Merle is a clinical and corporate psychologist and a consultant to corporate leaders in South Africa. She spent five years lecturing at the school of Psychology at WITS University before opening her own consulting firm, PsychAction. She has extensive experience working with senior management teams throughout the country. Merle is frequently invited to speak at conferences around the world on topics such conflict, traumatic stress, and empowerment issues. She has consulted closely with chief negotiators of the South Africa peace process, i.e. Rolf Meyer and Cyril Ramaphosa.

Merle is a director of the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), and a founding director of the South African Institute for Traumatic Stress, a director of Victim Support South Africa and she was a director of Business Against Crime (Gauteng). She has published widely in this field and has participated in a number of international collaborations including the NIMH "Mental Health Consequences of Torture and Related Violence and Trauma" project as well as a joint effort of the United Nations and ISTSS, Trauma Interventions in War and Peace: Prevention Practice and Policy. Following years of research in the field and as a confirmation of her commitments to building the resilience and psychological welfare of South Africa, Merle has developed the ‘Resilience Program’ and co-founded the Resilience Company. The company’s main focus is to develop and train other psychologists and professionals to facilitate effective and life changing resilience interventions.

Personal Information
Merle is married and has two sons, a daughter, and three grand children. She is passionate about "the bush", Knysna and other wild places. She loves her profession, reading and enjoying her family.

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