Social worker promotes well-being
Social worker and founder of Lotus
Social Services Thabitha Maphalle (28) who was born and bred in Polokwane, aims to raise awareness and promote the well-being of her clients.
“I’m passionate about providing assistance and ensuring that people are given the ability to excel in their everyday lives through shared tools,” Maphalle said.
Within her practice, Maphalle provides employee wellness assistance, marital and relationship issues, conflict resolution, mediation, coaching, individual counselling, school social work, court preparation, HIV/aids counselling and education, sexual abuse programmes, gender-based violence, substance abuse programmes, positive parenting behaviour, modification, family therapy, family conference, maintenance as well as care and contact plans.
Maphalle is also a writer at heart, but prefers planning book festivals and events with her latest event being the Excite
Your Mind Book Festival which was hosted in Polokwane.
She has been a social worker since 2018 after graduating from the University of Johannesburg, and opened her practice Lotus Social Services only last year.
“I believe that I’m a very grounded person and thus I try to find a balance between work, practice and writing.
I love all three and it always comes naturally to me,” she said.
“One thing aspiring social workers who also want to branch out on their own should know is that sometimes it’s not easy to go into private practice, since some people think social issues can be solved internally. You thus have to find a way to host awareness events in your community to educate them on what advantages or disadvantages certain mental illnesses might have on them,” she said.
Maphalle’s practice currently operates in Polokwane and Johannesburg but she’s mobile and available for house-calls nationwide. For consultation service assistance contact Maphalle via e-mail: tmmaphalle@gmail.com.