Meet Corna Olivier
I am an HPCSA-registered psychometrist and counsellor in Centurion, but have worked in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates in both the public and private sectors. My practice is shaped by academic study, clinical experience, teaching, and lived experience, with a particular focus on neurodiversity and gender diversity.
I am currently a PhD candidate in Information Technology at the University of Pretoria, where my research explores the use of generative AI chatbots in online distance learning. I hold a Master’s degree in Psychology (Cum Laude) from UNISA, with research focused on substance dependence as a manifestation of unresolved intergenerational trauma, viewed through the lens of lay counsellors in a small rural West Coast village.
My academic background also includes a BPsych equivalent in Psychometry (Cum Laude) from Stellenbosch University, where my practical experience involved assisting with the selection process for the South African National Antarctic Programme. I completed my BA Honours in Social Science with a BPsych-equivalent in Counselling (Cum Laude) through SACAP, gaining practical experience as a school counsellor at an under-resourced school.
Qualifications: PhD Candidate in IT (UP, 2024-current), BPsych Equivalent Psychometry, Cum Laude (SU, 2020-2021), BA Hons SocSci Including BPsych Equivalent Counselling, Cum Laude (SACAP, 2018 – 2019), MA Psychology, Cum Laude (UNISA, 2018-2020), BA Honours Psychology (UNISA, 2013-2015), NDip Electrical Engineering (CPUT, 1993-1995).
Earlier studies include a BA Honours in Psychology from UNISA, a case study on achieving flow state with a professional golfer, and a BSc in Psychology with majors in Psychology and Programming. I also hold a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, with a specialisation in computer systems, reflecting my longstanding interest in the intersection of technology and human systems.
My professional focus has been strongly influenced by my personal path. I work primarily with high-functioning adults on the autism spectrum, neurodivergent individuals, and people across the spectrum of gender and sexuality. Through my early work counselling lay counsellors in under-resourced communities, and through my life as a parent, I have developed a deep understanding of complexity, difference, and context.
As a parent of one child on the neurodiversity spectrum and another on the gender spectrum, my lived experience continues to inform my perspective and my professional focus, helping individuals and families navigate similar journeys. I believe that each person deserves the beautiful luxury of representing difference in some context of their life, and that difference deserves understanding rather than correction.
Outside of my counselling practice, I value connection and curiosity. I enjoy spending time with friends, walking in nature, hiking, swimming, and practising yoga; simple rituals that help me remain grounded and present.
My life is also defined by a deep love for the written word and the arts. As a published author, I have shared my family’s most personal journey in my book, A Thousand Days, which chronicles our life as South African expats in Dubai and our courageous navigation through my late husband’s battle with cancer. This firsthand experience with grief and resilience deeply informs the empathy I bring to my therapeutic work.
My creative spirit also extends to the world of children’s literature; I am the illustrator of The Arabian Princess and Other Stories, an enchanting collection of global myths and fables that celebrate the diversity of human storytelling.
This same curiosity fuels my academic and research work. With over a decade of experience teaching at primary, secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels, I am a dedicated lifelong learner. I have published several academic papers and frequently present my research at international symposia, exploring the intersections of psychology and the human experience.
Whether I am speaking on radio platforms to make psychological ideas more accessible or engaging with diverse cultures during my travels, I remain guided by the belief that curiosity, openness, and reflection are central to a meaningful life.