Building healthier habits takes more than motivation—it requires understanding, structure, and self-awareness. Many people try to change their behaviour but struggle to make progress or maintain it long term. At Therapy in Benoni, Pakeeza Carrim, an experienced and compassionate psychologist in Sandringham, Johannesburg, helps individuals identify the psychological barriers behind unhealthy habits and develop practical, sustainable ways to replace them.
Understanding Why Habits Are Hard to Change
Habits form through repetition and emotional association. Whether it’s stress eating, procrastination, overworking, or avoiding difficult emotions, these patterns often serve as coping mechanisms. Simply trying to “break” a habit without addressing its root cause rarely works.
A psychologist in Sandringham, Johannesburg helps you understand why a certain habit exists—what triggers it, what emotional needs it meets, and how it impacts your overall wellbeing. This self-awareness forms the foundation for real and lasting change.
Through therapy, you’ll explore:
- Emotional triggers that fuel unhelpful patterns.
- Thought processes that reinforce habits.
- Underlying stress, anxiety, or perfectionism that make change difficult.
- The emotional rewards your habits provide—and how to replace them with healthier ones.
The Psychology Behind Habit Formation
Habits are not just about willpower—they are deeply connected to your brain’s reward system. When you perform an action that reduces discomfort or stress, your brain releases dopamine, reinforcing that behaviour.
Pakeeza Carrim, a skilled psychologist in Sandringham, Johannesburg, helps clients break this cycle by using evidence-based techniques such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based interventions. These methods focus on reshaping how you think, feel, and respond to triggers—making it easier to form new, positive routines.
Over time, therapy helps you move from automatic reactions to conscious choices.
How a Psychologist Supports Healthy Behaviour Change
Therapy offers practical, step-by-step guidance for developing healthier habits. Instead of relying on fleeting motivation, you’ll learn tools that create consistent progress.
At Therapy in Benoni, sessions may include:
- Goal Setting: Defining small, achievable steps to create momentum.
- Accountability: Regular check-ins to maintain progress and adjust strategies.
- Self-Compassion Training: Learning to treat yourself kindly through setbacks.
- Stress Management: Replacing emotional triggers with healthy coping mechanisms.
- Behavioural Activation: Encouraging meaningful daily activities that support mental wellbeing.
Each session is designed around your unique challenges and lifestyle, ensuring that changes are both realistic and sustainable.
The Emotional Side of Habit Change
Changing habits isn’t just about altering behaviour—it’s about addressing the emotions behind them. Many unhealthy patterns are rooted in stress, shame, fear, or past experiences. Without understanding these emotions, new habits rarely last.
Pakeeza Carrim helps clients explore their emotional world with empathy and insight, creating space for healing and growth. Through therapy, you can learn to:
- Replace self-criticism with self-awareness.
- Build motivation that’s rooted in purpose, not guilt.
- Develop a stronger sense of control over your daily life.
When emotions are processed and understood, habit change becomes natural rather than forced.
How Therapy in Benoni Encourages Sustainable Growth
At Therapy in Benoni, the goal is not just to help you change habits—but to help you understand yourself in the process. Pakeeza Carrim guides clients in building balance, discipline, and emotional resilience so that healthy routines become a part of who they are, not just what they do.
This holistic approach helps you:
- Strengthen emotional regulation.
- Rebuild confidence and self-trust.
- Balance work, rest, and self-care.
- Create meaningful, lasting routines.
When therapy becomes part of your self-improvement journey, your new habits are supported by genuine inner growth.
Take the First Step Toward a Healthier You
If you’ve struggled to maintain positive changes or feel stuck in self-defeating patterns, therapy can help you move forward. Working with a psychologist in Sandringham, Johannesburg gives you the professional tools and emotional support needed to build healthier habits and create meaningful change.
Reach out to Therapy in Benoni today to schedule an appointment with Pakeeza Carrim, and start building habits that nurture your mind, body, and emotional wellbeing.