FAQ

• The first session’s focus is on determining your concerns, expectations and needs, and to get some background information relevant to your concerns.

• Intake interview with parents and/or caregivers – going through a pre-completed intake form about your child’s difficulties, developmental history, medical history, school history and social environment.
• Evaluation with your child includes:
  • A child intake interview
  • Family relations tests
  • Projective tests
  • Interactional Analysis – if indicated
• Collateral information collection from significant people in your child’s life – other caregivers, teachers and/or other professionals.
• Feedback to parents and/or caregivers including possible treatment plan.

• Psychodynamic therapy focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in the client’s present behaviour. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are client self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behaviour.

• In its brief form, a psychodynamic approach enables the client to examine unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships and manifest themselves in unhelpful behaviour.

• Sandplay therapy is a nonverbal, creative form of therapy that uses a sandbox, miniature figures, and sometimes water, to create scenes and stories. This process allows you to express and explore your inner world, thoughts, and feelings in a symbolic way. It can be particularly helpful for those who find it difficult to express themselves verbally.
• Sandplay is based on the Jungian idea that the unconscious mind holds a wealth of knowledge and potential for healing. By creating and exploring these miniature worlds, you can tap into this unconscious wisdom and gain new insights into your life experiences.

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. During EMDR therapy, you will typically be asked to focus on a disturbing memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, taps, or tones). This process helps to reduce the vividness and emotion associated with the memory.

• Parental Guidance consist of the psychologist meeting with parents/legal guardians of a child they are taking care of. It is about the psychologist spending time with them to determine what their needs are and what they would prefer parental guidance in and then along side the parents to meet these needs.

• Behaviour modification is defined as “the alteration of behavioural patterns of a child through the use of such learning techniques as biofeedback and positive or negative reinforcement.” More simply, you can modify your child’s behaviour with positive consequences and negative consequences.

• I understand the immense suffering that can accompany these conditions. I am here to offer support and guidance so you do not have to navigate these challenges alone.

• Providing a safe and empowering space for parents, especially those with children who have special needs.

• Play therapy for children

• What if psychologist is fully booked: If the psychologist is fully booked you would be placed on a waiting list or present you with options for further referral.
• What if therapy is not working: It is very important that you experience the therapy as beneficial for you, however often things get worse before it gets better. Reasons why therapy might not be working are:
  • You and the psychologist are not a good match.
  • The issues you are dealing with in therapy is too painful to uncover at the moment.
  • The psychologist lacks the specific therapeutic training in the area of your need(s).
• What if my child does not want to come for therapy?
  • For therapy to be affective the child must want to be in therapy. If the child does not want to come, it might be best to terminate with therapy for the moment, but keep the option open for the child to come back when he or she is ready.
• What if I am angry with my psychologist?
  • The best thing is to mention your anger to your psychologist. Together you and your psychologist can unpack the reason you are angry with your psychologist. Often great growth can come from such a situation.
• Termination of therapy:
• In the case that therapist dies/is incapacitated:
  • In this case you will be referred to another psychologist in order to discuss what the best options are going forward.

According to the Health Professions Council of South Africa

• A multiple relationship occurs when a psychologist fulfils a professional role with respect to a person or organisation and at the same time –
  • fulfils or fulfilled another role with respect to the same person or organisation;
  • is in a relationship with a person or organisation closely associated with or related to the person or organisation with whom he or she has the professional relationship; or
  • promises to enter into another relationship in the future with that person or organisation or a person or organisation closely associated with or related to that person or organisation.
• A psychologist shall refrain from entering into a multiple relationship if that multiple relationship could reasonably be expected to impair the psychologist’s objectivity, competence or effectiveness in performing his or her functions as psychologist or cause a risk of exploitation of or harm to the person or organisation with whom the professional relationship exists.
• If a psychologist finds that, owing to unforeseen factors, a potentially harmful multiple relationship has developed, he or she shall attempt to resolve the problem with due regard to the best interests of the client concerned and maximum compliance with these rules.
• In the circumstances referred to in subrule (3), the psychologist shall assist the client in obtaining the services of another professional, and shall not enter into any professional or other relationship with such client until at least twenty-four months have elapsed after termination of such multiple relationship: Provided that where a client is emotionally or cognitively vulnerable to influencing by such psychologist, no such relationship shall be established between the psychologist and the client.

• According to the South African Professional Conduct Guidelines in Psychology ‘when a psychologist is approached to engage in professional services to a minor it is imperative that the practitioner obtain the informed consent of the legal guardian of the minor child. The psychologist must also ascertain the legal status of each parent in relation to the minor and preferably gain both parents’ consent to the professional activities conducted with the minor.’
• If only one parent provides consent, the non-consenting parent believes that such decision is not in the best interest of the child or will adversely affect the exercise of their parental rights and responsibilities, they may apply to Court for an order to that affect. If such order is granted, the treatment would not be allowed to proceed, or it would have to be terminated if it had already commenced.
• Therefore, it is this practice’s general procedure to obtain informed consent from both parents whether parents are married or divorced.

According to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) when a psychologist provides evaluation/assessment, psychotherapy, counselling, or consulting services in person or via electronic transmission or other forms of communication, the psychologist must obtain the written informed consent of the client concerned, using a language that is reasonably understandable to such client.

Although children younger than 12 years old cannot legally give written consent, the psychologist must still obtain the verbal approval (agreement) from children before starting with an evaluation or therapy. Informed written consent must still be given by the legal guardians of children.

• Confidentiality is a respected part of psychology’s code of ethics.
• Psychologists may disclose private information without consent in order to protect the patient or the public from serious harm — if, for example, a client discusses plans to attempt suicide or harm another person.
• Psychologists are required to report ongoing domestic violence, abuse or neglect of children, the elderly or people with disabilities. (However, if an adult discloses that he or she was abused as a child, the psychologist typically isn’t bound to report that abuse, unless there are other children continuing to be abused.)
• Psychologists may release information if they receive a court order.

• Psychologists are required to report ongoing domestic violence, abuse or neglect of children, the elderly, or people with disabilities.
• However, if an adult discloses that he or she was abused as a child, the psychologist typically isn’t bound to report that abuse, unless there are other children continuing to be abused.

• Psychologists are required to report ongoing domestic violence, abuse or neglect of children, the elderly, or people with disabilities.
• However, if an adult discloses that he or she was abused as a child, the psychologist typically isn’t bound to report that abuse, unless there are other children continuing to be abused.