Qualifications
  Work experience
  Competitive sport and sport administration

Who is Greyling Viljoen?

Greyling Viljoen is a clinical psychologist in full-time private psychotherapy and sport psychology practice. His practice is based in Albert St, Waterkloof, Pretoria. He also practices at Sport Medical Services at Loftus Park.

In his clinical practice he works mainly with adults and adolescents. Greyling has a special interest in mood disorders (More on physchotherapy services). He has postgraduate degrees in psychology and theology and a PhD in psychotherapy from the University of Pretoria. He has extensive experience in facilitation of groups, trauma debriefing, conflict resolution and integration. (More on work experience).

As a sport psychologist he has been contracted to provincial and national teams and has worked with many top athletes in South Africa, including members of the 2004 and 2012 Olympic Team of whom some were medal winners. He is one of the SASCOC designated psychologists to deliver a service to the OPEX athletes for the Olympic Games. In his practice he has worked with sports men and women in many different types of sports ranging from cricket, golf, athletics, swimming, rowing, canoeing to equestrian, shooting and taekwondo (More on sport psychology service).

He has been lecturing on a part time basis at different universities since 1999, including People Management on a project management course (PPM presented by Enterprises University of Pretoria). During 2012 he lectured to PhD students from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He was also the on-ground programme coordinator for the students for two field experiences to South Africa.

As a sportsman himself, he represented his province in five different sports as a junior (tennis, gymnastics, rugby, swimming and canoeing) and, as a senior, was a Springbok Canoeist over a period of 9 years. In addition he was captain and manager of the SA Canoeing team for a number of years. He is a past recipient of a number of awards including the South African Sports Merit Award and the University of Pretoria Sportsman of the Year Award. Greyling held the K1 record for the second longest canoe marathon in the world for 20 years (Murray Marathon in Australia, 1987) (More on sporting achievements).

Greyling is married with two daughters.

Professional and educational qualifications

  • Registered clinical psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (since 1993)

  • PhD (Psychotherapy) (University of Pretoria, 2014)

  • Masters degree in Clinical Psychology (University of Pretoria, 1992)

  • Postgraduate diploma in Counselling (UNISA, 1989)

  • Postgraduate diploma in Theology (University of Pretoria, 1987)

  • BA (Honours) in Psychology (University of Pretoria, 1986)

  • BD (Theology) (University of Pretoria, 1985): member of the SRC and received UP Dux award in 1985

  • BA (University of Pretoria, 1982)

Work experience

  • Full time clinical and sport psychology private practice (2004 – present, part-time: 1996 – 2003)

  • Part time lecturer at School for Business Leadership, UNISA (2006)

  • Managing Director and co-founder of Team & Leadership Development Centre (Pty) Ltd, 1997 – 2004. The focus of TLDC is to change behaviour to support business process change. TLDC are experts in the utilisation of outdoor activities such as high and low ropes courses for team and management development. Companies such as ABSA, Vodacom, Siemens and Datacentrix make use of the services of TLDC.

  • Published book: “Teambuilding: A Manual for Leading Teams”, Drikus Kriek and Greyling Viljoen (currently prescribed at the Unisa Business School).

  • Part-time lecturer at CE @ University of Pretoria (2007-present)

  • Lecturer and field experience coordinator to SA for PhD students at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology – 2012

  • Part-time lecturer in Industrial Psychology at Vista University, 1999 and 2003.

  • Founding member and full time consultant of Person-2-Process, 1996 – 1997.  Person-2-Process delivered a consultation service over a broad spectrum of areas within the human resource development field.

  • Chief Psychologist of Eastern Transvaal Command, SA Medical Services, 1995 – 1996.

  • Project Leader and Acting Section Head of Psychological Strategy, Military Psychological Institute (MPI), 1993 – 1995. During this period, Greyling acted as the chief facilitator for the Nationwide Psychological Integration Programme in the Military. The aim of the programme was to enhance the integration process of the former statutory and non-statutory military forces. He was also the chief hostage negotiator for the SANDF during 1994-1995.

Competitive sport and sport administration

Sports achievements

  • Springbok/South African Canoeist (1981 – 1989), Captain of SA Canoeing team (1985 – 1989)
  • Junior provincial colours in gymnastics, tennis, rugby, swimming and canoeing
  • Won most canoeing races in South Africa including Berg, Crocodile, Umkomaas and Vaal marathons.
  • Won many international canoeing races including the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Marathon, England (1984 – Longest one day race in the world: 125 miles); Sella River Canoe Marathon, Spain (1983 – biggest number of entrants in any canoe race in the world); Murray Canoe Marathon, Australia (1987 – 450 km, 2nd longest canoe marathon in the world, breaking the record with more than 20 minutes)

Awards:

  • South African Sports Merit Award (1985); University of Pretoria Sportsman of the Year (1983); South African Defense Force Sportsman of the Year (1988); Introduced into Hall of Fame of the University of Pretoria (2003)

Management and administration

  • Manager of South African Canoeing team to World Championship and World Cup in Europe (2006, 2007).
  • Chair of the Tuks Canoe Club for many years
  • Manager of South African Canoeing team to the World Championship in Holland (1994)

Contact Greyling