Crossroads Recovery Centres
Takudzwa Mhonyera
Known as Taku Mhonyera
Takudzwa “Taku” Mhonyera is a Co-owner of Crossroads Recovery Centres with 13 years of professional experience. His journey with Crossroads began at the Pretoria centre in 2013, when he returned as a volunteer before completing his Basic Addiction Counselling Course through ACCSA and becoming involved in individual counselling and group facilitation.
In 2017, Taku was offered the opportunity to become a partner in a new Crossroads centre in Johannesburg, which he helped to open and operate. Today, his role spans both the Johannesburg and Pretoria centres, with a current focus that includes supporting the continued development and growth of Crossroads Recovery Centres.
Taku's approach is strongly influenced by the 12-Step philosophy. He believes in meeting people where they are while finding an appropriate balance between support and challenge, helping them work towards meaningful change and higher personal standards.
Professional Journey
A Journey Through Recovery and Addiction Support
Working at Crossroads has been beyond what Taku once imagined possible. During active addiction, maintaining employment was difficult, including brief periods working in restaurants. He became sober at Crossroads Pretoria in 2011, an experience he describes as life-saving and life-changing.
He later returned to Crossroads as a volunteer in 2013 and completed his Basic Addiction Counselling Course. Through this work he discovered a meaningful path in addiction recovery, valuing the opportunity to be involved in people's development and restoration. Once his training was complete, he became involved in one-to-one counselling and facilitating groups.
In 2017, Taku was offered the opportunity to become a partner in a new Crossroads centre in Johannesburg, which he helped to open and operate. Over the years he has also participated in personal development courses and seminars, and qualified as a life coach. His current work includes a focus on generating new business for the centres.
I know the programme works and I want to be part of the mission of restoration.
Qualifications & Development
Professional Training and Development
BCom Marketing
Basic Addiction Counselling Course
Certified Life Coach
Professional Certifications
BACC
ACCSA · 2014
First Aid
2018
Professional Memberships
Treatment Philosophy
Meeting People Where They Are
“Meet the client where they are. Pursue the optimal balance of challenge and support. Raise standards.”
Taku's approach combines support with appropriate challenge. The intention is not simply to meet someone at their current point in recovery, but to encourage movement towards greater responsibility, healthier behaviour and personal development.
The 12-Step philosophy has played an important role in his own recovery journey and continues to inform his approach to supporting others.
Meet People Where They Are
Start with an understanding of the person's current circumstances and stage of recovery.
Balance Challenge and Support
Provide support while encouraging accountability, participation and meaningful change.
Raise Standards
Encourage people to work towards healthier choices, greater responsibility and continued personal development.
Areas of Experience
Experience Across Addiction Recovery
Areas Taku identified as part of his addiction-treatment experience include:
Addiction can present differently from one person to another, and treatment should consider the individual's circumstances, patterns of behaviour, support environment and recovery needs.
Professional Interests
Individual Counselling and Group Facilitation
Taku identified one-to-one counselling and facilitating educational group work as areas of addiction treatment that particularly interest him.
These settings offer different opportunities for engagement. Individual sessions allow focused discussion around personal experiences and recovery, while group environments can provide education, shared learning, accountability and opportunities to engage with recovery concepts.
Professional Interests
- One-to-One Counselling
- Educational Group Work
- 12-Step Recovery
- Personal Development
Recovery Approach
The Role of the 12 Steps
Taku believes in the 12-Step philosophy because it formed the basis of his own recovery. His approach draws on 12-Step recovery principles including honesty, responsibility, willingness, support and continued personal growth.
Humility
Courage
Honesty
Family Involvement
Recognising the Role of Family in Recovery
Taku believes family dynamics can influence both addiction and recovery. Families can provide valuable perspective about changes in behaviour and the progression of addiction, and family members are often the people who first reach out for assistance.
He values an interactive approach that appropriately involves family members in the treatment process. This may include an initial family information session to understand the background and explain how the programme works, and asking families to provide written or voice-recorded accounts describing their experiences, the progression they have observed, attempts to obtain help, boundaries and hopes for recovery.
During treatment, communication with families can provide additional perspective on progress, and Taku also encourages family members to seek appropriate support for themselves. Crossroads has a Zoom family support group that family members may be invited to attend biweekly. Towards the end of treatment, an exit meeting may be used to discuss progress and the way forward.
Working with Taku
Beginning the Recovery Conversation
Taku will often share elements of his own story during an initial session so that a person may recognise similarities in their experiences.
He then introduces “How It Works”, Chapter 5 of the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, as a framework that may be used in the recovery process.
Recovery Perspective
What Makes Recovery Worthwhile
Entering rehabilitation is not always an easy decision, but Taku believes it can be a worthwhile experience when a person embraces the process and continues using the recovery tools they develop beyond their time in rehabilitation.
When asked what he finds most rewarding about working in addiction recovery, Taku described it simply as:
Seeing the lights go on in a client's eyes.
Continued Development
Learning and Sharing Recovery Knowledge
Taku continues to learn about addiction and different recovery approaches through books and educational material, and has participated in personal development courses and seminars.
He has also created educational videos on YouTube and has been interviewed several times on radio. Specific publication and media details were not supplied for this profile.
Languages
Languages Spoken
Q&A
Taku on Addiction Treatment and Recovery
What is your approach to addiction treatment?
Taku's approach is grounded in 12-Step recovery. He aims to meet people where they are while balancing support with appropriate challenge and encouraging them to work towards higher personal standards.
What types of addiction do you primarily work with?
Taku identified alcohol, marijuana, methamphetamine, gambling and sex addiction among the areas he commonly works with.
What can someone expect during an initial counselling session?
Taku may begin by sharing relevant parts of his own recovery story to help establish common ground. He may then introduce “How It Works”, Chapter 5 of the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, as a framework for discussing the recovery process.
How do you involve families in recovery?
Taku considers family involvement an important part of understanding the broader circumstances surrounding addiction. Depending on the situation, this can include an initial information session, gathering family perspectives, communication during treatment, participation in family support and an exit discussion about progress and the way forward.
What advice would you give someone considering rehabilitation?
Taku recognises that entering rehabilitation can be a difficult decision. His view is that the experience can be worthwhile when someone embraces the process and continues applying the recovery tools they learn after leaving rehabilitation.
What do you find most rewarding about addiction recovery work?
Seeing the lights go on in a client's eyes.
What qualities are important in a successful recovery journey?
Humility, courage and honesty.
How do you continue learning about addiction treatment?
Taku continues learning through books and educational content covering addiction, recovery and different approaches to the recovery process.
Trust God, clean house, help others.
Takudzwa MhonyeraCo-owner, Crossroads Recovery Centres
Crossroads Recovery Centres
Supporting Crossroads in Johannesburg and Pretoria
Taku's role extends across both Crossroads Recovery Centre locations in Gauteng. Crossroads provides structured addiction treatment through its Johannesburg and Pretoria centres, with admissions teams available to provide confidential guidance to individuals and families seeking help.
Crossroads Recovery Centre Johannesburg
71 CR Swart RdBoskruin
Johannesburg Admissions +27 74 895 1043 Johannesburg Treatment Centre
Crossroads Recovery Centre Pretoria
607 View StreetRietvalleirand
Pretoria Admissions +27 82 653 3311 Pretoria Treatment Centre
Confidential Addiction Support
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If you or someone close to you is struggling with alcohol, drug or behavioural addiction, the Crossroads Recovery Centre admissions team can provide confidential guidance about treatment options and the next steps towards admission.
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