Circles of Care
Counselling
Community
Communication
Circles of Care, created by Dr Sharon Johnson, establish regular safe spaces in counselling, community and business trainings, and communication on multi-media platforms. Clients include individuals, couples, families, Government departments and NGOs. The aim is to promote healing through improved coping skills, empowerment and hope. Encounters are both in-person and on-line.
About
Dr Sharon Johnson is founder and director of Circles of Care - a psychology support network for establishing trauma-informed awareness and practices. Clients range from private individuals to businesses, from Government Departments and NGOs to schools, throughout South Africa and particularly in the Western Cape.Sharon has a PhD Psychology (Stellenbosch) (2013) and completed a post-doctoral Fellowship in 2014-2016.Her research has focused on the stress and burnout of teachers in traumatic school environments of violence, low socio-economic status and gangsterism.Her focus is on trauma healing and post-traumatic growth on individual, relational and social systemic levels.Married to Greg, a forensic accountant, for over 40 years with four children – Brent, Ross and identical twins Tessa and Julia - Sharon enjoys swimming in the Atlantic, walking and cycling. When not training, counselling and writing, she enjoys travel.
Book
Triumph over Trauma and Tribulation
"Triumph over Trauma and Tribulation: Lessons in care for at-risk youth in South Africa" was written during Sharon’s post-doctoral fellowship. Her narrative analytic research was combined with photo-elicitation at the Western Cape Education Department's Ottery Youth Care and Education Centre (OYCEC) in the Cape Flats, Cape Town. Multiple perspectives of healing abused and neglected youth were examined – from the educators and staff to the learners. This book covers the transition from punishment and harsh treatment of youth during the apartheid era, to care and compassion post-1994.The book presents 11 lessons learned which resulted in triumph over trauma and tribulation. The Afterword describes the transition from Ottery to the Positive Behaviour Intervention Resource Centre in Wynberg, where 80% of staff moved on OYCEC’s closure. This centre is the biggest triumph of all, as systemic care practices continue to be implemented on individual, relational and community levels.
What others say about the book …
'...This treatise is a provocative and courageous narrative about a topic and a marginalised group that has attracted scant attention in the academic literature and media. It examines the context, crisis, concerns, challenges, and commitments undergirding state institutional care of vulnerable and often stigmatised and neglected male adolescents in South Africa'
(Emeritus Professor Tony Naidoo, Psychology Department, Stellenbosch University, Extract from the Foreword).'Your contribution through this book reflects your deep immersion in the dynamic praxis of care. You have enriched this space through non-invasive therapies, mentoring staff, and placing students here to engage with the narrative and methodology – thereby widening our collective footprint. Your writing style is fluent and engaging, drawing the reader in and holding their attention' (Mo, former manager of OYCEC).'“Triumph over Trauma and Tribulation" offers a poignant and powerful glimpse into the lives of at-risk youth in South Africa's Cape Flats, focusing on the transformative work of the Ottery Youth Care and Education Centre. Through vivid narratives and striking photo-elicitation, Dr Sharon Johnson captures the resilience of young lives shaped by adversity and the dedication of staff committed to their care. Blending personal stories with psychological insights and historical context, this book explores the evolution of youth care from punitive practices to trauma-informed approaches. It highlights the profound impact of connection, empathy, and holistic education in fostering healing and hope. With its deeply human perspective and practical reflections, this narrative is a beacon of possibility for those working to break cycles of trauma and build a brighter future for vulnerable youth' (Dr Jeanie Cave, clinical psychologist, Impact Therapy Centre, South Africa).'This is a personal achievement that weaves together many strands of Dr Sharon Johnson’s professional career, including her deep personal commitment to the lives of young people in South Africa. By extending her work beyond direct therapeutic engagement to include educators and broader networks, she has also intervened at a systems level. My hope is that this work will be embraced by the next generation – building on what she has begun, whether by establishing new initiatives, strengthening existing projects, or conducting research to take the work described in this book further. There are many positives to this book. As both a systemic psychotherapist and psychologist I recognise how powerful narrative work can be, and as a qualitative researcher I am also excited to read a creative yet robust framework that explores people’s accounts while intervening positively in the lives of those involved. The collaborations with youth and staff co-created such richness. Well done, Sharon. Thank you for your sharing!' (Dr Ramón Karamat Ali, Codirector, KA Conversations: Centre for Personal & Professional Development; MSc Research Lead, Psychological Therapies Training Centre, Manchester, UK).'Çaregivers are often under-equipped to deal with young people who have experienced trauma at specific developmental stages, causing frustration in the workspace. This book addresses some gaps for caregivers, guardians and other mental health practitioners concerned with the needs of adolescents in places of safety and group care homes. (It is) such an intricate read!” (Robin Julies, MA Psychology Research Consultant, PhD candidate).
Book details ....
