Marelé Venter

Marelé has been practicing as an occupational therapist for the past 21 years. She has always had a passion for people and their well-being, which lead to her becoming an occupational therapist. After graduating with honours in 2000, she became increasingly aware of children’s need for emotional support in her clinical work.

Since play is a child’s natural form of communication and learning, she undertook further studies in play therapy and received her post-graduate diploma in play therapy, with honours, in 2002. She has been an advocate for the use of play as a means towards emotional and mental well being, in occupational therapy, ever since.

Marelé has worked for the Departments of Health and Education, as well as in private practice. Her work experience also includes lecturing at the Department of Occupational Therapy (UFS), specifically on the use of play as a means towards emotional well-being, in occupational therapy. During 2011-2015 she was actively involved in providing occupational therapy group services in a private psychiatric clinic, where she facilitated adult, adolescent, and children’s groups.

She is currently in private practice and co-founder and director of i2we: a company offering training for continuous professional development within mental health. She is also co-founder and co-author of BullyBusters: an anti-bullying therapeutic group programme for children and adolescents. This programme is currently being used by professionals throughout South Africa and will also be expanding abroad in 2021.

Marele is a member of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes (IAGP) and is currently busy with her post-graduate diploma in classical psychodrama.

Marelé is married and the mother of two teenagers. Her inner child is still very much alive – at the age of 42, she is in her element when on the floor with a child, engaging in meaningful play.