How We Work
Common Psychological Issues
Obviously you'll have an idea of what want to achieve. It could be help with any of a number of issues. Commonly these concern things like interpersonal difficulties, academic underachievement, concentration, ADHD, anxiety, depression, career guidance, memory problems, work stress, confidence, relationships, sleep problems, impulsivity, anger management or alcohol/substance abuse. It could even just be curiosity about yourself or a persistent feeling that you could be doing better.
Mol Med
Virtual Reality
Psychologists have always had access to a wide variety of excellent assessments. Now there are some innovative new instruments that are raising the bar. Virtual Reality is very useful for measuring focus and concentration or for use with treatment, for example phobias. With neurometric analyses it is possible to look at brain function and of brain networks in a completely non-intrusive way. Also useful are physiological measures of galvanic skin response, heart rate, skin temperature, respiration especially regarding stress. All these measures enrich and enable the treatment process. With the advent of wearables, there are ways of taking assessment into real life. With heart rate data (and other physiological biomarkers) over the period of an entire day you can look at ratios of sympathetic/parasympathetic states. This is important information in terms of treatment.
How We Work
Systems Biology & Digital Therapeutics
Also relevant is the massive growth of genetic knowledge and systems biology. Within the ambit of functional medicine this provides new ways of defining and assessing what it is to be healthy, both in the mind and body. For example, variations on just one gene called COMT can go a long way to understanding personality traits, behaviours under pressure and cognitive performance. There are others that help explain mood states. Another use of technology is Digital Therapeutics. Cogmed Working Memory Training is an excellent example of that. The need for working memory training is identified by way of an assessment and then the training is done at home, monitored online and coached by way of regular text messages and voice calls.
How we work
How We Work
Common Psychological Issues
Obviously you'll have an idea of what want to achieve. It could be help with any of a number of issues. Commonly these concern things like interpersonal difficulties, academic underachievement, concentration, ADHD, anxiety, depression, career guidance, memory problems, work stress, confidence, relationships, sleep problems, impulsivity, anger management or alcohol/substance abuse. It could even just be curiosity about yourself or a persistent feeling that you could be doing better.
Mol Med
Virtual Reality
Psychologists have always had access to a wide variety of excellent assessments. Now there are some innovative new instruments that are raising the bar. Virtual Reality is very useful for measuring focus and concentration or for use with treatment, for example phobias. With neurometric analyses it is possible to look at brain function and of brain networks in a completely non-intrusive way. Also useful are physiological measures of galvanic skin response, heart rate, skin temperature, respiration especially regarding stress. All these measures enrich and enable the treatment process. With the advent of wearables, there are ways of taking assessment into real life. With heart rate data (and other physiological biomarkers) over the period of an entire day you can look at ratios of sympathetic/parasympathetic states. This is important information in terms of treatment.
How We Work
Molecular Medicine & Digital Therapeutics
Also relevant is the massive growth of genetic knowledge, molecular medicine and systems biology. Within the ambit of functional medicine this provides new ways of defining and assessing what it is to be healthy, both in the mind and body. For example, variations on just one gene called COMT can go a long way to understanding personality traits, behaviours under pressure and cognitive performance. There are others that help explain mood states. Another use of technology is Digital Therapeutics (also called Digital Medicine). Cogmed Working Memory Training is an excellent example of that. The need for working memory training is identified by way of an assessment and then the training is done at home, monitored online and coached by way of regular text messages and voice calls.
Teebus and Koffiebus near Steynsburg. Photography by Dave Southey