Paperback - 380 pages with 72 B&W and Colour photographs of Ottery Youth Care and Education Centre and the Positive Behaviour Intervention Resource Centre in Wynberg, Cape Town.Workbook (included) – 66 pages of community insights and practical interventions from Circles of Care workshops and trainings at OYCECFirst edition 2025; Copyright ©2025 Sharon JohnsonPrelaunch: August 2025
Available: September 2025
Services
Circles of Care comprise Counselling in private practice; training in business and Community; with publication outputs in Communication. These areas highlight the multiple systems within which psychological healing, growth and resilience take place.
Counselling
As a counsellor in private practice, Sharon sees clients regularly in her rooms overlooking a nature reserve in Royal Ascot, Milnerton, Cape Town. Here in a peaceful and quiet environment - with birds and deer roaming the park in front – she has a holistic approach, focusing on mind, body and emotional healing. She deals with a range of issues, from stress, burnout and trauma to anxiety and personal crises. She has a focus on dealing with the pain of struggles, processing experiences, resourcing clients and helping them to flourish in relationships. Her focus on self-care and working through challenges, empowers clients to find hope and resilience, attaining post-traumatic growth. She counsels in person and on-line.
Community
Sharon has worked in violent, high-risk schools on the Cape Flats, Cape Town, for two decades, completing her master’s and PhD in Psychology at Stellenbosch University.In her post-doctoral studies, she conducted research and training at the Ottery Youth Care and Education Centre, where lessons in care have been carried forward to the Western Cape Education Department’s Positive Behaviour Intervention Resource Centre in Wynberg, Cape Town.Her community work involves working in a wide range of schools throughout the Western Cape, focusing on wellness and care for educators and staff.She has worked for the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, training Emergency Responders in counselling and overcoming traumatic experiences.Her work also includes business and NGO trainings and debriefings.
Communication
Sharon has had papers published in international peer-reviewed journals in education and health, covering her Masters and Doctoral research at Stellenbosch University Psychology Department.Her chapters in academic books have been published by Palgrave Macmillan, Springer and Columbia University Press.Her book: "Triumph over Trauma and Tribulation: Lessons in Care for at-risk youth in South Africa" examines her post-doctoral studies at Ottery Youth Care and Education Centre in Cape Town, drawing important lessons in care.These have been carried forward to the Department of Western Cape Education Department’s Positive Behaviour Intervention Resource Centre in Wynberg for children with behaviour as a barrier to learning.
Books and chapters in books
Johnson, S. (2025). Triumph over trauma and tribulation: Lessons in care for at-risk youth in SA. YesPress: Cape Town.Johnson, S. (2022). Finding safety in trauma recovery at a South African state care centre for abused and neglected youth. In Carl Walker, Sally Slotowitz and Anna Zoll (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Innovative Clinical and Community Psychologies. London: Palgrave MacMillan.Johnson, S. (2019). Psychobiography as an effective research methodology for the advocacy of abused and neglected youth in South Africa. In C. Mayer & Z. Kovary (Eds.). New trends in psychobiography. Cham, CH: Springer.Johnson, S. (2019). Disempowerment to Self-belief: Centre of Hope for vulnerable youth in Cape Town. In M. Diaz and B. Shephard (Eds.), Narrating Perspectives in Childhood and Adolescence. New York: Columbia University Press.
Papers in peer-reviewed journals
Johnson, S. & Van Schalkwyk, I. (2022). Bridging the gap of the Afri-Eurocentric divide in postcolonial SA. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031165Johnson, S.M. & Naidoo, A.V. (2017) Can evolutionary insights into the brain’s response to threat suggest different interventions for perceived stress and burnout for teachers in high-risk schools? SA Journal of Psychology. Doi: 10.1177/0081246316675588Johnson, S.M., & Naidoo, A.V. (2016). A psychoeducational approach for prevention of burnout among teachers dealing with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. AidsCare. Advance online publication. doi:10.1080/09540121.2016.1201193Johnson, S.M. (2015). Reducing teacher stress and burnout in high-risk secondary schools with Transactional Analysis. International Journal of Transactional Analysis Research 6(1), 70-85Johnson, S.M., and Naidoo, A.V. (2013). Transpersonal practices as prevention intervention for burnout among HIV/Aids coordinator teachers. SA Journal of Psychology, 43: 59 – 70
Book Purchase
"Triumph over Trauma and Tribulation"
To buy the Paperback (in South Africa) complete the Contact Form below.
Retail price: R350 | Launch price: R280 (until 30 Sept 2025).To buy the Kindle e-book and Paperback (outside of South Africa), visit www.Amazon.com.
Kindle price: US$9.99 | Book price: US$19.95
Contact Us
For a counselling session or training, please fill in your details and requirements below.For book purchases in South Africa, please include the Delivery Address and the number of copies you require.Books can be collected at 12 Filly Road, The Stableyard, Royal Ascot, Milnerton 7441.
Alternatively add on R110 for Postnet delivery in South Africa. (Allow 2 to 3 days for delivery)Payment can be made by credit card, on collection.
For items requiring delivery an invoice with bank details will be emailed to you for payment by EFT.
