TACOA offers the following services;

1. Counselling Service

TACOA provides professional counselling services to individuals, couples and groups.  Some of the issues dealt with include stress, HIV/AIDS, adolescence issues, relationship   challenges, premarital and marital issues etc. Supervision for practicing counsellors:  This is done with individuals as well as in groups.

Psychotherapy for children (play therapy)

Play therapy is psychotherapy for children. Generally it describes a range of treatments, all of which work through, and with the child’s play. With play, children are able to communicate their thoughts and feelings without uttering a word. Children are seen in a therapeutic playroom where toys and materials have been selected to encourage expressive play. Child psychologists use a variety of techniques and activities during the course of play therapy, such as drawing, clay, story-making, sand tray therapy, puppets, or other play activities that encourage expression of feelings.

There are many difficulties that can be addressed in play therapy, such as the adjustment to difficult life situations for instance, the divorce of parents, illness, trauma and loss. In addition, children are assisted with coping skills and resources to deal with issues such as bullying, low self-esteem, anxiety and poor social skills.

The procedure at TACOA organisation is that the Child Psychologist meets with the parent/s or guardians first to obtain a detailed history of the child prior to the play therapy sessions. Regular contact with parents takes place after, approximately four play therapy sessions and continues in that vein until objectives for the child’s psychotherapy have been attained.

Psychotherapy for adolescents

Psychotherapy with adolescents is conducted by psychologists who have experience in adolescent issues. Psychotherapy for adolescents can often be a mixture of psychotherapy and creative techniques, if for example the adolescent is not verbal and has difficulty communicating.

Psychotherapy with adolescents covers numerous difficulties such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self-harm behaviour, conduct/behavioural concerns and eating disorders. Many adolescents also struggle with self-esteem issues and finding their identity.

Psychotherapy with adolescents is confidential and psychologists won’t break that confidentiality unless the adolescent is at risk. There is contact between the adolescent’s parents and the psychologist during feedback sessions to assist parents with areas of concern.

Psychotherapy for adults

Psychotherapy and Counselling are terms which are similar as they describe the same process. Psychotherapy or Counselling is a process whereby an individual explores their thoughts, feelings, actions and relationships with a psychologist. The psychologist helps the individual evaluate where difficulties develop and/or exist and consequently, what changes are likely to improve one’s life satisfaction and overall psychological adjustment. An individual can then learn to make the changes that are necessary to achieve better overall wellbeing and satisfaction with life.

Psychotherapy assists with many difficulties, some of which have a specific name, for example, clinical disorders such as depression, anxiety (OCD, social phobias etc.), post natal depression, substance abuse difficulties and so forth.

However, many experiences often don’t fit under a neat label and psychotherapy also benefits individuals who:

• Are feeling overwhelmed by life in general

• Need to make important and life changing decisions

• Are experiencing difficulties in their relationships with their partner, colleagues, friends or family members

• Feel that they are not coping with their job and other life stressors

• May be struggling with an illness, whether it’s their own or a family member’s etc.

Don’t know what to do or where to go for help and can’t talk to others about their concerns

Couples/Marriage/Relationship Counselling

Relationships come in all forms and sizes. Marriage Counselling or Marriage Therapy as the name implies is counselling with individuals who are married. Couples Counselling is similar, however, ‘couples’ is not limited to married people. Couples, in essence refers to two people in some sort of relationship, whether they are married, live together, don’t live together, are in a same sex relationship and so forth.

Individuals usually enter into Couples Counselling when they are in crisis. Relationships are complex and never static and tend to flow and ebb much like the sea. During the course of a relationship there will be times when events and circumstances come to the fore, which can escalate, destroy, blur or question feelings of love and commitment. Partners do not necessarily always have the same level of emotional connectedness, interests, or the indeed the same perception of what their relationship is or isn’t. A relationship can become unhealthy or even abusive or the partners can feel stuck or redundant. Marriage Counselling/Couples Counselling can address many specific issues, including:

• Communication problems

• Sexual difficulties

• Conflicts about parenting

• Conflicts about blended families

• Financial difficulties

• Infidelity

• Separation/Divorce

Couples Counselling can assist the couple to:

• Understand their current relationship and how they came to the point of where their relationship is at present

• Determine what they want out of the relationship, what works and what doesn’t

• Voice their concerns about the relationship in a safe place with an objective professional

• Discuss what they want from each other to make the relationship work

• Learn new and effective ways of communicating

• Understand and resolve conflicts

Assessments

TACOA organisation offers various assessments for children and adolescents from the ages of three onwards. The organisation is dedicated to keeping assessment tests and techniques up to date in accordance with the latest research regarding the measurement of a child’s strengths and vulnerabilities.

