Sasja van der Merwe: Clinical Psychologist

SERVICES PROVIDED:
I do neuropsychological assessments and provide psychotherapy from an integrative framework for:
·         Children and Adolescents
·         Adults  (including the elderly).

Depending on the need of the client, I provide:
·        Individual Psychotherapy;
·        Family Therapy;
·        Couples Therapy (gay and straight); and
·         Group Therapy.

I work with all psychiatric diagnoses and have a particular interest in working with adolescents and adults who are striving to work through childhood wounds in order to lead a more fulfilling life. I also have a special interest in working with individuals with low self-esteem and issues with guilt and shame.


BACKGROUND:
I worked as an Occupational Therapist for 10 years from 2000-2010. I worked at Denmar Psychiatric Clinic providing individual and group therapy. I also worked in private practice with children and at a school for children with emotional and learning problems. I worked mainly on improving the quality of life of people struggling with psychological discomfort.

In 2008 I obtained my Honours degree in Psychology, cum laude, through UNISA; and in 2013 I obtained my Masters degree in Clinical Psychology, summa cum laude, through UNISA. I completed my internship at Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital in 2013 and my year of Community Service at the community clinics in Bronkhorstspruit and Dark City in 2014.

WORK EXPERIENCE:
COMMUNITY SERVICE AT TSHWANE DISTRICT, REGION C: Bronkhorstspruit Clinic and Dark City Clinic

Neuropsychological assessments and psychotherapy with individuals, families, and couples of all ages and diagnoses but particularly:
·         Sexual abuse of woman and children;
·         Severe, acute trauma;
·         Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; and
·         Complicated Bereavement.

I designed, implemented and evaluated a programme which addressed adolescent school girls with the aim of empowerment of the community by encouraging survivors of sexual assault to speak out without shame and fear and with the necessary support.

INTERNSHIP AT STERKFONTEIN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL:
I worked in the Forensic Unit of Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital for eight months where I did:

·         Psycho-legal work, including high profile neuro-psychological assessments and report writing for the court;
·         Psychotherapy with state patients in the form of individual-, group- and family therapy with patients of ages ranging from 18 to 65 and all diagnoses including state patients suffering from severe psychopathology and higher functioning state patients waiting for re-classification and placement.

I designed, implemented and evaluated a programme designed for state patients diagnosed with severe mental illnesses which is currently being written up for publication.

I worked for four months in the Dual Diagnosis Unit designed for patients suffering from a substance abuse disorder and a concurrent mental disorder where I provided individual-, group-, and family therapy for patients of ages raging from 20-60. I also did psychological assessments.

For 12 months on a weekly basis I did neuropsychological assessments and provided psychotherapeutic input at community clinics for individuals, families and couples of all ages and all diagnoses but in particular:
·         Complicated Bereavement;
·         Personality Disorders;  and
·         Mood- and Anxiety disorders.
 

TRAINING:
I obtained theoretical training in the following subjects:
·         African Epistemology; Basic Therapeutic Skills; Community Psychology; Ecosystemic Psychology; Marriage and Family Therapy; Neuropsychology; Psychological Assessment;  and Psychopathology

I obtained practical experience in the following:

• Personality- and Neuropsycholgical Assessment in different populations including at Weskoppies Hospital; 
• Assessments around child custody cases at the Office of the Family Advocate;
• Working in the city community with the terminally ill;
• Programme design and group psychotherapy in a sheltered workshop in the community of Soshanguve for adults suffering from Mental Retardation with concurrent psychiatric diagnoses
• Individual-, Child- and Family psychotherapy

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS:
- Investigating the effects of a group therapy programme designed for a ward with in-patients in a forensic setting diagnosed with severe mental illnesses (co-authors: Dr. DCJ Hoffman & Prof. U. Subramaney) .
o    In process for publication
o    Presented at the South African Psychology Congress (PsySSA) (2013&2015)and at the African Regional Conference of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Process (IAGP) (2015).

- The Importance of differentiation of the self of the psychotherapy trainee.
o   In process for publication
o   Presented at the International Congress of Psychology (ICP)( 2012); at the Southern African Students' Psychology Conference ( 2013) and at the European Congress of Psychology (ECP) ( 2013)  in Stockholm, Sweden

- Ensuring viable structural coupling with a community by gaining entry from a respectful position of informed not-knowing.
o   In process for publication
o   Presented at the Southern African Students' Psychology Conference ( 2013) and at the European Congress of Psychology (ECP) July 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden.

- DVD review: Virginia Satir: The use of self in therapy (co-authored with Niel Victor), published in:
o   New Voices in Psychology Vol 8 (1) 2012, pp.129-131; and

- Congress report: Honey and Saffron: The 13th European Psychology Congress, Stockholm, Sweden 9-12 July; published in:
o   New Voices in Psychology Vol 9 (1&2) 2013, pp. 130-133


Credentials
B.PSYCH HONS (UNISA); MA. CLIN PSYCH (UNISA)
Address: 13 Hazelwood Street, Pretoria (Menlo Park area)
Telephone: 071 152 5443
E-mail: sasjavandermerwe@gmail.com
HPCSA: 0122874;  
PRACTICE NUMBER: 0600334

---