Dr Barbara Wade

Barbara Wade is a passionate and dedicated professional committed to supporting people in their personal growth and healing journeys. In her private social work practice, she focuses on helping clients make meaningful and lasting changes in their lives. Barbara’s professional path began in physiotherapy, with a special interest in rehabilitating patients with spinal cord injuries. However, after a motor vehicle accident, she was no longer able to practise in that field.

Undeterred, she redirected her passion toward the field of mental health. She completed a Master’s degree in Psychology (cum laude) in 2000, followed by a BA (Welfare Science), and registered as a social worker in 2005. Her academic journey culminated in a Doctorate in Social Work, with a focus on trauma. It was during her doctoral studies that she became intrigued by the role of the body in trauma recovery. This led her to train as a Somatic Experiencing™ Practitioner, where she also became an assistant on the official Somatic Experiencing™ training programmes.

Barbara continued exploring body-based trauma interventions, which became a cornerstone of her therapeutic approach. A significant milestone in her career was her collaboration with Elaine Miller-Karas from the Trauma Resource Institute. Alongside two colleagues, Barbara brought Elaine to South Africa in 2015 to enhance the capacity of local counsellors in body-based trauma work and resilience-building. Barbara became a certified trainer in the Community Resiliency Model™—a scientifically grounded and innovative model for overcoming trauma—which she has been presenting for over a decade.

In 2019, Barbara deepened her expertise by travelling to Paris to study under Deb Dana, a leading authority on the Polyvagal Theory. She now presents Dana’s work in South Africa with her permission, placing Barbara in a unique position to train counsellors and therapists in cutting-edge somatic approaches to trauma.

Barbara has a deep love for learning and an equally strong passion for sharing her knowledge with others. She firmly believes that no one escapes exposure to trauma and that equipping practitioners with effective tools is vital. She finds great fulfilment in watching students grow in confidence as they learn to support clients through their most difficult experiences.

In addition to her trauma-focused work, Barbara has a keen interest in relationships and connection. Recognising both the healing and distress that close relationships can bring, she trained in family therapy and became a Certified Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) practitioner, working with couples to restore emotional bonds and resolve conflict.

Barbara has lectured part-time at the University of the Witwatersrand (Allenby Campus) and served as a supervisor at UNISA. She is a certified HeartMath Practitioner, Somatic Experiencing™ Practitioner, and EFT Couples Therapist. She is registered with both the SACSSP and SAASWIPP and continues to run a private practice specialising in trauma and couples therapy.

Married for 39 years and a mother to two grown sons, Barbara values her family deeply. Their support, closeness, and the joy they bring continue to enrich her personal and professional life.