Services Offered
Play Therapy
Unlike most adults, children express themselves and their feelings non-verbally, through play. Play therapy, therefore, is a type of psychotherapy where play is the manner in which therapy is conducted, and children, can communicate their feelings. Play therapy also allows a psychologist to determine, through observation, difficulties that children may be experiencing, as well as the causes of these difficulties. Children between the ages of approximately 3 and 11 can benefit from play therapy. Play therapy can be either non-directive or directive. Non-directive play therapy is where the child directs the session, and the therapist reflects on the child’s actions and responses, leading the child to establish their own solutions and coping mechanisms. On the other hand, directive play therapy usually takes on a solution focused form, where the therapy is directed by the therapist, and aims to work on specific issues or difficulties that the child is presenting, or currently struggling with. Non-directive play therapy is often more long-term, whereas directive play therapy is short-term.
Individual Therapy
As with play therapy, psychotherapy for adolescents or adults can be directive, or non-directive. Non-directive psychodynamic therapy looks at what the causes of the difficulties are, and leads the client to discover his/her own solutions and coping mechanisms. Psychodynamic therapy is usually long term, giving the client time to explore their lives in depth.
On the other hand, directive therapy is more short-term, and is focused on solutions, rather than causes for behaviour. Directive therapy is guided by the therapist, and aims to change maladaptive behavioural and thought patterns, as well as discover solutions to the current challenge. Clients learn to cope with the difficulties that they experience, or to change their coping mechanisms.
Assessments
I offer the following assessments:
•School Readiness
These assessments are usually conducted prior to the child entering Grade 1. The assessment aims to establish the child's ability to cope with the academic as well as emotional aspects of Grade 1. The assessment also aims to discover whether the child will experience any difficulties in Grade 1, which can therefore be remedied for the child.
•Psycho-educational
Psycho-educational assessments have three components. Cognitive, Scholastic, and Emotional. These assessments can be conducted on school-going children of any ages. The assessment aims to establish where the child is currently functioning with regard to verbal and non-verbal intellectual ability, scholastic abilities in reading, writing and mathematics, and emotional functioning.
•Emotional
Emotional assessments are conducted less frequently than full psycho-educational assessments. They are usually needed when learners have already had a cognitive assessment, or are already in specialised schooling. Emotional assessments are also needed in some cases to determine how a child or adolescent is coping in their current environment.
•Career
Career assessments are useful for learners in Grade 9 who need to make important subject choices for Grade 10. They are also useful for learners in Grade 11 or Grade 12 who need to make important choices regarding their lives after school. Career assessments usually consist of a cognitive, interest, and personality aspect - ensuring that the learner is capable of doing the subject or career, is interested in the subject or career, and whose personality matches the subject or career in question.
•Accommodations
These assessments are used to assist learners who experience barriers to learning such as visual or hearing difficulties, physical barriers, learning difficulties, behavioural challenges, anxiety, or medical conditions. The assessment aims to establish whether these barriers affect the learner's ability to perform during examinations. Accommodations such as the use of a scribe, additional time, rest breaks or use of a computer aim to minimise these barriers, allowing the learner to demonstrate their true ability during examinations. Assessment reports produced by these assessments can be used to motivate the accommodation to the Department of Education (DoE) and Independent Examinations Board (IEB).
Parental Guidance
Often times parents are unsure about how to handle the difficulties or challenges that their child is presenting with. Parents or guardians may require a space of their own where they can gain support, and insight into dealing with their child, and whatever their child may be dealing with. Parental guidance can assist in identifying and acknowledging the options and solutions that they have when dealing with their children. Parents may also need support to reaffirm boundaries and gain alternate perspectives about handling their child at home.