Empowering Women's Health
Dr Rui Graça - Founder & Medical Director
MBBCh • FRCS (Edinburgh) • FCS Urology (SA)
Special Interest - Obesity Medicine
• Board-Certified Specialist Urologist – Health Professions Council of South Africa MP 0366390
• Licensed Medical Doctor – Ordem dos Médicos Portugal (Practice No. OM 37288)
• 30+ years international experience
(UK, South Africa, Portugal, EU)
Specialist urology title recognised in South Africa
All clinical services in Portugal and the EU are delivered under Portuguese General Medical licence
In line with ERS regulations
All services across the EU are delivered under the Portuguese medical licence, as registered with the Ordem dos Médicos - OM 37288.
Discover a new approach to women's health at Women's Health Institute (WHI). With over 30 years of expertise, Dr Rui, Cecilia and Dr Trischka excel in providing holistic, expert and AI-driven women's health care.
Key Qualifications
27/11/1990
MBBCh (Wits)
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University
of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
15/11/1996
FRCS (Edinburgh)
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
23/04/1998
FCS (Urology)
Fellow of the College of Surgeons of South Africa in Urology
Meet Cecilia Engelbrecht
WHI Admin • Practice Manager • Metabolic & Intimacy Counsellor
Why it matters:
Behaviour change is 90 % psychology.
Cecilia’s calm, non-judgmental approach draws out intrinsic motivation, turning lab data and AI meal plans into real-world habits that last.
When you chat with WHI, you’ll feel her blend of clinical precision and human warmth in every email, WhatsApp, and counselling session.
WHI’s services include intimacy and relationship counselling and metabolic guidance by Cecilia Engelbrecht, who offers structured counselling support to women navigating emotional and physiological challenges, including:
- body image,
- sexual wellbeing,
- relationship stress, and
- personal transformation.
With full qualifications in education, psychology, and years of admin expertise, she leads in various other WHI areas:
1. Clinic & Patient Operations
2. Metabolic Reset Counselling
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Founder of IntimaBalance Counselling (online)
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Trained in Motivational Interviewing & CBT
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Offers personalised support for cravings, mindset, and lifestyle change
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Delivers one-on-one online counselling sessions in all WHI Metabolic Reset programs
ACCPH accredited Counsellor
Reg # 003796
Meet Dr Triscka Potgieter
WHI Medical Panel • Women’s Health Expert • Protocol Advisor
Why it matters:
At WHI, clinical excellence is rooted in collaborative expertise.
Dr Trischka brings years of hands-on medical experience to the Women’s Health Institute - helping shape safe, effective, and evidence-based care pathways tailored to the unique hormonal, metabolic, and emotional needs of modern women.
Whilst Dr Potgieter does not consult directly with patients in Portugal / EU, her guidance is an essential part of the WHI care model, ensuring every protocol we offer has been developed with multidisciplinary input and medical insight.
Her background:
Dr Potgieter is a South African–trained medical doctor, registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), and currently preparing to register and practice in Canada
Her clinical work has focused on complex hormonal, autoimmune, and metabolic cases across private and hospital settings, and she has a growing interest in integrative and lifestyle medicine for women.
At WHI, she contributes to:
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Protocol Design & Clinical Oversight
• Contributes to the design, review, and clinical accuracy of WHI’s medical and lifestyle protocols.
• Supports innovation in hormone optimisation, autoimmune approaches, and therapeutic nutrition.
• Regularly reviews WHI SOPs to ensure alignment with global best practices.
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Women’s Hormonal Health Panel
• Plays an advisory role in shaping our hormonal assessment and support pathways, including perimenopause, PCOS, low libido, and fatigue-related syndromes.
• Collaborates with Dr Rui Graça and the clinical team to ensure quality and consistency across all WHI programs.
Licensed Medical Doctor
Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) MP 0723045
Our Approach
At Women’s Health Institute (WHI), our approach is rooted in a deep understanding of women’s health challenges and the importance of tailored solutions.
We strive to stand out by offering discreet, doctor-led services that address the unique needs of women aged 35+.
Our team is dedicated to providing modern, ethical, and personalised care, helping women regain vitality, hormone balance, and long-term wellness.
Our Mission
To provide discreet, doctor-led services focused on vitality, hormone balance, sexual recovery, metabolic reset, and long-term wellness.
We are dedicated to helping women aged 35+ overcome fatigue, hormonal imbalance, sexual issues, weight gain, and burnout.
Our programs combine medical care with lifestyle optimisation - covering sleep, nutrition, supplements, stress, and exercise.
We offer modern, ethical, and personalised care for women who want to feel strong, clear-headed, and in control of their health again.
This page, last updated September 2025, is published under:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
You may reuse it with attribution to Dr Rui Graça and the Women’s Health Institute (WHI)