YAJNIKA PILLAY
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Yajnika Pillay
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Most of us don't spend much time thinking about therapy until we find ourselves needing it.
​I know choosing a psychologist can feel like a difficult task, particularly when you're trying to get a sense of someone you've never met before. My hope is that this website gives you a small sense of who I am, how I've come to understand this work and the kind of space I try to create.
At its heart, I believe therapy is a deeply human process: two people sitting together and trying to make sense of what it means to be you.
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ABOUT ME
I completed my Master's degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand and am registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as a Clinical Psychologist.
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My work has taken me through both public and private mental health settings in South Africa. I have worked within adult and child psychiatric services, inpatient and outpatient settings, and alongside people navigating a wide range of psychological difficulties and life experiences. These experiences have deepened my appreciation for the complexity of being human and reinforced my belief that there is always more to understand.
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South Africa's public mental health system played a significant role in shaping me as a psychologist. It challenged me to think carefully about what meaningful psychological care looks like in a country as diverse and complex as our own. It also reinforced the importance of providing psychological services that feel relevant to people's lived experiences, particularly in contexts where mental health may be misunderstood, stigmatised or experienced through cultural, spiritual and community-based frameworks that are not always reflected in traditional psychological language.
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I remain attentive to the broader contexts that shape our lives. Experiences of race, culture, political history, gender and intergenerational trauma can profoundly influence how we understand ourselves and move through the world. Religion and spirituality are also areas of deep interest to me, and I welcome conversations about how these aspects of life shape our sense of meaning, identity, belonging and healing.
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SERVICES OFFERED
People are always more than the worst thing they've done, the diagnosis they've been given, the story they've told before or the version of themselves they've learnt to present to the world.
People often come
to see me for:
Anxiety and depression
Relationship difficulties
Childhood trauma
Identify and life transitions
Sexual concerns and difficulties
Spiritual and religious struggles
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THERAPY IS A VERY STRANGE THING FOR MOST PEOPLE.
Thoughts On Therapy
You're expected to walk into a room, sit opposite someone you've never met before, and somehow know how to talk about the parts of your life that many of us think we'll never say out loud. A lot of people worry that they'll say the wrong thing, or that they won't know where to start. There is no pressure to know what to say or to share anything before you're ready. We move at a pace that feels right for you.
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I've always understood psychotherapy as a process of thinking together. You bring your experiences and your understanding of your own life. I bring the knowledge and perspective I've gained through training and years of clinical work. Between the two of us, we become curious about what has brought you here, what feels difficult and what you hope might be different.​
Professional Background
MA Clinical Psychology
University of the Witwatersrand
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Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) Registered
Registration Number: PS 0160466
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Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) Registered
Registration Number: PN 1284983
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Experience
Public psychiatric services | Private practice
Working with adults and adolescents
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