There are moments in life when the path ahead stops feeling familiar. Just a quiet internal understanding that something has shifted. For Carri Simmons, that shift eventually became a whole new beginning.
Before becoming a clinical psychologist, Carri Simmons spent 15 years as a high school drama teacher – a role she loved, but one that slowly began to feel like a chapter closing rather than a life continuing. The change did not arrive all at once. It came in layers. Through motherhood. Through her work with young people. And through a growing curiosity about people, identity and the stories we carry.
“I loved teaching and will always be grateful for that chapter,” she reflects, “but a quiet voice kept getting louder, saying, ‘I don’t know exactly what I want, but I know it’s not this’.”
That voice eventually led her back to university in her 40s, a decision that would redefine not only her career, but her sense of self.
What makes Carri’s story resonate so deeply is that it is not framed by certainty, but by honesty. There was no single defining moment, but rather a series of quiet realisations, and one unexpected sentence that stayed with her … “It’s not too late for you to prosper.”
It was enough to shift something internally, not towards reinvention, but towards permission.
“I realised this wasn’t about becoming someone new,” she says, “but about giving myself permission to become more fully myself.”
With the support of her family, Carri stepped into a demanding new academic path, balancing study with motherhood and the practical realities of everyday life. It was, as she describes it, a season of ‘spectacular chaos’, late nights, long drives between campuses, financial pressure, and a constant negotiation between ambition and responsibility.
And yet, it was also deeply meaningful.
“There were moments of exhaustion, yes, but also a sense of being alive in a way I hadn’t felt before.”
Carri’s training as a clinical psychologist included a year-long internship in a government hospital during the height of the pandemic, an experience she describes as both formative and confronting. Beyond the clinical demands, she also had to navigate the complexities of hierarchical systems, where vulnerability could feel risky and safety was not always guaranteed.
“I wasn’t struggling because I was incapable,” she explains. “I was mature enough to recognise that fear and unhealthy power dynamics should never be normalised within a helping profession.”
These experiences would go on to shape not only her clinical approach, but the kind of psychologist she has become today, one deeply committed to psychological safety, compassion, and speaking openly about systems that need care as much as individuals do.
While the shift from drama teacher to psychologist may seem like a dramatic pivot, Carri sees it differently. The through-line, she says, has always been people.
Teaching drama, she explains, was never just about performance. It was about identity, emotion, storytelling and connection. Those same threads now run through her work in therapy, where she supports people across all ages and life stages.
“I am fascinated by stories,” she says. “It is a privilege to sit alongside someone in vulnerable moments and witness their resilience and capacity for change.”
Her private practice, intentionally designed as a calm and welcoming space, reflects that philosophy, relational, grounded and deeply human.
Carri’s perspective has also reached audiences beyond South Africa, including an appearance on the UK-based podcast The Wobbly Middle, which explores midlife transitions and reinvention. The concept of a ‘wobbly middle’ resonates strongly with her work as a psychologist.
“Midlife is a fascinating stage because it invites us to take stock,” she says. “It can feel uncomfortable, but I actually see it as an invitation rather than a crisis.”
It is a time, she believes, when many women begin asking harder questions about meaning, identity and direction, not because something is wrong, but because something is ready to change.
If there is one idea that anchors Carri’s approach to life and work, it is the acceptance of imperfection.
“Perfection is exhausting and entirely unattainable,” she says with a laugh.
Instead, she believes in shared humanity over polished presentation, in showing up authentically rather than perfectly, and in meeting people where they are, not where they think they should be.
It is a philosophy that threads through both her practice and her personal life, where she balances motherhood, work and the ongoing pursuit of balance, without pretending to have mastered it.
Looking back, Carri is clear about one thing … the most surprising part of her journey was not the difficulty, but the possibility.
“I didn’t realise there was a way I could build a life by being myself.”
For women standing at the edge of change, unsure whether to move forward, her message is simple.
Be curious. Be active. And don’t wait for perfect readiness, because it rarely arrives.
“Follow your fire, even if the first step feels very small.”
Details: You can contact Carri on 063 245 6575 or
email carri@carrisimmons.co.zacarrisimmons.co.za
