RCP Workshop – Opening Your Own Practice as a Registered Counsellor or Psychometrist

by Web Admin | Oct 29, 2025 | Division of Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP), Events and Announcements, Psychology Events, PsySSA Announcements

RCP Workshop – Opening Your Own Practice as a Registered Counsellor or Psychometrist

Hosted by the PsySSA Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP) Division

Join the PsySSA Division of Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP) for a free online workshop on Opening Your Own Practice as a Registered Counsellor or Psychometrist.

Workshop Details:

Date: Monday, 17 November 2025
Time: 18:00 -19:30
Online Via Teams

RSVP by 14 November 2025.

Contact Information: rcp@psyssa.co.za

About the Workshop:
Are you ready to take the leap into independence? Whether you’ve just passed your board exams or you’re ready to transition from employment into private practice, this workshop is designed to give you the confidence and practical know-how to launch your professional journey successfully.

Join Shaazia, an inspiring Psychometrist, and Chantel, a passionate Registered Counsellor, as they share their expertise on building a thriving practice from the ground up.

Why attend?

Learn the step-by-step process of registering with HPCSA, BHF, and medical aids
Understand what to include in your professional stationery to build credibility
Discover marketing and advertising strategies that attract the right clients
Gain clarity on the administrative essentials for running a smooth practice
Walk away with practical tips, templates, and guidance to fast-track your setup
This workshop isn’t just about theory — it’s about real, actionable strategies to help you start strong and shine in your professional journey.

Click Here to RSVP

Shaazia Patel

Presenter

Shaazia is a registered Psychometrist with extensive experience and knowledge in the assessment-related field. She is actively involved in various community volunteer projects. She is currently in the process of creating a project for pro-bono career assessments for those who are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Shaazia is passionate about sharing her knowledge and helping others and has been a mentor for the PsySSA Student Division National Mentorship Programme for several years. Her love for animals and helping people is leading her to attain her Master’s qualification to work within the Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy field.

Chantel Retter

Presenter

HPD Workshop – Living positively with diabetes: The importance of mental health

by Web Admin | Oct 29, 2025 | Events and Announcements, Health Psychology (HP), Psychology Events, PsySSA Announcements

HPD Workshop – Living Positively With Diabetes: The Importance of Mental Health

Hosted by the PsySSA Health Psychology Division (HPD)

Join the PsySSA Health Psychology Division (HPD) for a free CPD-accredited online workshop on Living Positively With Diabetes: The Importance of Mental Health.

Webinar Details:

Date: Friday, 14 November 2025
Time: 13:00 – 14:00
Platform: Online via Teams
1 General CPD Point

About the Workshop:

Despite many advancements, diabetes remains one of the most challenging health conditions in the world today, impacting individuals, families, societies and economies. In this webinar, we want to shine the light on the mental health aspects of living with the condition, by giving an overview of the main mental health challenges those living with diabetes experience. Then, we hope to propose an alternative approach to managing mental health challenges in positive psychology interventions, including self-compassion, meaning making and managing perceptions of the condition. In the webinar, we hope to not only share the latest research, but also provide practical examples of interventions that could assist those living with diabetes.

Learning Outcomes:

Gain a better understanding of diabetes, it’s mechanisms, prevalence and challenges.
Explore the mental health challenges in managing diabetes.
Learn about positive psychology concepts, as well as research on effectiveness of positive psychology interventions.
Reflect on the development of positive psychology interventions on constructs such as self-compassion, meaning -making and illness perceptions to improve mental well-being of those living with diabetes.

Click Here to RSVP

Dr Sonja Mostert

Presenter

Dr Sonja Mostert is a registered Research Psychologist currently employed as a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria. She is passionate about the field of health psychology and her research is mainly focused on health literacy and improving the mental health of people living with diabetes. She is a member of the Health Psychology Division of PsySSA and teaches several undergraduate and postgraduate modules including health psychology to both undergraduate medical students and previously to honours psychology students. Her primary research areas include topics within health psychology, specifically health literacy; mental health and diabetes; health behaviour change; online health information use and the role of psychological factors in chronic conditions.

Prof Elmari Deacon

Presenter

Prof Elmarí Deacon is a registered Clinical Psychologist and currently employed at the NWU as full professor in Psychology and acting Director in the School of Psychosocial Health. In her career as academic, she has lectured several modules and supervised 27 master’s and four PhD students to completion. She is a C2 NRF rated researcher and has published 28 articles. She is also a member of the Health Psychology Division of PsySSA.

