Practical, forward-focused support to help you rebuild your life after trauma
A traumatic or deeply distressing experience can change more than how you feel. It may affect your confidence, relationships, routines, work, decision-making and sense of direction.
Trauma Recovery Coaching provides structured, practical support for people who have reached a point where they want to begin rebuilding their lives. It focuses on where you are now, where you would like to be, and the manageable steps that can help you move forward.
Sessions are available face to face in Randpark Ridge, online, or at another suitable private location.
Trauma Recovery Coaching is a collaborative and forward-focused process. It helps you identify the areas of your life that have been disrupted by trauma and develop practical ways of restoring confidence, direction and purposeful action. The coaching process does not require you to ignore what happened or pretend that the effects of trauma have disappeared. Instead, it recognises that recovery often involves gradually rebuilding a life that feels safe, manageable and meaningful.
Depending on your circumstances, coaching may help you:
Trauma Recovery Coaching is not about forcing progress. The pace and direction of the process are adapted to your circumstances, readiness and goals.
Trauma Recovery Coaching may be appropriate if you have experienced a distressing event or difficult period and now want practical support with rebuilding your life.
You may benefit from coaching if:
Coaching can take place after counselling, alongside counselling when appropriate, or as a separate service for someone who is emotionally stable and ready to focus on practical recovery goals.
Trauma affects people differently, so the coaching process is shaped around your particular needs. Common areas of focus include:
Trauma can undermine your trust in yourself, other people and the world around you. Coaching can help you recognise your existing abilities, build confidence through manageable action and regain a stronger sense of personal agency.
Everyday routines are often disrupted following a traumatic experience. We can develop practical ways to restore structure without making your recovery feel rigid, overwhelming or rushed.
Returning to work, travelling, socialising or resuming previous responsibilities can feel difficult. Coaching can help you prepare for these transitions, identify likely obstacles and create a realistic step-by-step plan.
Some people find it more difficult to say no, communicate their needs or protect their time and energy after trauma. Coaching can help you develop clearer, healthier and more assertive boundaries.
Avoidance can provide short-term relief, but it may gradually restrict your activities and independence. Coaching can help you identify manageable actions that support increased participation in everyday life. This is approached carefully and does not replace clinical exposure therapy.
Recovery is not limited to reducing distress. It can also involve reconnecting with your values, interests, relationships and the parts of life that matter to you.
Together, we can identify practical strategies that help you maintain progress, respond to setbacks and continue developing beyond the coaching relationship.
Trauma Recovery Coaching is structured but flexible. Your first session will focus on understanding your current situation, identifying the areas in which you want support and deciding whether coaching is appropriate for your needs.
Subsequent sessions may include:
The process is collaborative. I will offer guidance, structure, questions and practical tools, but decisions about your life remain yours. You will not be pressured to move faster than feels appropriate.
My approach to trauma recovery coaching is practical, respectful and informed by an understanding of how trauma can affect thoughts, emotions, behaviour, relationships and everyday functioning.
I draw on my experience in trauma support, stress management, psychological first aid, personal development and cognitive behavioural approaches. Sessions are adapted to the individual rather than based on a rigid programme.
The focus is on helping you:
The purpose of coaching is not to tell you how to live. It is to help you think more clearly, make informed choices and act in ways that support your recovery and longer-term wellbeing.
A person does not always have to choose one service permanently. Your needs may change over time. If counselling appears more appropriate than coaching, I will discuss this with you. Where your needs fall outside the scope of my services, I may recommend that you consult a suitably qualified healthcare or mental health professional.
Trauma Recovery Coaching is likely to be most helpful when you:
You do not need to have everything worked out before beginning. Part of the coaching process is identifying what matters to you and deciding where to start.
Trauma Recovery Coaching is not a substitute for psychotherapy, psychological assessment, psychiatric care or medical treatment.
Coaching may not be appropriate as the primary form of support if you are currently experiencing:
In these circumstances, support from an appropriately registered healthcare or mental health professional may be necessary. Where possible and appropriate, coaching may be considered later as part of a broader recovery process.
Information shared during coaching sessions is treated as private and confidential, subject to recognised ethical and legal limitations.
Confidentiality may need to be limited where there is a serious and immediate risk of harm to you or another person, where abuse or neglect must be reported, or where disclosure is required by law. These limits will be explained before coaching begins.
Trauma Recovery Coaching is a professional service. It does not involve diagnosis, medication, psychotherapy or specialised clinical treatment.
Private sessions conducted through a secure video platform.
Fee: R500 per session
Duration: approximately 60 minutes
Available from my private practice in Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg.
Fee: R600 per session
Duration: approximately 60 minutes
From R950 for a 60-minute session. This option is available at your home, workplace or another suitable private location. The fee includes travel within 15 kilometres of Randpark Ridge. Additional travel and direct expenses are charged separately.
An initial 15-minute free telephonic consultation allows us to discuss your needs, clarify the nature and limits of the service and decide on the most appropriate way forward.
I am Koos Herselman, a trauma counsellor and personal development coach who has worked in this field since 2006. I have extensive experience supporting people affected by trauma, grief, stressful events and significant life changes.
I hold a BSc (Honours) Psychology with Counselling, an Advanced International Stress Consultancy Diploma, a Psychological First Aid Certificate and a CBT Practitioner qualification. This combination of academic study, specialised training and practical experience informs my respectful, structured and person-centred approach.
My work has included travelling throughout Southern Africa to support people affected by industrial accidents and other distressing events. These experiences have strengthened my understanding that recovery is personal and that people may need both emotional support and practical guidance as they rebuild their lives.
My approach to trauma counselling and trauma recovery coaching is collaborative, practical and forward-focused. I help clients recognise their existing strengths, clarify what they want to change and develop manageable strategies for restoring confidence, direction and purposeful action.
I provide private, confidential and self-funded sessions. I work as a trauma counsellor and personal development coach and do not present myself as a psychologist, psychotherapist or medical practitioner.
No. Trauma recovery coaching focuses mainly on your present circumstances and future goals. Some background may be necessary to understand how the experience has affected your life, but you will not be pressured to provide a detailed account.
Trauma recovery coaching recognises that traumatic experiences can affect confidence, concentration, motivation, relationships, decision-making and a person’s sense of safety. Goals and strategies are therefore approached with greater sensitivity to the effects of trauma.
In some circumstances, yes. Coaching can complement counselling or therapy when the roles are clear and the different forms of support do not conflict. You should inform the professionals involved so that appropriate boundaries can be maintained.
This depends on your needs and goals. Some people benefit from a small number of focused sessions, while others prefer support over a longer period. Progress will be reviewed regularly, and you will not be expected to continue for longer than is useful.
No. I may help you examine options, consequences and practical considerations, but decisions remain yours. The aim is to strengthen your ability to make informed choices independently.
No. Sessions are privately funded and are not claimable from medical aid.
It may help you prepare for returning to work by identifying concerns, rebuilding routine, strengthening confidence and developing a realistic plan. Coaching does not replace medical assessment or occupational health clearance where these are required.
You do not have to have your entire future planned before taking the next step. Trauma Recovery Coaching can help you identify what matters most, decide where to begin and take practical action towards a more stable and meaningful life.
Contact me to discuss your circumstances and whether trauma recovery coaching may be suitable for you.
Please note: The services offered through this practice are not emergency or crisis services. If you are in immediate danger, experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or unable to keep yourself or someone else safe, contact emergency services or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. In South Africa, you can also contact SADAG’s Suicide Crisis Line on 0800 567 567.