Meetings
Our free monthly online support group meetings are open to anyone who is interested. Most take the form of a talk by a guest speaker followed by an interactive Q&A session.
Speakers include professionals, practitioners and people with lived experience, as well as service providers and representatives of mental health organisations, who speak on topics related to schizophrenia and serious mental illness.
Caring & Sharing meetings are held once or twice a year and offer a space for participants to ask their own questions, share their experiences and perspectives, or simply attend and listen to the input of others.
Upcoming meetings are advertised on our website, in our monthly newsletter and in the Cape Town community newspapers.
Our next meeting
Monday 23 February 2026 at 19:00
Life from the frontline: The experiences of psychiatric nurses in the public health care system
An online talk by
Sister Christelle Juries
Registered nurse with a speciality in psychiatry, Stikland Hospital
Sister Magdalene Gertse
Mental health nurse practitioner, Durbanville Health Clinic
Our next support group meeting, on Monday 23 February 2026, will feature frontline insights into mental health care from guest speakers Sister Christelle Juries and Sister Magdalene Gertse. Both are psychiatric nurses in the public health care system, with many years of experience of caring for people with a range of mental health conditions, including schizophrenia. Sister Juries is a registered nurse at Stikland Hospital with a speciality in psychiatry. She started her nursing career in 1995 before moving on to psychiatric nursing at Stikland Hospital in 2007. She combines her extensive experience in mental health and psychosocial support with qualifications in nursing, education, and advanced psychiatry. Sister Gertse, the mental health nurse practitioner at Durbanville Health Clinic, is also a psychiatric nurse, having completed her advanced psychiatric diploma at the University of Stellenbosch 13 years ago. Prior to that, she worked for 16 years at Tygerberg Hospital in both the internal medicine and psychiatry departments before moving on to community mental health nursing three years ago. She plays an active role in promoting community mental health awareness. Together they will discuss challenges facing people living with schizophrenia, such as medication non-adherence and the importance of collateral obtained from the family members, caregivers and friends involved in managing the care and treatment of their loved ones. They will share practical advice for families supporting those living with schizophrenia, drawing on real-life examples from their professional practice. Please click on the button below for the Zoom link. |
Sister Christelle Juries
Sister Magdalene Gertse
Upcoming meetings
Meetings programme
Online and in-person meetings
Meetings are held online on Zoom at 19:00 on the last Monday of the month from February to October.
We hold an in-person gathering in Cape Town on the last Saturday of November.
There are no meetings in December or January.
Meetings calendar
Diarise our meetings for 2026
Mondays at 19:00
23 February 25 May 31 August
30 March 29 June 28 September
– * 27 July 26 October
* There will be no meeting in April due to the public holiday
Saturday afternoon, time to be confirmed
28 November
Meeting notifications
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive notifications and Zoom links for our upcoming meetings.
Past meetings
Year end gathering
An opportunity for members, family and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia to meet one another in person at a venue in Cape Town, to celebrate our successes during the past year, reflect on the challenges that lie ahead and engage in informal discussion over some light refreshments
29 November 2025
The Welcome Club as a model of a psychosocial rehabilitation programme
Courtney Coetzee
Psychosocial rehabilitation assistant, The Welcome Club
27 October 2025
Phrenaid - Providing accommodation and support for people affected by schizophrenia
Sister Wendy Robinson
Psychiatric nurse practitioner in private practice and Phrenaid secretary
Bruce Loumeau
Schizophrenia survivor and Phrenaid member
Matthew Maycock
Schizophrenia survivor and Phrenaid member
29 September 2025
Annual General Meeting
An online meeting of the members and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia
25 August 2025
An introduction to the LEAP method: How to help your loved one accept treatment
Leigh Haselau
Social worker in private practice
25 August 2025
Caring & Sharing meeting
An opportunity for participants to ask questions, share their experiences and perspectives and listen to the input of others in an online environment
Facilitators
Leigh Haselau
Social worker
Wasima Fisher
Social worker
28 July 2025
Caregiving in schizophrenia
Dr Hilary Foster
Consultant psychiatrist
Sue Biault
Mental health carer support worker
ex NHS, UK
30 June 2025
What is schizophrenia? Insights from a practising psychiatrist
Dr John Parker
Psychiatrist in private practice
26 May 2025
My thoughts on the stigma surrounding schizophrenia
Miriam Feldman
Artist, writer, mother and mental health activist
Podcast host, Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches
31 March 2025
Hospital treatment and discharge process under the Mental Health Care Act
Michelle De Goede
Chairperson, Western Cape Mental Health Review Board
Director, Comcare Trust
24 February 2025
Year end gathering
An opportunity for members, family and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia to meet one another in person at a venue in Cape Town, to celebrate our successes during the past year, reflect on the challenges that lie ahead and engage in informal discussion over a cup of tea and eats
