Violetta is a qualified Social Work practitioner and grief-support facilitator with over 20 years of experience, including an Honours degree in Psychology from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and various other certifications that attest to her broad skill set and dedication to personal and professional growth. She has a post-graduate certificate in Mindfulness-based Interventions from the University of Stellenbosch, in conjunction with IMSA (Institute for Mindfulness South Africa), and has completed the Mindfulness Educators Essential Course through Mindfulness Schools, emphasizing her passion for introducing mindfulness to children and their caregivers.
Her career has been marked by a focus on training, mentoring, and supervising social services professionals, particularly those working with children and teenagers. Violetta is committed to fostering a holistic approach to self-care and self-compassion, incorporating additional treatment modalities such as coaching, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), body scan meditations, Lomi Lomi Bodywork, and yoga into her practice when preferred.
Violetta’s work as a coach, social worker, and massage therapist is grounded in Hawaiian healing arts, Mindfulness-based interventions, and Emotional-logic training. She has recently qualified as a yoga teacher, further demonstrating her belief in the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. Her work spans various government organizations, NGOs, and private practice, providing her with a rich array of encounters with different population groups.
Qualifications:
- CPD-approved Introductory Training in Emotional Logic, Emotional Logic Centre (2023)
- Ishta (YTT200) Yoga Teacher, Ishta School of Yoga (2023)
- Supervision Skills Training, Famrac Training Centre (2022)
- Thoughtsmiths ICF accredited Certificate in Coaching (2019)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Mindfulness-based Intervention, University of Stellenbosch
(2017) - Khululeka Abangane Master Trainer in Grief and Loss Support (2017)
- Mindful Educator Essentials Course, Mindful Schools (2017)
- Stress Management Training, Famrac Training Centre (2014)
- Lomi-Lomi Practitioner (Level 3), School of Hawaiian Healing Arts (2007)
- Honours in Psychology, University of the Western Cape (UWC) (2007)
- Certificate in Advance Course in Play Therapy (2007)
- Diploma in Social Work, University of the Western Cape (UWC) (1999)
Jessica is an Accredited Coach, Facilitator & Researcher. After more than 15 years in the field of Consumer Insights, including a role as Consumer & Market Insight Director for Unilever, she specialises in the Enneagram as a tool for personal and team effectiveness, Leadership Coaching and Qualitative Research into Team & Organisational Culture.
Jessica describes herself as a “thinking partner” who encourages people to look beneath the surface, challenge themselves with a new perspective and to design their lives through conscious choice. She’s described by her clients as intuitive, insightful and incisive.
Her passion is in using the Enneagram for self and relational awareness and helping organisations leverage the diversity of our unique personality types to build high-performing teams. Her client experience spans manufacturing, financial institutions, NGO, retail, e-commerce, FMCG and education, including multi-nationals such as Unilever, PepsiCo and Smollan.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Business Science, Honours Marketing (University of Cape Town)
- Accredited Enneagram Coach (Integrative Enneagram Solutions)
- Accredited Enneagram Professional (International Enneagram Association)
- Certified Professional Narrative Enneagram Teacher (The Narrative Enneagram)
- Certified with Enneagram in Business (The Enneagram in Business)
- Associate Member of the Enneagram in Business Network (The Enneagram in Business)
- ICF-credentialed & certified Coach (Thoughtsmiths Coaching School)(ICF ACSTH)
- Certified Eating Psychology Coach (Institute for the Psychology of Eating)
- Certified BodyTalk Practitioner (International BodyTalk Association)
- Certified Breathwork Practitioner (Breathwork Africa)
Additional trainings completed:
- Organisation & Relationship Systems Coaching – Foundations (CRR Afrika)
- The Enneagram & Trauma (Takdir Transformations, IEA-Accredited School)
- Trauma-Informed Enneagram debriefs (Takdir Transformations, IEA-Accredited School)
Jeanne is a people’s person who strives to provide support in administration, development and communication. She has a background in teaching Business English, copy editing, translating, publishing, book-keeping and administrative support to high-level international executives and CEOs. In her role as as Administrative Assistant for Thoughtsmiths, she draws on her blended ability to work comfortably with people, numbers and technology, and she offers a warm, supportive connection into the Thoughtsmiths team. Jeanne speaks four languages, and from time to time can be spotted flying across the Langebaan lagoon, kitesurfing the turquoise bliss of the ocean.
