Society for Educational Psychology of South Africa (SEPSA)

The SEPSA Division of PsySSA aims:

• To co-ordinate professional and research activities in the field of Educational Psychology.
• To promote the theory, practice and research of Educational Psychology.
• To promote liaison between educational psychologists and other personnel such as guidance counselors/teachers, working directly in the field of educational psychology/education support services.
• To promote the relationship between educational psychologists as well as with other registered psychologists, other professions, public and private institutions and the public at large, and in particular to play a role in influencing policy relevant to the practice of educational psychology in education in South Africa.
• To combat abuses in the field of Educational Psychology.
• To promote the general interests of its members.
• To collect and disseminate information pertaining to Educational Psychology.
• To reconcile historically oppressed groups.
• To serve the needs and interests of all South African people.

Description of what Educational Psychology is and how they are assisting the community:

Educational psychology focuses on learning and development across the life span and in multiple contexts. Like other psychologists, educational psychologists are trained to promote healthy functioning and to evaluate, diagnose, and treat pathologies of behaviour, mental processes, emotions and personality.  Educational psychologists often work with clients with primary or co-morbid presentations that include disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood or adolescence; cognitive disorders; mental disorders due to medical conditions; substance-related disorders; mood disorders; anxiety disorders; sexual and gender identity disorders; eating disorders; sleep disorders; adjustment disorders; and personality disorders. They may also deal with somatoform disorders, fictitious disorders and impulse control disorders. Less often, some educational psychologists work with clients who experience schizophrenia; other psychotic disorders; and delirium, dementia and amnestic disorder.

Different educational psychologists (as is the case with all categories of psychologists) will have developed different areas of interest in their practices. Some areas of activity for educational psychologists, within their specialised focus on learning and development, may include the following:

• Promoting psychological well-being
• Treating psychopathology
• Promoting learning
• Facilitating development across the life span
• Psychotherapy
• Family therapy
• Group work
• Community interventions
• Parental guidance
• Couples counselling
• Marital therapy
• Play-therapy
• Parent infant psychotherapy
• Case management
• Psycho-educational assessments
• Psycho-legal assessments
• Vocational assessments
• Examination concession assessments

Assessing, diagnosing and treating a wide variety of psychological issues, such as:

• Problems first diagnosed in infancy, childhood or adolescence (for example, learning difficulties, bed wetting, behavioural problems and anxiety)
• Problems due to medical conditions
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders; such as separation anxiety, post-traumatic stress and generalised anxiety – Problems of adjustment
• Sexual problems
• Gender identity
• Eating disorders
• Sleep disorders
• Personality disorders
• Relationship issues
• Bereavement and loss
• Reconstructed families
• Divorce
• Sexual abuse
• Cognitive handicap
• Autistic spectrum disorders
• Problems with reading, writing, spelling, maths and comprehension
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Obsessive compulsive disorders
• Developmental delay
• Study skills
• Attachment and bonding
• Family conflict
• Step-parenting
• Sexual abuse
• Post-natal depression