SORIKA DE SWARDT
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SORIKA'S EXPERTISE AS SPEAKER

​Her passion for people with addictions, mental health difficulties and those who struggle in relationships are obvious and contagious. Invite her to any of your functions to be a speaker or attend her accredited CPD training sessions. You simply cannot go wrong with any of the exciting topics on offer.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS

IN DEPTH BACKGROUND
​After starting at a local NGO in 1997 where she practiced Generic Social Work she moved to the United Kingdom in 2001 to further specialize in the fields of Addiction, Mental Health and Forensic Social Work. During this time she developed a forensic dual diagnosis treatment program for the patients in a medium secure treatment unit.  She created a training program for Social and Healthcare Professionals which was nominated in 2005 for the NIHME Quality awards in England.  She lectured on the Mental Health Act at Essex University and in 2006 was the clinical director of a film about the effect of severe mental illness on family and carers. This DVD won the Silver Quality Trust award in 2007 as part of a training package. 

Since her return to South Africa in March 2007, Sorika practiced as Assistant Director for the NG Ministry of Caring, involved in training, psychometric evaluation and therapeutic services. She then rendered 3 years of Medical Social Work at Life the Glynnwood hospital and Psychiatric Social Work at Life the Glynnview followed by her position as Addiction Consultant at Elim Clinic, Professional Addiction Treatment Centre. 

She retained her Private Practice from 2007 and her responsibilities brought her in close contact with people of all ages and all educational levels, both professionals and the general public.  She has a special ability to meet the audience at their level of knowledge and to transfer the information that they need in a skilful and interesting manner. She is a sought after speaker and accredited CPD trainer with the SACSSP, HPCSA with various training obligations since 2001. Apart from her training and public speaking engagements she is a dedicated therapist and renders services as can be seen on her website www.sorikadeswardt.co.za 

The specific accomplishments and knowledge that sets her apart from her peers would include:

  • Being a frequent expert guest speaker on radio and television programmes
  • Being expert witness in court for high profile criminal cases
  • Contributing to many articles for South African magazines and newspapers 
  • Presenting at 5 International and countless National Congresses 
  • Offered training, consultation and service development to companies in Botswana, Namibia, and Nigeria, United Kingdom, USA and all around South Africa.
  • Personally trained by expert Robert Weiss (LCSW) on process addictions such as pornography addiction, sex addiction and digital addictions both during her visit to Las Vegas OMICS International Conference where she presented a paper on sex addiction in July 2013, but also during Robert Weiss’s training in South Africa in March 2016 for a select 25 practitioners in the South Africa.
  • Has a practitioner accreditation on the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) for Trauma from the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI) in the USA.
TARGET AUDIENCES
All topics are adjusted to suit the target audience such as:

  • Woman’s tea and men’s breakfasts
  • School students in primary school
  • School students in secondary school
  • Parents and teachers of school students
  • Professionals in Health and Social Care 
  • Church groups and topics for church or life skills camps
  • General public
​​DURATION OF TALKS
 All talks need a minimum of 60 minutes and can, depending on the target audience or the occasion, be adjusted to a maximum of 180 minutes with a break in the middle.
​Cost of public speaking events
 Tariff structure applies to a maximum of 100 invited guests. Thereafter the tariff can be negotiated.
 
60 minutes                              
R3500.00 plus travel expenses
120 minutes                            
R5000.00 plus travel expenses
180 minutes                            
R7500.00 plus travel expenses
TOPICS COVERED
When too much is not enough - Comfort eating and food addiction
Discussion about the continuum of eating behaviour ranging from healthy eating, comfort eating all the way to compulsive eating / food addiction. Including some tips on managing your relationship with food.

Staying in the game
Compulsive gambling. Why can some gamblers not stop? Discussion about how compulsive gamblers chase the high the same way a drug addict does. Including practical advice on professional treatment and self-help.

​Generations in denial
One gay spouse, one straight spouse. How does individual spouses and children from Multi Orientation Marriages, (where one parent is gay and the other straight), reorganize themselves to find meaning and develop resilience?