Jeanne holds the following credentials:
- CELTA certificate – Cambridge English Language Teacher for Adults – 2008
- Digital Design Diploma – Desktop Publishing, Multimedia and Web Design – 2001
- Languages – English, Afrikaans, German & Swiss German
Coach, facilitator and trainer in the fields of organizational and personal development, Françoise Gallet has a huge passion for the vision of a world where life in all its manifestations flourishes. So, she considers it a great privilege to partner with coachees as they work towards living into their full potential. Françoise is also the founder of thrivelife, a human development agency, that works closely with Thoughtsmiths in supporting organisations, businesses and teams in Mauritius, East Africa and the Indian Ocean to tap their full potential.
Françoise holds the following credentials:
- Psychology Major – NDP (UNISA)
- BJourn (Rhodes)
- Certificate of coaching skills through Thoughtsmiths Coach Training School
- Thinking Environment Facilitator
- Post-Graduate Certificate Course in Mindfulness-Based Programs (Stellenbosch University Medical School
Karen has a formal background and training in business economics, but was seeking that unique combination of her creative right brain with her more analytical left and found it in the space of facilitation and coaching. The majority of her corporate career was in Business Development at Ernst & Young, and she transitioned from corporate life in 2008, when she set up practice as an independent facilitator and coach. For a decade she has helped high potential individuals be more effective in the management of self and their teams in Public, Private and NGO environments. She is an ICF-accredited (PCC) and COMENSA credentialed coach and an executive facilitator. Karen has been instrumental in the launch of maternity transition coaching to the South African marketplace and has a passion for women navigating critical milestones. Karen has worked abroad in the UK and at an actuarial firm in Singapore, is married to a colourist and is mother to two teenage boys.
Karen holds the following credentials:
- BComm (Hons)
- She is an accredited facilitator of the Clarity 4D™ profile
- an accredited facilitator of the Strength Deployment Inventory™ (level 2)
- an accredited 5LQ Enneagram facilitator
- received advanced facilitation certification through the Dalmau network and First Facilitation
- an accredited Participlan™ facilitator
- an Assessor with the services SETA
- Maternity Transition Coaching Associate for Great Expectations
- ICF accredited (PCC)
Lila has held many roles from IT programmer, Systems Analyst, Business Analyst and Team Leader, to Manager and Coach during her 25-plus years of experience in the financial services sector. This has given her deep insights into the challenges that people face in the workplace. Nonetheless, she believes that so much is possible if we are better able to tap our deep inner wellspring of resources. Her coaching space is one where clients can be at ease, feel respected and guided to discover their innate wisdom, creativity, purpose and capabilities through new ways of being and doing. Lila draws deeply on mindfulness-based and leadership embodiment approaches to help people shift to a more centred and resourceful state of mind and body. As a first generation South African Indian, Lila’s career and life experiences straddle apartheid and post-apartheid enabling me to be comfortable with diverse cultural interactions.
Lila holds the following credentials:
- Diploma in Business Analysis (FTI)
- Post graduate Certificate in Coaching: University of Stellenbosch;
- Presencing – Foundation course
- Time to Think Partnership
- Professional Leadership Embodiment Coach Associate: Embodiment International
- Senior Management Development program (USB-ed)
- Post graduate Certificate Mindfulness-based interventions: University of Stellenbosch
- Mindful Educator Essentials Course through Mindful Schools (US);
- COMENSA member
- ICF member
- Thoughtsmiths ICF accredited Certificate of Coaching
