The Psychology Assessment & Therapy Centres

Psycho-educational assessments and therapy services

Our practice offers comprehensive psycho-educational assessments and therapy for kids and families.

Play Therapy

Is a form of psychotherapy that uses play to help children deal with emotional and mental health by using play as the median. Children are able to explore their feelings and share them with the therapist.

In play therapy, children can ameliorate the effects of trauma and loss, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve children’s behaviour and help children manage social and economic difficulties.

Psycho-legal Assessments

Our practice is repeatedly called upon to conduct assessments in the psycho-legal domain. We assess children and adults who have been involved in road accidents, and we provide expert evidence in Court, for the plaintiff and the defendant.

School Readiness

Increasingly schools are requesting school readiness assessments to be done prior to the admission of learners in grade 1. This assessment is generally conducted towards the end of Grade R and Grade 0 to identify any possible developmental shortfalls that may impact upon a child’s learning and development. The focus of this assessment is to determine whether a child has the skills to meet the required demands of big school.

Developmental Assessment

Our therapists trained in the use of Griffiths and the NEPSY - II Scales are able to do developmental assessments to determine a child’s progress in meeting important milestones of early childhood development.

Developmental assessments in the domain of language; visual motor interaction; self-regulation; motor skills and emotional developments makes early detection and intervention in identifying concerns and providing support for children, parent’s, and care givers.

Concession (extra time) Assessments

Concessions and accommodation assessments are used to determine whether a student or learner requires support and accommodation to help him achieve his potential during his scholastic career.

Concession assessments are requested by schools and the relevant Departments of Education for learners to be granted so that they can achieve their potential, and this is usually done during a child’s high school career.

Concession applications for grade 12 exams are submitted during the learners grade 11 school career. Depending on the needs of a specific learner, relevant tests are done to determine the relevant concession.

Individual and Family Therapy

This refers to a professional relationship between the individual and the therapist, with the therapist employing a range of techniques to ensure the individuals sense of wellbeing is increased and self-actualization takes place.

It is then accepted that the individuals conflict can vary in terms of the causes – influences, triggers and resolutions with the imperative being that self-actualization takes place when an individual’s conflict is minimized.

Group Therapy

The essence of group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients (children, adolescence, and adults), together as a group. It allows clients to receive support and encouragement from the therapist and the group. Group therapy is based upon the shared experiences and their abilities of the participants in the group to learn from each other.

Subject Choices Assessment

Subject choices assessment is geared to assist learners entering grade 9 with their choice of subject in which to continue with their FET phase (grade 10-12), at school.

Subject choice assessments in grade 11 and grade 12 provide learners and their parents with information regarding study at tertiary level and furthering their career prospects.

Career Choice Assessments

As a set of tools career assessments are designed to help individuals understand how their personal attributes; interests; values; preferences; motivational and aptitude skills impact on their potential success and career choices.

Career assessments are aimed at assisting individuals at various ages and life stages in making sound educational and career decisions.

Child and Family Mediation

The Psychology Assessment and Therapy Centres has a professional team that focuses exclusively on families in crisis. Their skilled team assist divorcing and separating couples reach an amicable solution – all of this is done within the Children’s Act ensuring the best interest of the child is maintained.

Parenting Plans

Divorcing parents are assisted with drawing up of parenting plans that clarify arrangements that need to be put in place for their children. The parenting plan can include residency, shared parental responsibility, contact time with children and financial responsibilities that need to be borne by the parents.

Trauma Debriefing

Trauma debriefing assist individuals and families with life events that affect their functioning and emotional status. This important facet is undertaken with individuals and Employer Wellness Programs (EWP). It assists children and families to return to previous levels of functioning as soon as possible.

Training and workshops for schools, parents, and learners

This is a trending new arena developed by the team at the Psychology Assessment and Therapy Centres, that look at training workshops, and informative talks on the needs of the different groups associated with the school namely Educators, Learners, The School Governing Body and The Learner Representative Committee (LRC).

Topics includes:
• Leadership and training for learners
• Conflict resolution for educators
• Recognition of learning difficulties
• Helping children cope with divorce.
• When to have the birds and bees talk
• Recognition of trauma and abuse
• Coping with loss
• Making inclusive education practical
• Dealing with the effects of bullying
• Coping with ADD and ADHD
• Behavioural difficulties
• And specialized workshops and training as requested by the schoolteachers, groups, and learners.

Psycho – Educational Assessments

These assessments are conducted at the request of the school or the parents wanting to determine the reasons for their child struggling at school.

The assessment generally covers:
• Emotional development
• Neurological; development
• Scholastic / academic
• Intelligence (IQ)