been the best decision I made - creating that sweet spot between coaching and therapy.
It’s been a difficult road but the little wins and the big wins that I get to celebrate with clients make it all worth it!