Prof Deacon is the principal investigator of the SMILE with diabetes project, investigating psychosocial variables in adjusting to diabetes management behaviours. Positive Psychology constructs are very prominent in her research and interventions development, as these have proven to assist those living with diabetes.

RCP Workshop – Understanding Medical Aids and ICD-10 Codes in South Africa

by Web Admin | Oct 29, 2025 | Division of Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP), Events and Announcements, Psychology Events, PsySSA Announcements

RCP Workshop – Understanding Medical Aids and ICD-10 Codes in South Africa

Hosted by the PsySSA Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP) Division

Join the PsySSA Division of Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP) for a CPD-accredited online workshop on Understanding Medical Aids and ICD-10 Codes in South Africa.

Webinar Details:

Date: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Time: 18:00 -19:30
Platform: Online Via Teams
1 General CPD Point
Cost: PsySSA Members: Free; Non-Members: R350

RSVP By: 10 November 2025
For more information, contact: rcp@psyssa.co.za

About the Workshop:

This workshop will provide mental health practitioners with an understadning of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), and its relevance to the South African context. Practitioners need clarity on coding requirements, practical implications for clinical documentation, and how these changes intersect with medical aid submissions.

Key Focus Areas:

Introduction to ICD-10: structure, changes, and benefits.
Relevance of ICD-10 for registered counsellors in South Africa
What practitioners need to know for claims and reimbursement
Common challenges and practical tips for coding in line with ICD-10
Q&A session to address participant concerns

Why attend?

Understand ICD-10 and its benefits
Learn how medical aids are adapting
Gain practical guidance for claims and coding

Perfect for Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists who want to stay compliant, confident, and up to date.

Takeaway:

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of ICD-10 coding practices and practical strategies for navigating medical aid requirements in South Africa.

Click Here to RSVP

Rekha Kangokar Rama Rao

Presenter

I am a counselling psychologist, committed to fostering psychological wellbeing, resilience, and growth across diverse populations. My practice is guided by empathy, ethical responsibility, and a person-centered approach, which allows me to support clients in navigating life transitions, relationships, and personal challenges with care and integrity.

Alongside my clinical work, I hold a strong interest in the evolving relationship between psychology and artificial intelligence. I am particularly drawn to examining how AI can be ethically integrated into mental health support, education, and research, while also addressing critical questions about bias, human identity, and the role of technology in shaping relationships. This dual focus enables me to contribute to conversations at the intersection of human development and technological innovation.
By combining counselling psychology with an interest in AI, I aim to advance approaches that remain human-centered, compassionate, and grounded in evidence-based practice. I am passionate about the future of psychology in an increasingly digital world and committed to ensuring that advances in technology continue to reflect the values of care, ethics, and human connection.

SASCP Webinar – Beyond Diagnosis: Reimagining Therapy Through a Neurodiversity Lens

by Web Admin | Oct 29, 2025 | Events and Announcements, Psychology Events, PsySSA Announcements, The South African Society for Clinical Psychology (SASCP)

Beyond Diagnosis: Reimagining Therapy Through a Neurodiversity Lens

A free CPD webinar for Psychologists

Hosted by the PsySSA The South African Society for Clinical Psychology (SASCP) Division

Webinar Details:

Date: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Platform: Online via Zoom
2 General CPD Points

About the Webinar:

This webinar introduces mental health practitioners to the foundational principles and clinical applications of Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy approach that challenges deficit-based and pathologizing frameworks in understanding neurodivergent individuals. Participants will explore the evolution of the neurodiversity paradigm, differentiating between the neurodiversity movement, the paradigm itself, and affirming therapeutic practices. The session will highlight the shift from a medical model rooted in normalisation and symptom reduction toward a strengths-based, empowerment-oriented framework that values neurological diversity as a natural part of human variation. Through discussion of common neurodivergent presentations such as emotional dysregulation, sensory sensitivities, and communication differences, the webinar will equip clinicians to better recognize and support neurodivergent clients within affirming and trauma-informed frameworks. The session also examines comorbid presentations including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and eating disorders, with specific attention to concepts such as autistic burnout and the overlap between trauma and neurodivergence.

Overview
This workshop offers psychologists an opportunity to engage with the emerging neurodiversity paradigm — a transformative shift in how we understand and work with diverse minds. Moving beyond traditional deficit-based models, the neurodiversity framework recognises that neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and others reflect natural variations in human cognition rather than disorders to be corrected.

Challenging psychologists to rethink long-held assumptions about normality and disorder. Rooted in the principles of neurodiversity, it explores how we can dismantle deficit-based narratives and create spaces where every client’s way of being is valid and valued. This session offers a critical, evidence-informed look at how adopting a neurodiversity-affirming stance can transform not only therapeutic relationships but the ethical landscape of mental health itself.”

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Sameeha Elias

Presenter

Sameeha is a Counselling Psychologist in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. She consults with children aged 5+, adults and families from diverse backgrounds. She has a special interest in neurodiversity, particularly neurodivergent affirming therapy with kids and adults, and runs workshops training practitioners in this approach. She is also a research supervisor at SACAP and a Guest lecturer at Stellenbosch University for student psychologists in the Child and Family Interventions module.

Click Here to Register

“Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies.” – Division of Registered Counsellors & Psychometrists

by Web Admin | Oct 28, 2025 | Division of Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP), Mental Health Awareness Month

As we mark Mental Health Awareness Month, the PsySSA Division for Registered Counsellors and Psychometrists (RCP Division) reflects on the crucial role Registered Counsellors play in advancing mental health care in South Africa.

In two insightful contributions, the Division highlights both the impact of Registered Counsellors in humanitarian emergencies and the evolution of the profession from its inception to its growing significance today.

“Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies” explores how Registered Counsellors provide essential, community-based mental health support in times of crisis — from social unrest to poverty and trauma — ensuring no one faces these challenges alone.

“The Vital Role of Registered Counsellors in South Africa: Past, Present, and Future” traces the development of the profession and its continued commitment to accessible, preventative, and empowering mental health care.

The Vital Role of Registered Counsellors in South Africa: Past, Present, and Future

Division of Registered Counsellors & Psychometrists – Kendall Byne

October is Mental Health Awareness Month, with World Mental Health Day observed on 10 October 2025, reminding us of the ongoing global call to action for accessible, equitable, and humane mental health care. In South Africa, this call has particular resonance, given our history and the unique role of the Registered Counsellor (RC) in broadening access to psychosocial support.

The profession of Registered Counsellor was formally recognised in 2003, following the revision of the Health Professions Act, as a response to South Africa’s urgent need for accessible mental health services. With high rates of trauma, inequality, and limited access to specialised care, RCs were envisioned as frontline providers who could serve communities directly, especially in under-resourced areas where psychologists and psychiatrists remain scarce. This pioneering initiative placed South Africa among the first countries to establish a mid-level mental health profession dedicated to prevention, early intervention, and psychoeducation.

Over the past two decades, Registered Counsellors have become an indispensable part of South Africa’s mental health landscape. We have worked in schools, community-based organisations, NGOs, faith-based settings, and private practice, offering much-needed services that bridge the gap between community needs and specialised care. Our scope of practice emphasises wellness promotion, preventative interventions, and the destigmatisation of mental health, to help ordinary South Africans access support before reaching crisis point.

In 2025, our role is more important than ever. South Africa continues to face rising mental health needs which are exacerbated by socioeconomic challenges, the lingering effects of the pandemic, and an increasing awareness of psychological well-being. Registered Counsellors remain at the forefront of community mental health and empower individuals and families by advocating for resilience and making mental health care accessible in everyday settings.

As we observe World Mental Health Day under this year’s theme of “Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies”, the work of RCs embodies this principle. We make certain that mental health services are not a privilege for the few, but a right for all. By addressing barriers of cost, culture, and accessibility, Registered Counsellors contribute to the broader transformation of South Africa’s health system and to PsySSA’s vision of advancing psychology as a force for social good.
This October, let us not only raise awareness but also celebrate the invaluable role of Registered Counsellors in shaping a healthier, more resilient nation – past, present, and into the future.

“Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies”

Division of Registered Counsellors & Psychometrists – Genevieve Burrow

“Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies.” This theme resonates deeply with our current South African context, where socio-economic challenges and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have created an environment ripe for mental health crises. During World Mental Health Awareness Month and World Mental Health Day, we are reminded that mental health is a universal human right. In South Africa, this is not just a theme, but it is a call to action. Every day, we see how poverty, inequality, violence, and trauma significantly impact individuals, families, communities, and especially our youth.

Humanitarian emergencies can take many forms, from natural disasters to social unrest. In South Africa, we have witnessed a range of challenges that have critically impacted the mental well-being of individuals and communities. The stressors of unemployment, poverty, and violence can lead to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma.

Registered Counsellors (RCs) are uniquely positioned to make a significant difference in these challenging times. Our training equips us to provide critical support, guidance, and counselling interventions to individuals and communities affected by past and current crises. RCs are on the ground, walking alongside communities, creating safe mental health spaces, and offering accessible, preventative care where it’s needed most. We are often the first to listen in a safe space, the first to respond, and the bridge to further support. Our contributions include engaging with communities to foster mental well-being through workshops and support groups that address pressing mental health issues. Additionally, we provide specialised trauma-informed care, assisting individuals in coping with the psychological aftermath of crises. By raising awareness about mental health needs, we also advocate for resources and policies that support mental well-being during emergencies.

As we commemorate World Mental Health Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to mental health advocacy and recognition. It is crucial that we work together to ensure that mental health resources are accessible to everyone, especially in times of crisis. You can contribute by raising awareness and sharing information about mental health resources within your communities. Encourage conversations about mental health to reduce stigma and shame and promote understanding. Lastly, connect with fellow professionals to share best practices and strategies for supporting those in need.

Together, we can create a supportive environment where mental health is prioritised, and individuals feel empowered to seek mental health assistance. Let’s ensure that no one faces these emergencies alone.

"Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies."

by Genevieve Burrow

Mental Health Awareness Month – Society for Educational Psychology of South Africa (SEPSA)

by Web Admin | Oct 27, 2025 | Mental Health Awareness Month, Society for Educational Psychology of South Africa (SEPSA)

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Society for Educational Psychology of South Africa (SEPSA) highlights the devastating impact of untreated mental health disorders — especially among our youth — and calls for collective action to transform South Africa’s mental health systems and services.

Read SEPSA’s full reflection below, and join us in strengthening mental health awareness, advocacy, and care for all.

Mental Health Awareness Month

Society for Educational Psychology of South Africa – Dr Guru Kistnasamy

October is the time for us to reflect on Mental Health Awareness.

Untreated mental health disorders is destroying our people, especially our Youth, who make up the majority of our population and are our future. Suicide is said to be the second leading cause of death amongst our young people.

Mental Health refers to the emotional, psychological and mental well-being of an individul and how we cope when faced with mental health issues. Basically Mental Health is how we think, feel and behave. Mental Health Disorders include anxiety, depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, panic disorders, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, and related mental illnesses. There are certain early signs that may alert us to mental illnesses. These include low energy levels, avoiding activities that we used to enjoy, withdrawal from people, sleeping excessively or too little, feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, difficulty in carrying out activities of daily living, delusions, thoughts of harming oneself or suicidal ideation.

Our Department of Health itself acknowledges its failure to adequately meet the health needs of our people and acknowledged that mental health services in South Africa needs “radical transformation”. There are many factors that contribute to the state of poor mental health in South Africa. These include:

Socioeconomic factors such as poverty, unemployment, lack of housing and and poor basic sanitation.
Crime and violence.
Limited mental health resources. The South African Human Rights Commission reports that we have only 0.28 psychiatrists and 0.32 psychologists per 100,000. These shortages are further excerbated by the fact that certain medical aid schemes(Polmed, GEMS,Profmed, Keyhealth,Medihelp) stopped funding Educational Psychologists.
Collusion and corruption amongst officials entrusted with the health of our citizens. The murder of whistle blower Mrs. Deokaran is a classic example of the extent to which these officials will go to eliminate detection so that they could continue their pillage.
Poor existing infrastructures such as clinics, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers.
Shortage of professional staff such as nurses, doctors, counsellors.
Poor management of mental health facilities, and under funding of mental health by government.

We need to make a concerted effort to address the issue of mental health as a country as we are losing so many to mental health disorders, unemployment and death.

Together we can all combine our strength, resources and expertise to make a difference in turning the tide against the rising incidence of mental health disorders.