1. Petro Roux, Industrial psychologist and manager, who arranged the course

Wonderful empowering course. Hope we can roll-out to all staff members as the experiences  were practical with examples given and benefitting all the team members. Thank you for the textbook and CD. It will assist when we want to refer back again. Dr. Arien is wonderful!

2. Jo-Anne Diedericks

i.                     My name is Jo-Anne and I just want to share my story. I was a very emotional person, stressed and angry and i cried for every little thing. If you would just speak in an angry voice I would start crying or tell me that I’m doing something wrong or if I did not do something right, so you could just think how much I cried. But then something happened to me, My supervisor came to me an d told me that I should go to the stress management meeting. I thought she was joking. Me having stress- never! But I came. You know what, it was a blessing in my life. I will never know how to be grateful enough for this coming into my life. My first week was hard but I did it. It worked on my children, supervisor and husband. I arrived at work one morning and something just told me it was going to be a hard day. My supervisor called me in and I knew everything went wrong. Then I said to myself, just stay calm: relax and breath.  My supervisor was yelling at my manager and me all at the same time. We sounded like children. I then changed my emotion to being relaxed and concentrated on my breathing. I could see how my manager and supervisor calmed down too in the process. We started giving each other a chance to speak and say our say and the problem was solved in about 2 minutes, where it normally took us an hour. My life has changed drastically since I came here. I enjoy my life. So thank you for helping me to become me, and I don’t cry for everything anymore!

ii.                   On a personal, family level.. Ek bly in ‘n kompleks waar daar altyd geraas is. Ek het twee kinders:  een van 1 jaar en 5 maande en een  van 2 jaar en 6 maande. Ek het die aand by die huis gekom en was net baie geirreteerd stresvol. Die kinders was misluk en huillerig. Hulle wou net nie luister nie. Ek wou mal word:  My man het op my kinders geskree, ek op my man, hy op my, die kinders het mekaar geknyp en baklei, die bure het geskree en op hulle kinders geskree en ek kon dit nie meer vat nie. Ek het vir my familie gese; nou sit julle op daai bank en bly stil. Ek het die cd op gesit op die eerste track. Die geluide van buite was nog daar maar ek het nie daaraan gesteur nie. Ons almal het na die cd geluister. Glo my, dit was soos ‘n wonderwork. my kinders het kalem geword en ek en my man ook. Ek kon voel hoe die stress in my skouers en nek kalmeer. Na die cd het my kinders gaan bad en alles was beter. Dit het gevoel of ek in die hemel was. Nie eers die bure het my gepla daarna nie.

3. My life has changed on so many levels:

At  work:

I used to be stressed by my manager end supervisors. Now I take things as they come and just do away with my stressful thoughts. I can cope with both clients and supervisors without any hassles. I am back to normal.

At home:

I can tolerate whatever problem comes my way and resolve it very easy. I resolve my family matters easily and can stand the hardships that come my way. I am now relieved and stress free. I no longer frequent my doctor like I use to. I follow all the instructions that I read and listen to the CD provided by Dr. A van der Merwe.

Children:

I was not aware that children are also affected by stress because my son was reacting very strange. When I was speaking to him he was so rude, eating abnormal and coming home very late. I took my time to listen to all his problems and I tried my utmost best to console him and guide him and also taught him to pray to the almighty God because He is the truth and light to all of us. I am now stress free and can cope and stand all the hardships I come across. Dr van der Merwe came to my rescue and showed me and gave me guidance on how to handle and relieve stress.

4.  JM Plodi

Thank you Dr. van der Merwe. I have been dreading meetings and got all stressed out before attending these. Now I’ve learned to calm my mind, and can even manage to look forward to meetings, to have an effect of calmness on the others!

My friend has been so depressed, used to drinking sleeping pills, sleeping and eating too much. After I attended this course, I started reading the book Stress Solutions by Dr van der Merwe to her, and started doing breathing exercises from the Stress Solutions relax and unwind level 1 CD with her. She is back to life and she wants to attend the course and needs the book and CD. She stopped drinking those sleeping pills and she started doing exercises with the Nestle active at SABC 2 every morning at 05h45. She hhas started sharing with other people who have the same problem as her.

5. Hlako NJ: This training should be extended to everyone. Stress involves everyone. This course was not only about stress but life as a whole, nutrition, well-being, exercise and nature. We are looking forward to a refresher in 2010.
6. Mothiba MH: the course was fruitful to me to help others in our society. I’m glad we did this course because I learned a lot about me and about other people’s emotions and to handle myself.
7. Juliet Mmabetho Tladi:  the course was fruitful to me. It helped me, my friends, colleagues and my family. I recommend a refresher course.
8. Zebeclia Moalusi Ngobeni: the course was interesting and most helpful to me because I can now cope with hardships I come across.
9. Sinkie Ntuli: I like this course whereby it said be calm most of the time by knowing yourself.
10. Joyce Skosana: it has helped on how to react in a positive way withtout being stressed like before.
11. Jacques Joubert: very insightful and interesting; how you handle your emotions and herbal healing and correct eating. The journey has just begun.
12. Skhumbuzo Mesangu: it is very important and it must be extended to other co-workers.
13. Lulama Mthi: the course helped me with handling/managing stress. I can deal with stress at work/at home. I have also learned that healthy food also contributes positively to our health.
14. Nomathamsanqa Batyi: it was very effective on how to deal with stress and ways of changing your mindset to be positive and the correct diet to be taken.
15. Mandla Mdluli: this training has been a eyeopener on how to live a meaningful life as human beings and to be mindful of ourselves and surroundings in terms of stress factors. This has been the best training ever. Refresher course please!
16. Boutle Morudu: the program has been helpful in training my thoughts into thinking and believing  positively. The breathing exercises have improved my moodswings, the CD and book keep me informed and enable my train of thought to be channeled properly.
17. Phindi Masha: the session was good.  I have enjoyed and learned to overcome stress.  
18. Mogan Mmmama: I have learned how to control stress. I have gained the knowledge of how to help the person who is stressed. To take control of myself and be positive. Eat healthy and understand my body.
19. Christina Kywatalale: I have learned to control my anger, temper, to think positive. I have started exercising and so far have lost 1kg and I am continuing the exercise, practicing my breathing now and then. I am calmer and happier.
20. Selinah Motlhatlhane:  this program is so helpful to my working environment and household. I have learned that one can not have joy and happiness if he/she does not have it from the inner side.

·         That what you think is what you are going to act on.

·         How to manage stress: the eating, the sensing, the breathing.

·         And the emotional positioning system i.e. positive and negative and so much more.