Meet a first-class rehabilitation team at Anker Huis

They are here to make your treatment in South Africa a success.

Peter Powis

BSocSci
BA (Hons) Psych MA Clinical Psych UCT

Peter Powis is a registered clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist and addiction recovery therapist. In 1998, he co-founded the well-known Stepping Stones Addiction Center in Kommetjie, where he was clinical director for 12 years. He was also director of the chemical dependency program at the Kenilworth clinic and before that director of the Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre.

Peter oversees the Anker Huis team and is responsible for program design, supervision and staff development.

Damien Fynn

BPsych UNISA

Damien’s journey through addiction treatment has given him a unique perspective on the world of addiction. These insights, combined with training in Cape Town’s established rehabilitation centers, have allowed him to develop a knack for assisting clients who are in crisis and in need of emotional support. He is passionate about his work in recovery and strongly believes that there is no such thing as a lost cause. He believes that recovery is possible for everyone.

Damien is also passionate about his family, fitness, soccer and his fur children; which consist of 3 cats and two dogs.

Dr Lene Le Roux

MBChb Mental Health Stellenbosch

Dr. Lené Le Roux is an experienced mental health physician. She has 4 years of experience working in psychiatric hospitals in Cape Town, such as Valkenberg Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital. While working in the hospitals, she has treated both inpatient and outpatient patients.

In 2017, she began working as a Registrar in the Psychiatry Department at UCT. Here, she treated a range of acute psychiatric presentations, including psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders and mood disorders.

During her years as a mental health clinician, she worked closely with families to help them support their family members in their recovery. Dr. Le Roux works with a multidisciplinary team, including psychological input, to provide patients with holistic management of their mental health.

Dr. Le Roux is diligent and hardworking, and she is very passionate about mental health care. Her special interests are mood disorders, psychotic disorders, anxiety, and depression, and burnout.

Dr Irshaad Hayat

MBChb Medical Care Stellenbosch

Dr. Despina Learmonth

Counselling Psychologist
BSocSc Psychology (UCT)
BSocSc (Hons) Psychology (UCT)
MSc (London Metropolitan University)
DPsych (City University London)
HPCSA Board Certification in Counselling Psychology (South Africa)

Despina focuses on clients who struggle with disordered eating, substance abuse, process addictions, stress, anxiety, phobias, and sexual and relationship issues. Her person-centered approach, sprinkled with a little Gestalt, CBT, DBT, MET, and ACT, recognizes every client as unique in their healing and recovery journey.

Besides her clinical work, Despina has lectured at universities in South Africa, the UK, and the USA; her NPO projects include working with women in the sex trade on South Africa’s streets and singing with the Cape Culture Collective’s Rosa Choir.

Addiction is described by Alcoholics Anonymous as being “cunning, baffling, and powerful.” Those living with a substance use disorder know the pain of this. It is a chronic illness which requires a continued commitment to recovery. Despina’s dedication to addiction management has grown in parallel with the alarming increase in rates of a substance use disorder, as well as the range of addictive behaviours, individuals are struggling with globally. Despina considers creating a safe yet challenging space, in which clients can determine their own path towards healing and greater well-being, as being paramount to their recovery.