BIOGRAPHY

Peter has in the early years of his ministry pastored Presbyterian churches in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.In 1979 he was called to Milnerton Church and in 1988 to Mowbray Church in Cape Town. He has had wide ecumenical and interdenominational experience and involvement throughout these years. From 1981-1988 he was involved in a theological training school and then worked as a Co Ordinator of teamlets in a Reconciliation Project of African Enterprise. His focus areas of interest was in community outreach projects that made a practical difference in peoples lives. More recently, since 1996, he has been a hospice educator and a spiritual counsellor/facilitator of those living with serious illnesses. He worked collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team of other health care professionals. Since July 2013 after resigning from St Luke’s he is now fully engaged in his private practice. His work as the team leader saw him leading and supervising an interfaith team of spiritual carers and counsellors.

He studied at Rhodes University obtaining a BA [Hons] in 1974 and finished a Diploma in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy through the South African Institute of Psychotherapy in 2003.

His vocation and skills have been developed quite intensively as a counselling therapist over the last 17 years. His specialist areas are grief therapy,couples counselling, mentoring, spiritual accompaniment, and pre marriage counselling. He has counselled as a Health Care Counsellor many who are trying to come to terms with life threatening diagnoses.

ORGANIZATIONS/ASSOCIATIONS

• Christian Institute with Beyers Naude 1975
  • Life Line founder member and trainer in Port Elizabeth in 1977
  • Committee member and Christian Aid supporter of Zwide Community Centre in 1978
  • Participant in Domestic Workers and Employers Project in 1975-1979
  • Chairman of Eastern Cape Council of Churches 1977-1980
  • Broadcaster on radio and television on Religious Programmes 1977-1980
  • Theological Trainer and Tutor to students preparing for field work as Pastoral Workers 1984-1986
  • National Co-Ordinator of Initiative for Reconciliation –African Enterprise  1986-1988
  • Employed by St Luke’s Hospice Cape Town in 1996-2013/seconded by UPCSA
  • Started Private Practice in 2004 in Newlands/Now working in Rondebosch
    sharing a practice with Rev Marius Brand
  • Lecturer at South African College of Applied Psychology since 2003
  • Trained as a Palliative Care educator 2009
  • Appointed to the Academic Board of South African College Applied Psychology from 2013 to 2017
  • Currently minister-in-association, co-ordinating the pastoral work at Rondebosch Congregational Church.

AUTHOR

Co-authored the book “ Dying : A Practical Guide for the Journey” Published by Double Storey, a subdivision of JUTA.

RITUALS AND CEREMONIES

Peter has many opportunities and calls on his time to organize special Remembrance/Memorial/Funeral/Naming and Blessing of children services. He is also involved in uniquely crafted and memorable wedding services and is well connected to a wide circle of service providers assisting in this industry.