1. Jotham, tell us a bit about your upbringing and some memorable moments

I was born and raised in South Africa in a very small town, which afforded me with plenty of freedoms not many children get to enjoy. My father is a doctor and he introduced me to cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and firearms from a very young age and helped kick-start my passion for all things mechanical and precision orientated. He taught me to drive and ride motorcycles at a young age and he would regularly take me for flights in his private aircraft, which I very much enjoyed. My mother taught me to appreciate literature, poetry, and philosophy as these were her passions, and I can attribute this part of my personality today to her. Some of the best memories from my childhood were exploring the mountains and bush around our town and spending plenty of time with my friends at the local swimming pool.

2. You came to Australia at age 12 – tell us about this process?

The process of migrating to Australia was a very interesting challenge. I came from a very small town in South Africa and I suddenly found myself in a major city which was definitely an adjustment. My school in South Africa had around 15-20 students per year level and in Australia there were around 100 students per year level and roughly 4 classes for each year level. Initially I found this a bit overwhelming, but luckily the Aussies made me feel welcome and I soon made great friends.

3. What led to you choosing your career in psychology?

My interest and philosophy and understanding people is probably at the root of my decision to choose psychology, however I also enjoy supporting people through difficult times or pushing them to live their lives to their fullest potential. Overall, I believe psychology was the best profession I could have ended up in and I find it very rewarding and fulfilling.

4. Tell us about some of the places you have worked so far as a psychologist and clinical psychologist?

To date, I have worked in 3 private practices and an EAP company.

When I finished my degree, I walked into a private practice at the Gold Coast (Elm Psychology Rooms) which was an awesome experience as I had to not only practice as a psychologist, but I also had to do my own admin work, find my own referrals, and manage my calendar and bookings. I threw myself into the deep-end and had to learn a lot of things very fast and it was like skating the thin line between sinking and swimming which was both stressful but also exciting.

My second practice was in Springfield Lakes (The Rosy Room) and I initially got the job there soon after starting at my first practice. Starting out as a new psychologist, I wasn’t sure where I would find my feet, so I decided to work at two practices, but both practices got really busy in no time and I made the decision to leave my first practice to focus on the second one. The second practice had full admin support so I favored that practice as it allowed me to focus on being a psychologist by removing the majority of the admin duties.

Both private practices were wonderful experiences and I only have positive things to say about my time there and the people I worked with.

For about a year I worked for an EAP company (Optimum Health and Management Services) delivering psychological services to apprentices and employees of the mining company Komatsu. I did monthly seminars about psychology and mental health topics and I provided onsite, 30 minute psychology sessions, and telehealth support. This was a really cool experience and helped me become more comfortable with public speaking and also working in a fast-paced environment where I had to think on my feet.

During my Master of Clinical Psychology degree, I completed an externship at a school for troubled youth and I also worked in an alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility. Both these externships were amazing and really helped prepare me for working with a diverse range of clients.

5. What do you love most about your career?

I love that I get paid for doing something that I am passionate about and love. I consider it a great privilege to be in a position where I can help improve people’s lives and make this corner of the planet a slightly better place. I find it extremely rewarding to observe how radically people’s lives can improve with only a few small changes. I also love that my career continuously motivates me to self improve and work towards becoming the best version of me.

6. What are the 5 types of clients who you enjoy treating the most?

I enjoy working with trauma and PTSD and helping these people restore their quality of life and hopefully achieve post-traumatic growth.

I also really like working with men’s mental health issues and helping men become better versions of themselves.

I very much enjoy couples therapy and helping people improve themselves and their relationships.

Personality disorders, particularly BPD, is an area that I have very much enjoyed working with.

Other than the above, I also enjoy working with standard depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

7. What is something that not many people know about you?

I shoot competitively at national and international level

I love working on cars, motorbikes, and firearms

I enjoy speed and take my car to the race track regularly

I have a love for physics

One of my hobbies includes catching and relocating snakes

I love literature, philosophy, film, music and poetry

I enjoy gaming

I love being active

I love animals and my favorite animals are bunnies

I enjoy building and working on computers

My favorite colors are hot pink and gunmetal gray

I am predominantly right-handed, but there are many things I do left-handed

I am fluent in both English and Afrikaans

8. You have just moved to the Redcliffe Peninsula with your fiancee – what do you love about Redcliffe?

I love the area and being right on the foreshore. The vibe here is so peaceful and I love that both my fiance and I are less than 10 minutes from our workplaces.

9. What are you excited about regarding your start as our newest clinical psychologist at Newport Physio and Health?

I am really excited to see how my skillset can be utilized in the new practice and I am excited to get to know, and work with the team at Newport Physio and Health. I am also very excited to have an office of my own that I can set up how I like and I know that I am going to learn a lot from all the team members, so I am excited for this new chapter in my professional life.

If you have questions about whether Jotham can help you, or you want to make an appointment to see him, either call us on 1300 00 4020, or you can book an online appointment to see Jotham at the following link: