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

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

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 free 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
  • 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.

Rekha Kangokar Rama Rao

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

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

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.”

Sameeha Elias

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.

ACT in Practice – Live 1 Day Workshop

ACT in Practice – Live 1 Day Workshop

ACTivate Tour 2025 in partnership with PsySSA

Curious about ACT? Start online tomorrow before the tour begins!

Join our Online ACT Workshop tomorrow, 29 October — the perfect opportunity to explore Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) before the full tour begins!

Attend the online workshop on its own to get a feel for the approach — and if you decide to join an in-person city workshop, the amount you paid for the online session will be credited toward your in-person registration.

Already booked for an in-person city? Great news — your online session is included in your registration!

Whether you’re curious about ACT or ready to deepen your practice, this is your chance to learn, reflect, and connect with peers across South Africa before the tour begins.

About the workshop: 

This workshop provides an in-depth introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Content covered includes the Hexaflex, the Choice Point, Effective Usage of Metaphors, Structuring ACT Sessions and Adapting ACT for Depression and Anxiety

Mr Werner Teichert

Mr Werner Teichert

Presenter

Werner Teichert is an international speaker and clinical psychologist based in Sydney, Australia. He was trained in ACT under Steve Hayes, Russ Harris, Robyn Walser, and Kirk Strosahl. Werner has trained healthcare professionals across South Africa, Namibia, New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

ACTivate Tour In-Person Workshops

 

Trauma-Focused ACT (TFACT)

(Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg)

This 3-day workshop will be a Trauma Focused ACT deep-dive Into evidence-based interventions for trauma and related conditions. The in-person workshops will take place in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Bonus access to the ACT for Depression and Anxiety (on-demand) (16 CPD) courses are included.

  • Online: 29 October ’25
  • Durban: 12 – 13 Nov ’25
  • Cape Town: 14 – 15 Nov ’25
  • Johannesburg: 20 – 21 Nov ’25

 

  • Cost: R7500
    PsySSA Members: R6000 (Coupon: TF2025)

 

What to expect

  • 3-day workshops focused on real-world application
  • Evidence-based tools you can use immediately with clients
  • Up to 40 CPD Points
  • Trauma Focused ACT track includes bonus access to pre-recorded on-demand ACT courses

ACT for Depression & Anxiety

(Bloemfontein)

This 3-day workshop introduces practical Acceptance and Commitment Therapy strategies for working with depression and anxiety. Learn how to target avoidance, rumination, and worry with evidence-based skills you can apply immediately in clinical practice.

  • Online: 29 October ’25
  • Bloemfontein 17 – 18 Nov ’25
  • Cost: R5500
    • PsySSA Members: R4750 (Coupon: ACT2025)

What to expect

  • 3-day workshops focused on real-world application
  • Evidence-based tools you can use immediately with clients
  • Up to 40 CPD Points
  • Trauma Focused ACT track includes bonus access to pre-recorded on-demand ACT courses
PsySSA Leadership 2025–2027

PsySSA Leadership 2025–2027

The elections are complete. The PsySSA Executive Committee and the Divisional Excos for the new term have now been elected. These are the colleagues who will carry the voice of psychology into policy debates, professional standards, training, and public advocacy for the next two years.

Why this matters:

  • Divisions drive the agenda in their fields… from clinical to community, from research to ethics, from AI to child psychology.

  • The Executive sets the national tone, representing psychology in South Africa and beyond.

  • Leadership is drawn from practitioners, academics, and researchers across the country… your peers, your voice.

 Explore the full list of committees and see who represents your division.

Engage with your committee, reach out, and help shape the future of psychology with them.

A Message From The President

It is both a privilege and an honour to serve as President of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) from October 2025 to October 2026. I am grateful to the Past Presidents whose exceptional leadership and vision have laid a strong foundation for this prestigious Society, and to our dedicated administrative team whose efficiency and commitment continues to ensure the Society’s success.

As President, I am committed to leading PsySSA in alignment with its strategic priorities – to advance psychology as a science and profession of global standing, to champion transformation within our field, and to ensure that psychology remains relevant in addressing the diverse psychological needs of all South Africans.

The cornerstones of psychology, in my view, are the promotion of psychological well-being, social responsibility, justice, and community empowerment. These principles remind us that psychology must not only make a positive impact on society but also remain responsive to the social realities that shape our nation.

During my term, I aim to focus on some of the pressing psychological challenges of our time: expanding public awareness and equitable access to psychological services; harnessing technology and artificial intelligence ethically and effectively; addressing the psychological dimensions of climate change; promoting mental health and resilience; and creating more opportunities for the training and development of psychological practitioners to serve communities in sustainable and ethically grounded ways.

I look forward to collaborating closely with all PsySSA committees and divisions as we strengthen our collective voice and impact. Together, we can continue building a Society that reflects the best of South African psychology – inclusive, forward-thinking, and transformative.

I sincerely thank the PsySSA Council, Executive Committee, and all members for the trust you have placed in me to lead this dynamic and powerful Society.

PsySSA Executive Committee

Final window for 2025 PsySSA membership

Final window for 2025 PsySSA membership

PsySSA membership is not just about CPD. It is about being counted in the profession.

  • It signals that psychology has a unified voice in South Africa.

  • It keeps you connected to colleagues shaping research, policy, and practice.

  • It places you in the conversations that define the future of our field.

Membership for 2025 closes soon as we prepare to launch a new platform in mid-November for the 2026 year. If you have not yet joined, this is your last opportunity.

Don’t wait until next year to reconnect. Be part of the professional community today.

20 Annual Peace, Safety and Human Rights Memorial Lecture

20 Annual Peace, Safety and Human Rights Memorial Lecture

20 Annual Peace, Safety and Human Rights Memorial Lecture

The Institute for Social and Health Sciences in the College of Human Sciences, Unisa, in collaboration with the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) and the Pan African Psychology Union (PAPU) cordially invites you to the 20 Annual Peace, Safety and Human Rights Memorial Lecture.

This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Honourable Dr. Grace Naledi Pandor, with a response from Prof. Saths Cooper. The lecture, titled “Fascism, Deepening Inequality and Genocide: 21st Century Threats to Freedom and National Determination,” promises a thought-provoking engagement with some of the most pressing global challenges of our time.

Venue: ZK Matthews Great Hall
Date: 30 October 2025
Time: 11h00-14h00 (registration at 10h30)

For inquiries, please email: Munene Nkuna: nkunapm@unisa.ac.za
RSVP: 20 October 2025

Honourable Dr Grace Naledi Pandor

Honourable Dr Grace Naledi Pandor

Keynote Speaker

Prof Saths Cooper

Prof Saths Cooper

Respondent