My decision to start studying psychology at 52 was based on many different aspects of my life journey, and it reflects the path that I have chosen to walk. How I was guided to SACAP and the opportunity to study towards a psychology degree that is applicable and current, in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, is a story I will continue to explore and share. In August 2011, I made a decision to change my life, pack my belongings in a storage container, and go on a journey travelling and exploring the world. In August 2012, I made the decision to devote the next five years to writing a Masters thesis on ‘Drumming and Rhythm as a Therapeutic Tool for Dealing with Trauma and for Transformation’, writing a book on my life, and changing where and how I live. In February 2013, I began my journey of being a student and taking the steps to recreate my life.
Sitting in the orientation lecture on 29 January 2013 at the SACAP Cape Town campus, with approximately 30 other new psychology students, the level of diversity and the core of each person’s reason for being there was so inspiring and confirmed for me that I had made the correct choice of where to study. Everyone’s story, age, where they came from has contributed to a student body with a commitment to making a difference, learning and growing, and contributing to our country’s need for healing on deep psychological and social levels.
Our learning began immediately, opening us up to the wonders of psychology, interpersonal communication, counselling, personal development, the origins of psychology as a science (a western perspective), and the magic of the African Shaman and altered states of consciousness. Exploring the critical thinking mind, I feel – for the first time in many years – like I am developing a new muscle in my brain that was previously inactive. And I love it.
Taking the step to become a student of psychology – a three-year journey – has already been an extraordinary journey. I’m developing academic skills, learning how to apply the theory to everyday situations, becoming a more critical thinker, and gaining wisdom. There is no doubt that SACAP is the perfect environment for me to flex my self-development muscles. SACAP’s ethos and unique approach to study psychology resonate with my values.