Dr Shana Saffer
MBBCh(Wits),Cum Laude FCPsych(SA).
Mind Body & Soul Is The Only Way To Practice Medicine.
Find and follow the patterns that connect. Be the best you can. Have lots of fun. Laugh as often as possible (and then some). Do lots of yoga. Live with passion. Be gentle.
My Services.
Shana Saffer is a Specialist Psychiatrist, with a reputation for treating patients in their entire being, not only for their presenting mental symptoms.
She runs a private clinical practice in Johannesburg, and consults internationally in a supervisory and coaching capacity.
She specializes in adult mood, anxiety and personality disorders, and in psychopharmacology, with a longstanding interest and affinity for neuropsychiatry
She has used the teachings of the enneagram extensively in her practice, and advocates a focus on mindfulness in daily life – including the practice of yoga and spirituality.
Dr Saffer examines the microcosm as well as the macrocosm in which the patient exists, and treats each case individually. She draws on her vast experience in the field of Medicine as well as other modalities to best guide patients on their quest to wellbeing.
I Am Shana
I bring a synthesis of scientific data and evidence-based medicine to age-old remedy and ancient healing methods. I can easily confer information, teach and explain the workings of a system, illness, medication, psychic experience or situation in a manner which is logical and useful, and also creates meaning.
I offer clarity, exlpore the purpose of the symptom or situation and always bring hope.
My Qualifications.
- MBBCh(Wits)Cum Laude 1993 – Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand.
- FCPsych(SA) 2000 – Fellow of the South African College of Psychiatrists.
- Member of the Health Professions Council of South Africa – MP0412643
- Member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP)
- Member of the South African Private Practitioners Forum (SAPPF)
- Registered with the Board of Healthcare Funders – PR 0220000003603.
“In addition to her burlesque take on the world and life in general, Shana is deeply thoughtful and generous with her knowledge and her humanity. She uses her intellect to explore beyond the known paradigms of her profession, and I have found her unafraid to push the boundaries of her self knowledge, making her one of the few professionals in her field whose word and opinion I really trust.
I have recommended Shana to my clients as someone who can be relied upon to explore ways of healing that go beyond medication and the more traditional approaches to healing the psyche.”
Special Interests
These are adjunctive modalities that I have found very useful in addition to pharmacological management to maintain mental wellbeing.
Yoga
Yoga means ‘union’. Most styles involve certain disciplined practice, and involve movement , as well as meditative and breath work – “the mind follows the breath and the body follows the mind”. Control over breath gives us a sense of control even when our life feels chaotic
Enneagram
An age-old sacred geometrical diagram , with an associated integrative system of personality styles. Developed by Naranjo and Gurdjieff, the system can be used for self-development, and fostering healthy relationships. It gives an indication of where stress induced pathology will manifest.
Mindfulness
An exceptional modality of maintaining healthy emotional equilibrium, these tequniques can be easily integrated into any schedule and practiced daily. I leearned the basics from Jon Kabat-Zinn, who has studied extensively the positive effects thereof on numerous medical conditions.