Toxic relationships
Exploring the red flags of toxic relationships and ways to break free from those energy vampires and emotional abusers in your life.

Non suicidal self-injury
Discussion about the rationale behind self –injury and how it differs from suicidal behaviour. Including practical advice on professional treatment and self-help.

Digital addiction
Is it possible to get addicted to a behaviour, to social media, to a device? Exploring how technology changes relationships. Including practical advice on professional treatment and self-help.

​Keep your child safe online 
It is more and more of a challenge for parents to keep their children safe online. Online pornography, sexting, cyber bullies, digital addiction and much more will be discussed. An in-depth discussion of these issues and ideas for keeping your child safe online.
​
Digital burnout
The next big danger to business. Discussion about how we get digital burnout at work, at home and the effects it have on productivity, relationships etc. Including practical advice on professional treatment and self-help.

Sex addiction in the digital age
Discussion about what sex addiction really is, how to identify the dangers, the effects on the addict and the family and practical advice on professional treatment and self-help.

Pornography addiction 
The pornography tsunami. For some it is just an addition to their sexual menu, for other the accelerator to an expanded arousal template and even addiction. The possible effects on relationships, intimacy and sexual functioning.

Staging an intervention
Practical discussion, tips and advise on how to challenge an addict to break through the denial of their addiction.
Juggling dual diagnosis 
When you suffer from addiction and from mental illness, you have double the trouble and may need more than one type of treatment to get to remission and recovery. 

Love with boundaries
The importance of boundaries versus walls in relationships are discussed. We exploring co-dependence and the one-magic person belief system versus die growth belief system for relationships.

​The effect of unresolved childhood sexual abuse on parenting 
Generational trauma is discussed as well as how it affects our parenting styles, ability to identify and protect our children from danger. Meaningful ways forward are discussed.

The fear of losing you 
Obsessive love, rejection, attachment styles and the lack of meaningful relationships are discussed including practical advice on professional treatment and self-help.

Emotional Blackmail 
Exploring the fear, obligation and guilt used by the blackmailer to render the victim unable to see the reality of their relationship.

The 5 languages of love 
Meaningful connection to our children, friends, partners and even employees starts with understanding their languages of love and appreciation.

Compulsive shopping 
Retail therapy of compulsive shopping. An age old escape with new dangers. Including practical advice on professional treatment and self-help.

The workaholic 
Perfectionism, workaholics and people pleasing are discussed including some practical tips and advice for professional treatment.

Alcohol use and drunk driving awareness 
Prevention and awareness talk for any age as well as for headmasters and teachers.  The talk can also be adapted to empower EAP’s, managers and employers on how to deal with addiction and, or the use of legal and illegal substances in the workplace.

What is the story with cannabis and new legal highs 
A lot of confusion exist about the use of cannabis, medical marijuana and the new legal highs people use. This discussion seeks to clarify different issues about legal substances.

Medication addiction 
When the doctor prescribes it, it must be safe. Not so? Exploring the trap of prescription and over the counter medication addiction.

EVENT GALLERY

Sorika de Swardt holds the following professional qualifications:

  • BA degree in Social Work; 1995 (NWU) South Africa 
  • Masters (MA) degree in Psychology; 2001 (NWU) South Africa
  • Post Qualifying Awards 1- 6 in Mental Health Social Work; 2004 United Kingdom
  • Accreditation in the Community Resiliency model (CRM) presented by Trauma Resource Institute; 2015 USA

Location

Make an appointment today

​+27 78 419 2346
iswconsults@gmail.com
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  • HOME
  • ABOUT SORIKA
  • THERAPEUTIC SERVICES
  • SORIKA IN THE MEDIA
    • BOEREVERNEUKERS
    • TELEVISION & VIDEO APPEARANCES
    • ARTICLES & EDITORIALS
    • RADIO INTERVIEWS
  • TRAINING & PUBLIC SPEAKING
    • TRAINING & PUBLIC SPEAKING
    • SORIKA'S EXPERTISE AS SPEAKER
    • BOOK SORIKA FOR A SPEAKING EVENT
  • CONTACT