Jodie Mackay, Clinical Psychologist
Jodie Mackay is a highly experienced clinical psychologist with over 24 years of practice. Trained at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Jodie’s expertise spans a broad range of therapeutic areas, with a focus on helping adolescents, adults, and couples navigate challenges.
Her therapeutic approach is rooted in psychodynamic principles, emphasizing meaningful dialogue and the development of a strong therapeutic relationship. Jodie also incorporates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for clients with trauma and deeply ingrained emotional difficulties that may not respond to conventional methods.
Areas of Expertise
Jodie provides support across a variety of psychological and emotional challenges, including:
- Trauma, loss, and grief
- Relocation and expatriate adjustment issues
- Burnout and chronic stress
- Sexual difficulties
- Cancer care and chronic health conditions
- Anxiety, depression, and adjustment issues
- Relationship difficulties
- Emotional distress related to chronic medical conditions
Her experience includes working in oncology units, where she supports patients through the phases of their cancer journey. Additionally, she collaborates with other healthcare professionals, including psychiatrists, neurologists, and dieticians, to provide a holistic, integrative approach to healing.
International Experience
Having worked in South Africa and spent five years in Japan, Jodie has developed a unique understanding of the challenges faced by expatriates. She helps individuals address emotional loss, cultural transitions, and unprocessed personal issues, fostering resilience and adaptation in new environments.
Innovative Therapeutic Approaches
Jodie is passionate about integrating traditional and alternative modalities to support wellness. She also offers partnered dance therapy workshops for couples to address relationship difficulties, drawing on her personal passion for ballroom dancing.
Philosophy and Approach
Jodie’s practice is deeply influenced by Existential-Humanistic philosophy, which highlights an individual’s inherent capacity for rational decision-making, self-acceptance, and reaching their full
potential. She views her role as accompanying clients on their journey of self-discovery and growth, helping them explore questions of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
Professional Background
- Educational Qualifications:
- M.A. in Clinical Psychology, University of Cape Town
- Qualified EMDR Practitioner
- Licenses and Memberships:
- Dubai Health Authority (DHA)
- Health Professions Council of South Africa
Psychotherapy at Dubai Herbal and Treatment Center
Psychotherapy provides a safe, confidential space to explore and resolve emotional and psychological difficulties. With Jodie Mackay, clients can expect compassionate care tailored to their individual needs, aimed at improving emotional resilience, interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being.
Jodie the Dance Therapist
With a lifelong love of dance, Jodie developed a unique approach to couples therapy through ballroom dance. Her Partnered Dance Therapy method uses movement as metaphor, helping couples explore emotional dynamics, rebuild trust, and reconnect through shared rhythm and presence. No dance experience is needed, just openness to move, reflect, and relate differently. Each session is grounded in psychological safety and emotional intention.
Why Dance Therapy?
Research shows it can:
- Lower stress and boost confidence
- Increase emotional and body awareness
- Raise oxytocin and serotonin levels
- Support healing from mood disorders and trauma
- Strengthen memory and neural connections
- Improve trust, attachment, and intimacy
Dance therapy complements traditional treatment. It’s mindful, expressive, and often joyful, a reminder that healing doesn’t always have to be heavy.
Aim
- To increase awareness of self and others through consciously engaging the body through shared movement
- To help heal attachment issues and facilitate emotional intimacy and trust with a partner
- To alleviate mental distress/disorders
The Psychological Meaning of Movement
Dance is a metaphor for life and symbolic of the ways we think and feel. Carl Jung believed we need to dance with our shadow selves to become whole. In partnered dance, we can’t hide behind words. We move, we feel, we connect. Movement lowers our defences, raises vulnerability and reveals the emotional blocks we carry.
Dance reveals our anxieties through the body, even outside our conscious awareness.
Dance therapy helps us grow comfortable with vulnerability and learn healthier emotional habits over time. As mind, heart and body align, our true selves emerge and intimacy deepens.
How It Works
Reconnection through rhythm. You don’t need dance experience, just a willingness to move. Sessions use simple ballroom steps tailored to your emotional goals. The dancing is co-facilitated with a professional and experienced dance instructor.
We focus on:
- Grounding and emotional safety
- Mind-body awareness
- Emotional boundaries and mutual respect
- Being attuned to one another, moment by moment
Contact: Call: 043351200 WhatsApp: 0559497556 Email: [email protected]
