Our Services
Assessments
At Mindmatters Psychology Practice, our team of experienced educational & clinical psychologists provides comprehensive evaluations using internationally recognised standard instruments and methodology to understand the academic, social/emotional and behavioural needs of each child. These evaluations are typically used to:
- Provide an overview of the student’s profile of strengths and identify areas for development.
- Identify learning disabilities.
- Develop treatment plans, Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
- Make referrals to appropriate agencies for remediation/therapy.
- Understand social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.
- Apply for special examination arrangements.
- Identify giftedness.
- Assess readiness for school entry.
- Identify appropriate school placement.
The evaluation process involves:
CONSULTATION
An initial consultation is done to clarify the reason for the referral. We also gather necessary information related to the birth, developmental and medical histories as well as patterns of behaviour.
The use of rating scales, observations, interviews and / or structured standardised cognitive, academic and / or diagnostic tests are done to provide a profile of the child’s development.
A formal report is prepared three weeks following the completion of the assessment process. The report consists of background information, test results and analysis, and recommendations.
We offer evaluations to identify students with:
- ADHD
- Giftedness
- Dyslexia
- Global Learning Difficulties
- Dyspraxia
- Specific Learning Disability
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Dyscalculia
- Language & Processing Difficulties
Therapies
Our educational / clinical psychologists provide evidence-based therapeutic interventions for a range of social / emotional and behavioural problems faced by the children and adolescents of today.
The goal of the therapy is to increase self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management and responsible decision-making to increase resilience, develop strengths and resources, build healthy relationships and achieve a positive self-concept to develop into well-adjusted individuals who can achieve their potential.
These therapies are carried out in individual or small group sessions that are specifically tailored to the students’ specific needs. Students in the small group sessions are carefully matched in terms of age and area of development.
The various conditions that they work with include:
-
Obsessive Compulsive
Disorders - ADHD
-
Stress & Anxiety
Trauma - Depression
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
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Eating
Disorders
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Impulse & Anger Control Issues
- Self Esteem Issues
Programmes that we carry out include:
Is based on Michelle Garcia’s Social Thinking curriculum. It helps students think about others and understand how their behaviours affect other people’s reactions, which in turn affects how they feel about themselves.
The children are taught strategies to process social information and learning is enhanced through experiential exercises in a small group setting.
Individual strengths and weaknesses are considered at the same time in the selection of strategies so as to best facilitate the child’s ability to interact successfully with others.
A social problem solving strategy to help students learn to control their emotional reactions, organise cognitions and produce behaviours to achieve socially acceptable outcomes.
It teaches them to look and listen instead of reacting immediately to problems and conflicts and encourages them to consider solutions and evaluate consequences so as to choose the best action to take.
A social thinking curriculum developed by Michelle Garcia Winner’s Center for Social Thinking Inc.
It offers a fun forum for students to explore social thinking by using cartoon characters to depict socially appropriate and inappropriate behaviours.
Children with social cognitive deficits learn about their social environment through the use of explicit and concrete language that can be easily understood by children of all ages. It is suitable for students from grade K to 5.
Therapeutic approaches include:
Involves the identification of the purpose or function of challenging behaviours. Through training, the students learn to replace challenging behaviours with socially appropriate behaviours.
Helps students to learn to take control of how they interpret and deal with factors in the environment that reinforces their beliefs and causes negative thoughts. It involves the identification of problematic beliefs before learning and practicing new skills in real world situations.
Experiential & Expressive Therapy
Such as clay and sand play uses imagination and the process of creative expression to help students heal. It is particularly suitable for young children or those who have difficulty verbalising their emotions.
Techniques are used to engage the whole family as a unit and involve key family members in positive social interactions to facilitate therapeutic changes.
This was founded on the work of Dr William Glasser and Choice Theory. Choice theory explains how and why we behave in a certain way and is taught as part of the therapeutic process. Students discover what they want and how they can get it, learn to make better choices, take responsibility for their own behaviour and develop satisfying relationships.
Helps students to discover their own strengths and resources so that they can identify solutions to overcome difficulties. It focuses on each student’s competencies and abilities to empower them and build up the steps to successful behavioural change.
Triple P: Positive Parenting Programme
Coaches parents on simple and practical strategies to help them confidently manage their child’s behaviours, prevent problems from arising and build strong, healthy relationships.