Developmental assessments
Developmental assessments evaluate young children (from 3 to 5 years of age), in particular to determine a child’s progress in meeting important milestones of early childhood. Important milestones occur in a variety of spheres such as in the areas of language, visual motor integration, self-regulation, motor skills and emotional development. If there are concerns, developmental assessments provide answers that allow for early intervention. Early intervention therapies take time, and the earlier they begin the more effective they are likely to be.

School readiness assessments
School readiness assessments are important when there are queries with regard to a child proceeding or being retained due to their age or abilities/progress in the Grade 0/R or Grade 1 year. The school readiness assessment evaluates a child holistically, for example, both on a cognitive and emotional level. The findings of the assessment assists parents and teachers in making an informed decision about the way forward regarding appropriate grade placement.

Psycho-educational assessments
A psycho-educational assessment is conducted when teachers or parents are concerned about a child’s progress in the classroom for example, there are inconsistencies in the child’s performance, or a child is not understanding or following instructions, is not keeping up with the rest of the class, is getting poor grades, or is in danger of repeating the grade. Psycho-educational assessments answer crucial questions as to why the child is struggling and what the best course of action is to assist the child.

Psycho-emotional assessments
Psycho-emotional assessments evaluate the child’s emotional well-being. At times it can be difficult to know what is bothering a child. An emotional assessment is a good way of determining a child’s self-identity, self-concept, personality traits, his/her perception of their family and any other issues that may be causing them distress.

Diagnostic assessments (Asperger’s, Autism, ADHD/ADD, Learning Difficulties etc)
A diagnostic assessment is appropriate when there are concerns about a child’s communication, social skills and behaviour and autism or related difficulties are suspected. Other difficulties such as ADHD or ADD and learning difficulties are diagnosed when a child undergoes a psycho-educational assessment. Once an assessment is completed assessment outcomes are discussed with the parents as well as any recommended interventions specific to the difficulty.

Vocational/Career Assessments
Finding a career path that provides contentment, desired success and personal fulfillment is a significant task of life. Career assessments are especially useful for adolescents and young adults who need help making a career decision. The primary aim of vocational/career assessments is to examine aptitude, interests, personality, values and goals. Collectively they give a good indication as to possible future career paths. Psychologists at TACOA organisation, who specialise in working with adolescents, identify career pathways that reflect the individual’s strengths, personality and preferred working styles.

Subject Choice
Subject choice assessments focus primarily on the interests and abilities of the youngster. These aspects collectively assist the youngster’s self-knowledge and enable them to make an informed and considered choice with regard to their Grade subjects.

Concessions
Assessment for examination concessions are necessary when the youngster has a specific difficulty which requires special consideration for examinations.

Family Therapy

Family therapy assists the family reconstruct family patterns of interaction that are functional to promote healthy family relationships.

The old adage that one cannot choose your family as you can with friends highlights the importance of creating and maintaining robust family relationships. Difficulties in family interactions can occur within nuclear families as well as other types of family circumstances, such as grandparents looking after their grandchildren, single parenting and so forth. Thus a family is not specifically limited to one definition of a mother, a father and children. In today’s complex family set-ups there are more and more blended families after a divorce or separation. As a result, children not only have to deal with their own siblings but stepbrothers and stepsisters as well as stepmothers and stepfathers. Parents themselves have to deal with their ex-spouses as well as their respective partners and their partner’s children. When difficulties arise, it can become difficult to get clarity or sort everything else with so many individuals involved. It is in instances like this that family therapy becomes vitally important and necessary to improve relationships within the family.

Parental Guidance

Psychologists at TACOA organisation work with parents to help them assist with any difficulties that their children are experiencing. Through parental guidance, psychologists focus on helping parents understand and respond to their child’s behaviour.

 

2. Training Courses

A range of professional counselling trainings are offered. TACOA is training the following Academic courses in Counselling

Workshops/Talks/Programmes

A variety of talks, workshops and programmes are offered at TACOA organisation. The aim of these is to provide information, guidance and assistance with a variety of mental health and wellbeing issues. The workshops, talks and programmes are relevant to various age groups as well as, in the case of children, their caregivers and other professionals such as teachers. Full details about upcoming events will be announced on the website

Short Courses and Workshops:

TACOA provides services within TACOA and outside as per clients’ requests.  Our courses include training in Basic Counselling Skills, HIV/AIDS as well as workshops, seminars in various topics such as Trauma, Adolescents issues, parenting, Employee Assistance Programme, Child Therapy among others

Certificate Courses:  

Aim to equip participants with basic counselling knowledge to use on a day-to-day basis.  It is offered to people who have a minimum form 4 & 6 certificate pass and with a special interest in supporting others in the society and who are interested in developing professional counselling skills.

Participants who successfully satisfy the course objectives are awarded the Association’s Certificate in Counselling.