At The Pain Collective, we bring together a team of clinical leaders, practitioners, and innovators who are passionate about transforming pain care through evidence based practice, personalised treatment, and compassionate collaboration. Meet the people behind our mission.

Dr Adriaan Liebenberg is a neurosurgeon, visionary healthcare entrepreneur, and the founder of The Health Collective – a growing ecosystem of integrated healthcare ventures including The Pain Collective, Side Room, Hesperus Initiative, Better Health Family Collective, and Three Sages Functional Café Bars.

With clinical roots in neurosurgery and interventional pain medicine, Dr Liebenberg has built South Africa’s largest network of interventional pain clinics. His patient centred approach blends advanced diagnostics with holistic rehabilitation strategies, underpinned by the biopsychosocial model of care.

Dr Liebenberg also serves as a council member at PainSA, the Southern African chapter of the International Association for the Study of Pain and has authored multiple textbooks and scientific articles on neurosurgery.

Through his broader entrepreneurial work, he pioneers solutions that bridge medicine, nutrition, and lifestyle – redefining how healthcare meets people in their communities.

Vision: To transform healthcare into a proactive, patient-led ecosystem that integrates science, lifestyle, and community for lasting wellbeing.

With over 45 years in healthcare, Joey Breedt brings unparalleled experience in operational and strategic leadership. From starting as a registered nurse to managing acute and day hospital facilities, she has shaped every level of care delivery with excellence.

Joey holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, a Registered Nurse qualification (General & Midwifery), and an Advanced Diploma in Healthcare Management. Her expertise spans operational planning, financial oversight, technology integration, and quality improvement.

Joey’s leadership style is grounded in mentorship and empowerment. She is passionate about helping healthcare professionals grow their careers and believes deeply in the power of adult learning to drive change.

Vision: To build healthcare systems that are operationally excellent, financially sustainable, and people-focused, creating environments where both patients and professionals thrive.

Linda Hiemstra is an experienced occupational therapist and academic leader with more than two decades working in rehabilitation and pain management. As Chief Clinical Officer, she oversees the clinical governance and interdisciplinary standards across The Pain Collective.

Her expertise includes the development of personalised care pathways, using international best practice and the latest evidence. Linda continues to work clinically, supporting patients with complex, persistent pain conditions.

Linda is also an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Cape Town and is actively involved in postgraduate education and research. She regularly speaks at conferences, leads professional training events, and serves as the President Elect of PainSA, the Southern African chapter of the International Association for the Study of Pain.

Her passion lies in patient empowerment through education, enabling individuals to reclaim function and improve their quality of life.

Vision: To elevate pain care in South Africa by setting world-class clinical standards, advancing education, and ensuring that every patient feels informed, supported, and empowered.

Dr Izelle Taljaard leads The Pain Collective’s Durbanville, Winelands, and Swartland branches, where she provides non-surgical, multidisciplinary pain care with a strong emphasis on patient education and wellness.

With a foundation in intensive care nursing and a medical degree from Stellenbosch University, Dr Taljaard brings compassion, clinical skill, and a deep understanding of patient experiences to her work. Her role as Chief Compliance Officer includes building systems that safeguard quality, ethics, and continuous improvement in patient care.

She integrates her medical training with a focus on holistic healing – incorporating natural supplementation, nutrition, and lifestyle education to support recovery.

Vision: To ensure that every clinic within The Pain Collective upholds the highest standards of safety, compliance, and compassion, making trust the cornerstone of patient care.

Dr Elze-Mari Greyling is a seasoned medical doctor with over 15 years of multidisciplinary experience spanning general practice, anaesthesia, psychiatry, and interventional pain care.

As Chief Interdisciplinary Officer, she plays a pivotal role in building collaborative teams and refining treatment protocols across The Pain Collective. She leads clinical standardisation efforts and contributes to clinician training.

Her clinical focus lies in helping patients with chronic pain return to function using a personalised mix of interventions, therapy, nutrition, and education. Dr Greyling is also certified in DNA-based personalised medicine, allowing her to incorporate genetics into treatment planning.

With personal experience of managing osteoarthritis, she lives out her belief that movement is medicine, inspiring patients through her passion for running, triathlon, and daily movement.

Vision: To foster true interdisciplinary collaboration where medicine, psychology, therapy, and lifestyle interventions unite to restore patient function and quality of life.

Dr Andrew Liebenberg is a Family Physician and GP Anaesthesiologist with clinical experience in both South Africa and Canada. He has held leadership roles in rural hospitals, including Facility Medical Director and surgical triage coordinator in Alberta’s Central Health Zone.

With a strong academic foundation in pharmacology, integrative medicine, and family practice anaesthesia, Dr Liebenberg brings precision and compassion to interventional pain care.

He joined The Pain Collective in 2024 and currently consults at the Paardevlei Pain Clinic and Cure Day Hospital. He also contributes to the Clinical Committee, helping shape the Collective’s standards of care.

Vision: To bring international best practice into local communities, ensuring that patients benefit from both global knowledge and personalised, compassionate care.

Dr Ronel Hattingh leads the sedation and theatre team at The Pain Collective, ensuring a safe, calm, and personalised experience for every patient. Her background includes emergency medicine leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic and over a decade of experience in anaesthesia and sedation.

After completing her certificate in Sedation and Pain Management, Dr Hattingh joined The Pain Collective full time in 2023. She brings strong procedural skill, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of patient anxiety to her work.

As a member of the Clinical Committee, she advocates for high standards in patient safety, ethics, and evidence-based care.

Vision: To create a theatre environment where safety, dignity, and comfort are prioritised, ensuring every patient feels secure and supported during their treatment
journey.