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PsySSA 2026 Membership Registrations & Renewals Now Open

PsySSA 2026 Membership Registrations & Renewals Now Open

by | Nov 18, 2025 | Featured Content, Membership, PsySSA Announcements

Membership Renewals for 2026

Stay Connected. Stay Involved. Stay Informed.

By joining or renewing your membership, you align yourself with a national community committed to excellence, transformation, and the advancement of psychological science and practice. Membership provides access to core resources, professional networks, and sector developments already shaping the year ahead.

What Your Membership Gives You

1. Collective Expertise Across 15 Divisions
Engage with specialist knowledge, collaboration forums, and professional networks across the full breadth of psychology in South Africa.

2. Knowledge Sharing and CPD Access
Benefit from PsySSA’s in-house CPD hub, PsyCPD, including a growing calendar of workshops, webinars, and learning opportunities aligned with evolving national needs.

3. Access to Key Scholarly Resources
Stay connected to research through the South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP) and the African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA).

4. 12-Part CPD Workshop Series
A structured series of workshops running across the year. Full details will be announced shortly.

5. 2026 Congress – Call for Abstracts
The call will open soon. Members receive early notification and reduced rates.

6. Expanded Professional Development Pathways
Structured support for early-career practitioners, including the Board Exam Preparatory Workshop and the Career Compass Series.

7. Partnership Benefits
Discounted access to BWRT® courses, CBT and DBT workshops, and new collaboration tours planned for 2026.

These initiatives show that the year is not starting — it is already underway.

Be Part of the Year Ahead

Membership keeps you connected to the developments, conversations, and collaborations shaping the future of psychology in South Africa and the broader region.

Join us for a year already in motion, and help shape what comes next.

Renew or Join Today

Student Wellbeing Self-Care Circle for Student Division Members

Student Wellbeing Self-Care Circle for Student Division Members

by | Nov 13, 2025 | Events and Announcements, PsySSA Announcements, Student Division (SD)

Student Wellbeing Self-Care Circle for Student Division Members

Hosted by the PsySSA Student Division

Join the PsySSA Student Division for an online Wellbeing Self-Care Circle designed to support students in the healthcare professions who are experiencing rising levels of burnout and compassion fatigue. A gentle space for collective healing, mutual care, and renewed hope.

Workshop Details:

  • Date: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
  • Time: 17:30 – 19:00
  • Online Via Zoom

Contact Information: psyssastudentchair@gmail.com

Burnout and compassion fatigue of students in the healthcare profession is at an all-time high. The aim of this session is to provide participants with an opportunity to disconnect from their busy schedules, debrief, and hold space for themselves and others to restore personal balance and enhance their wellbeing. Facilitated on The Work That Reconnects spiral model, sharing circles offer safe spaces to destress, reconnect and find hope and gratitude.

This wellbeing connection circle will be facilitated online to support students to centre themselves in times of uncertainty and anxiety and to foster a sense of connectedness (to self, to others, and to our physical and spiritual environment). As we share stories of coping and self-care, we foster mutual care, collective healing and hopeful mindsets.

Note: This session is interactive and participation is required by all those attending, however sharing personal stories is voluntary, and silent reflection is welcome. To respectfully hold a safe space in the sharing circle attendees must ensure they have sufficient connectivity / data to keep videos on for the full session.

Click Here to RSVP
Dr Avivit Cherrington

Dr Avivit Cherrington

Presenter

Dr. Avivit (Avie) Cherrington is an educational psychologist with expertise in the design and evaluation of community programmes for mental health and social wellbeing. Her research explores the value of integrating hope-enhancing strategies and participatory visual methods to foster personal and collective agency and catalyse meaningful transformative learning and social change. She has written chapters on Hope in various books in the field of positive psychology, including the Oxford Compendium of Hope (2025) and the APA Handbook of Positive Psychology (in press). She served two terms as the Chair of the Community & Social Psychology Division where she is currently the Treasurer, and is an Executive Member of PsySSA. She is also the co-founder of the Hope Table Gathering, an international, interdisciplinary community dedicated to the advancement of hope and a research associate with Nelson Mandela University.

“As a Hope Practitioner I am passionate about working with individuals and communities to shift mindsets and transform lives. I’m on a mission to spark hope and courage in those who have dedicated themselves to serving others.”

Not CPD Compliant? Catch Up on Your 2025 CPD Points with PsyCPD!

Not CPD Compliant? Catch Up on Your 2025 CPD Points with PsyCPD!

by | Nov 10, 2025 | CPD Opportunities, Membership, PsySSA Announcements

Missed out on CPD points in 2025? No worries – PsySSA has you covered!

 

Catch up now and earn up to 26 points!

 

PsySSA offers its members exclusive access to an online PsySSA CPD hub, PsyCPD, as a membership benefit. PsyCPD is a PsySSA CPD platform that aims to assist psychology professionals manage their continuing professional development points and ensure HPCSA compliance. PsyCPD is a gateway to continuing professional development, featuring a CPD Accredited Articles Library. Here, you’ll find a selection of articles each paired with a questionnaire, providing an opportunity to earn CPD points.
Whether you’re looking to catch up on points from last year or advance your expertise, the PsyCPD portal has you covered. With up to 23 General and 3 Ethics CPD points currently available, PsyCPD offers a valuable resource for fulfilling your professional development requirements.

Click Here to Access PsyCPD
Unisa Consulting Psychology Conference

Unisa Consulting Psychology Conference

by | Oct 29, 2025 | Events and Announcements, Psychology Events, PsySSA Announcements

Consulting Psychology Conference

Unisa’s Departments of Psychology and Industrial and Organisational Psychology

Unisa’s Departments of Psychology and Industrial and Organisational Psychology, in association with the 2025 Doctoral Students in Consulting Psychology, are proud to host the 15th Annual and SIXTH VIRTUAL Consulting Psychology Conference in South Africa.

The conference will take place on 5 and 6 November 2025 on Microsoft Teams Platform (the link for joining to be send 4 November)

Consulting Psychology in South Africa
Consulting psychology is a specialised area of psychology with the aim of applying and extending psychologists’ expert knowledge through the process of consultation to problems involving human behaviour. The practice of consulting psychology is guided by the science of psychology in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and assessment methodologies. Consulting psychologists should have in-depth knowledge of the main theoretical models in psychology and of their particular methodologies and applications as they apply to individual, group and organisational consulting domains. The Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology and the Department of Psychology at Unisa offer a specialised PhD degree in Consulting Psychology.

For more information on this PhD degree, please contact Mabel Campher at camphm@unisa.ac.za

Click Here to Register
Click Here for More Information
RCP Workshop – Opening Your Own Practice as a Registered Counsellor or Psychometrist

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

by | 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

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

Chantel Retter

Presenter

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

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

by | 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

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

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.