Dr Sybrand de Vaal completed his medical degree at Stellenbosch University in 2003 and specialised as a family physician in 2011. His interest in mental health grew while working in Claro Clinic’s Chemical Dependence Unit, leading him to specialise in psychiatry at UCT, where he qualified in 2021. He has since worked at Lentegeur and Alexandra hospitals, gaining experience in intellectual disability, child and adolescent psychiatry, and acute adult mental health. He transitioned into private practice at Claro Clinic in November 2025.