Mind + Me

Tina Doukas

I am a registered Educational Psychologist as well as a qualified teacher for the early childhood and development phase. I am extremely passionate about my work and have a special interest in working with children and adolescents. I completed my internship in 2012 and continued working at a full-time remedial school where learners received therapeutic and individualised remedial support. Working in a multidisciplinary team – which consisted of parents, teachers, remedial, speech and occupational therapists – enriched my experience and ignited my passion for working collaboratively with all significant role players in a child’s life. I subsequently followed my dream of opening up an established private practice within a mainstream school environment, servicing the learners and working closely with parents and teachers. I specialise in identifying learning difficulties in the foundation, intermediate and senior phases (Grade R-12). I believe that early diagnosis and interventions lead to greatly enhanced outcomes for learners who experience barriers to learning. I attend regular courses to expanded my knowledge about various learning barriers and learn new skills and techniques to empower children to rise above their scholastic, emotional and social barriers. I have a special interest in play therapy with children and also provide counselling for adolescents and parental guidance and support for families.

Tracey Voigt

I am an Educational Psychologist registered with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the Board of Health Care Funders (BHF). In addition to being a registered Educational Psychologist, I am also a qualified teacher. I have had the privilege of working in both remedial as well as mainstream schools, and developed an ever-growing love for the work I do. In 2008, I obtained my psychometry qualification and registration. Thereafter, I qualified as an Educational Psychologist in 2011 and began working in Private Practice. I am passionate about psychology, education and children and would like to contribute to the processes involving some of the challenges faced by the youth of today. Thus, positively influence the practices, experiences, health and well-being of learners by assisting them in succeeding academically, socially, behaviourally and emotionally by identifying and addressing any learning and/or behavioural difficulties that may interfere with their ability to realise and achieve their full potential. It is my belief that each client is unique and thus utilise an integrative approach. This means that I do not subscribe to only one psychotherapeutic school of thought, but rather use an integration of different approaches so as to ensure a goodness of fit between my client’s needs and the chosen therapeutic approach.

Jana van der Merwe

I am a psychometrist registered with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA). I completed my BSc Human Life Science (Physiology and Psychology) at Stellenbosch University and BA(Hons) Psychology at the University of South Africa. I am guided by the words of Nelson Mandela who said: “History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.” It is this notion that has brood my passion for working with children. Volunteering at Hope House Counselling Centre and completing my internship at Bromhof Medical Centre I became aware of the importance of intervention and collaboration in bridging the gap between a learner’s current level of functioning and their potential level of functioning. Therefore, I am directed at finding each client’s individual strengths and building on these strengths to help clients reach their full potential.