A jewel in Sandton’s crown
SANDTON - Counselling the grief-stricken comes naturally to Elizabeth Dooley.
Elizabeth Dooley is a well-known figure in the Sandton community and has dedicated decades of her life towards counselling those suffering from emotional trauma and stress.
She was the director of the Family Life Centre, based in Parkwood, and now runs her private counselling practice from her home in Riverclub. “I joined Family Life Centre as a student and I did my placement there. I stayed on and started the sex education training programme which was still quite unusual in those days. We weren’t allowed in the schools, so we would do our training at the students’ homes,” said Dooley.
She added that she loved that her work was so varied. “I do a lot of marriage counselling and grief work. I help people to make positive changes to their lives. It is very satisfying to see that my work pays off. Even if they don’t change, people do become more aware of their issues, you have to.”
Judy Stuart, who used to work with Dooley and is a friend said she is honoured to have worked with her. “Liz was the director of Family Life Centre when I joined the organisation as a volunteer to the Education for Living programme in 2000,” said Stuart.
“This programme was to help enlighten and educate young people in schools about sex and life skills. I realised almost immediately how involved and hands on Liz was in every department of the organisation. Her energy and passion were unlimited and she gave everything she had to ensure that the service and support offered by the centre, in the community, was of a very high standard.”
Stuart added that Dooley’s hard work and passion for counselling could still be seen in the community. “Countless councillors are out there today using the skills learnt on her courses. Throughout the years that I have known her, she has counselled hundreds of couples and individuals who needed her help. Liz has an enormous capacity to grow people.”
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