Mariette Snyman

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How to navigate the natural stages of your love relationship

No need to panic when your intimate relationship moves out of the fuzzy infatuation stage and unnerving differences set in. Counselling psychologist Dr Ingrid Artus explains how identifying and successfully moving through love’s 5 stages can carry a couple to lasting love. She discusses developing a growth mindset, 4 attachment styles, and causes of conflict.

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If you are new to podcasts, simply click on the arrow to listen to Ingrid and Mariette, or on the download button to download the conversation onto your device.

In ep. 167 of the weekly podcast series Calm, Clear and Helpful,  counselling psychologist Dr Ingrid Artus discusses

  • how brain-based therapeutic interventions, including BrainWorking® Recursive Therapy, can result in healthier behaviour patterns and relationships

  • developing a growth mindset: curiousity, flexibility and resilience

  • the similarity between the developmental stages of intimate relationships and the stages of early childhood development

  • the 5 early childhood developmental stages: symbiosis, differentiation, practising or exploration, rapprochement (back & forth) and object constancy

  • what object constancy entails

  • the 4 childhood attachment styles reflected in adult relationships: secure, avoidant-dismissive, anxious/ambivalent and disorganised/fearful

  • the 5 normal relationship development stages: symbiosis/bonding, differentiation, exploration/practising independence, rapprochement/reconnecting, and synergy (independence & interdependence)

  • what can give rise to couple conflict

  • learning to value the “I” and the “we”

  • when a couple needs professional help and how Ingrid can assist them

  • Ingrid’s tips on baking a scrumptious sourdough bread.

    In this episode, Ingrid mentions Dr Ellyn Bader and Dr Peter Pearson; Dr Margaret Mahler and John Bowlby; the James Lange theory; and Why am I afraid to tell you who I am? by John Powell

Scroll down to learn more about Ingrid’s work and find her contact details.

Here Ingrid explains why affairs happen and how a couple can be helped to restore broken trust.

Listen to clinical psychologist Rafiq Lockhat’s introduction to what BWRT® is and what it can do.


Lees ook ‘n Afrikaanse artikel oor Brainworking® Recursive Therapy.

Dr. Hannetjie Van Zyl-Edeling explains how to best handle conflict in your personal relationships.

About Ingrid, including her contact details

Ingrid is a counselling psychologist and Director of the Westpsych Psychology Practice based in Johannesburg. She is a level 2 registered accredited member of The Terence Watts BWRT Institute and has completed The Gottman Method Couples Therapy levels 1, 2 & 3 as well as REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy) levels 1 & 2. Ingrid mainly works with adolescents, individual adults and couples.

Website: https://www.westpsych.com/

Tel. +27 61 492 5714

Email address: appointment@westpsych.com

Facebook: Westpsych - Psychologists

YouTube: Westpsych Therapy

Feel free to click on Home and browse this website for articles and podcasts on more fulfilling love relationships, easier parenting, and upping your emotional well-being.

Read how Terence Watts’ surprising background prepared him for “discovering” BWRT® and of the many things close to his heart. With personal photographs.

Original music by Mart-Marie Snyman, featuring Matinino

Thumbnail image: Unsplash

Photograph of Dr. Ingrid Artus: supplied