Dr Colinda Linde – Clinical Psychologist – Create Options

In this episode of Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Dr. Colinda Linde, a clinical psychologist who is celebrating 33 years in practice. This conversation commemorates World Mental Health Day, and Dr Linde shares some of the unique challenges facing women today. Dr. Linde kicks off the discussion with shocking statistics from the South African context, revealing that only 5% of the national health budget is dedicated to mental health, despite global figures indicating that one in three people struggles with their mental well-being. South Africa's resources are severely limited: there are only about 3,000 registered clinical psychologists and 780 psychiatrists for the approximately 20 million people who need support. Dr. Linde, who also does advocacy work through the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) , stresses that World Mental Health Day serves as a vital reminder to take mental well-being as seriously as physical health. Driven by a passion to break down stigma and improve access to support, she advocates for people to take their mental health as seriously as their physical health. Furthermore, there are insufficient numbers of mental health practitioners. The interview delves into Dr. Linde's journey in psychology, which allowed her to converge multiple interests into a fulfilling field and also opened a career that provided autonomy. Throughout our conversation, she emphasises creating options for yourself. She has a philosophy that ‘there is a tool for everything — you just need to match the tool to the person, problem or situation. One of her main therapeutic modalities is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), an evidence-based approach. She explains that, unlike traditional psychoanalytic work, CBT is collaborative, skills-based, and focused on the "here and now," teaching clients how to manage the powerful link between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. This practical approach is proven to be highly effective for issues like anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout, with the ultimate goal of training people to not need therapy. Dr. Linde tackles the complex life of the modern woman. From the physical and hormonal shifts of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, to the societal pressures of balancing a career (her "first child") with family life, she highlights how women's brains, which "spotlight and then floodlight" everything, lead to constant activation. She introduces her own term for the modern working mother: the "Voldemort Woman"—she who should not be named—a woman with no established role model for juggling a beloved career, motherhood, marriage, and self-care. Dr. Linde closes the conversation with two powerful mantras: Unlearn and Relearn: Inspired by Alvin Toffler, she urges women to continuously "learn, unlearn, and relearn" and to forge a path that truly resonates with them. Balanced Self-Care: Quoting Maya Angelou, she reminds women that they have "two hands, one for helping others and one for helping yourself," stressing the importance of balancing giving out with what they receive. Tune in for more…