NEUROPSYCHOLOGY THERAPY
Neuropsychology therapy is a structured, therapeutic approach by a registered neuropsychologist to help individuals with their thinking, memory, judgement, emotional functioning and behaviour. Neuropsychology therapy typically involves working with people who have chronic conditions involving the brain, e.g. traumatic brain injuries, Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and other learning disabilities and with the families of the affected person/child.
TRUSTED EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST SPECIALISING IN NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY
At Mizu Therapy & Assessment, our certified educational psychologist (with a special interest in neuropsychology), Riza van der Merwe, assists children, adolescents, and adults with various neurological, medical, and psychological conditions to assist them in improving their daily function and general living circumstances.
Problem areas for children and adolescents often include:
Behaviour problems (e.g., arguing with parents and teachers, aggression, and oppositional behaviour)
Cognitive issues (e.g., disorganized thinking, poor planning and reasoning abilities, poor time management)
Social issues (e.g., difficulty making and maintaining friendships)
Academic concerns (e.g., struggling with homework, poor study habits, & school failure)
Attention problems for children and adolescents can result in poor work performance and study habits and limit the natural ability to learn. This can result in school failure, which can cause high levels of stress and tension with parents who struggle to find ways to help their children succeed.
Parents and families of the individual/child often request guidance in how they deal with their children, especially children who suffer from developmental issues or who may have other areas of concern. Good parental support is an integral part of effective child therapy. Additionally, psychotherapy is a helpful tool to learn about your feelings, moods, thoughts and behaviours.
An important part of therapy is self-awareness, which helps persons become more aware of different aspects of themselves (their characteristics, behaviours and feelings) and may lead to changes in how they feel, think and behave. It has a long-term goal of relieving emotional distress. All therapy is done with the strictest confidentiality and guide and assist families.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY THERAPIES
The neuropsychological treatments provided at Mizu Therapy & Assessment strives to address the issues that individuals experience due to their diagnosis with a neurological disorder or brain trauma. For children, the therapy will include working with the child to develop better ways of dealing with their emotions, controlling behaviour, and dealing with stress.
A significant focus is placed on helping parents to provide better guidance to their children, enabling them to alter patterns of behaviour and interactions that hinder progress and are not effective. Social skills training is also a large component for children (and adults). This intervention will help make the child more effective with their peers and authority figures (i.e., parents and teachers).
Therapy for adolescents/college students may involve learning to deal with one’s emotions and how they impact how they feel about themselves. Specific methods of thinking result in feelings of depression and anxiety. Therapy will focus on changing ineffective patterns of thought and behaviour that prevent the individual from being effective at school, university and socially.