23 November 2024
Caring & Sharing meeting
An opportunity for participants to ask questions, share their experiences and perspectives and listen to the input of others in an online environment
Facilitators
Leigh Haselau
Social worker
Karin Botes
Social worker
28 October 2024
Family members' anticipation of long-term care needs for people living with schizophrenia
Dr Sanja Kilian
Clinical psychologist in private practice
Researcher, Psychosis Research Programme, Stellenbosch University
30 September 2024
Annual General Meeting
An online meeting of the members and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia
30 September 2024
Advocating for improved access to the SASSA disability grant for adults with mental disability
Shayni Geffen
Project Leader: Advocacy & Awareness
SA Federation for Mental Health
26 August 2024
Hospital admissions under the Mental Health Care Act
Michelle De Goede
Chairperson, Western Cape Mental Health Review Board
Director, Comcare Trust
29 July 2024
Understanding first episode psychosis in adolescents
Dr Anusha Lachman
Psychiatrist, Clinical Unit, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Tygerberg Hospital
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University
24 June 2024
My life with schizophrenia
Chrisna Steenkamp
Client Relations Coordinator
Takealot, Cape Town
27 May 2024
Caring & Sharing meeting
An opportunity for participants to ask questions, share their experiences and perspectives and listen to the input of others in an online environment
Facilitators
Leigh Haselau
Social worker
Wasima Fisher
Social worker
29 April 2024
My journey through anosognosia to recovery
Eric Smith
Mental Health Advocate & Consultant
Eric WT Smith Consulting LLC, San Antonio, Texas, USA
25 March 2024
The Akeso mental health clinics: What do we offer and how can we assist?
Megan Gonsalves
Crisis Line & Marketing Manager
Netcare Akeso
26 February 2024
Year end gathering
An opportunity for members and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia to meet one another in person at a venue in Cape Town and to celebrate our second full year of existence under our new name
25 November 2023
Optimal treatment of psychotic disorders: Clozapine / Engagement / Community
Dr Robert Laitman
President / Physician
Bronx Westchester Medical Group, New York, USA
Cofounder Team Daniel
30 October 2023
Annual General Meeting and FSS website launch
An online meeting of the members and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia
28 August 2023
The employment of persons with psychosocial disabilities and the Employment Equity Act
Razaan Galiel
Manager: Innovation & Training
Cape Mental Health
31 July 2023
Mental health advocacy, awareness and community care: The work of the South African Federation for Mental Health
Shayni Geffen
Project Leader: Advocacy & Awareness
SA Federation for Mental Health
26 June 2023
How to access public mental health care for people living with schizophrenia
Waseem Hawa
Support Principal Clinical Psychologist
Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital
Caring & Sharing meeting
An opportunity for participants to ask questions, share their experiences and perspectives and listen to the input of others in an online environment
In attendance
Dr Kate Mawson
Psychiatrist
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital
24 April 2023
The benefits of working with the family in schizophrenia
Prof Laila Asmal
Psychiatrist
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital
27 March 2023
Strategies for recovery in schizophrenia
Dr John Parker
Psychiatrist in private practice
27 February 2023
Year end gathering and launch of revised edition of Coping Skills for Carers
An opportunity for members and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia to meet one another in person at a venue in Cape Town and to celebrate the launch of the revised edition of Coping Skills for Carers
26 November 2022
Wills, trusts and curatorship
Schalk de Wet
Consultant
Basson Blackburn Attorneys
27 October 2022
Annual General Meeting
An online meeting of the members and friends of Family Support for Schizophrenia
26 September 2022
Understanding the Mental Health Care Act and the functions of the Mental Health Review Board
Elsa van der Watt
Chairperson
Western Cape Mental Health Review Board
29 August 2022
An introduction to The South African Depression and Anxiety Group and its support groups
Krystle Kemp
Support Group Co-ordinator
SADAG
25 July 2022
Community Mental Health & Psychiatry Foundation: Supportive services and care for people with long term mental illness
Anél Pienaar
Director: Social Work
Community Mental Health & Psychiatry Foundation (CMHP)
27 June 2022
Caring & Sharing meeting
An opportunity for participants to ask questions, share their experiences and perspectives and listen to the input of others in an online environment
30 May 2022
Living successfully with schizophrenia: How I became a global mental health advocate
Charlene Sunkel
Founder and CEO
Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN)
25 April 2022
Can we improve treatment outcomes in patients with schizophrenia?
Dr Lebogang Phahladira
Psychiatrist
Psychosis Research Programme, Stellenbosch University and Lentegeur Hospital
28 March 2022
The work of the Friends of Valkenberg
Soraya Solomon
Director
Friends of Valkenberg Trust
28 February 2022
Peer support for persons with psychosocial disability
Kim Windell
Senior Rehabilitation Worker
Dylan Rademeyer
Peer Supporter
Cape Mental Health
26 November 2021
The role of childhood and adolescent trauma in people with schizophrenia
Prof Bonga Chiliza
Psychiatrist
Department of Psychiatry, University of KwaZulu-Natal
27 October 2021
