about me

With much gratitude to all the great teachers, students, colleagues and mentors, patients and therapists alike.

Ursula LaU, phd

Clinical & Research Psychologist

pr. 0797286 | reg. PS 0106674

BA Hons (Applied Psych) [WITS] | MA (Clin MH Couns) [OSU] | MA (Res Psych) [WITS] | PhD Psych [UKZN]

qualifications

I’m registered as a Clinical and Research Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of Social South Africa and Board of Healthcare Funders. I received my Bachelor of Arts with Honours (Applied Psychology) and my Master of Arts (Research Psychology) at The University of the Witwatersrand. I undertook my clinical training as an International Ford Foundation Fellow in the United States, where I obtained a Master of Arts (Clinical Mental Health Counselling) from the The Ohio State University. My Ph.D. thesis in Psychology (University of Kwazulu-Natal) critically explored the question of place identity, desire, horror/repulsion and fear in ‘be–longing’, and what it means to make home in post-apartheid South Africa. The research highlights the search for home as a process that is incomplete, elusive, perpetually shifting and persistently uneven. 

experience

My professional experience comes from having worked with diverse populations, locally and internationally, across wide-ranging contexts and circumstances. Collectively, these experiences continue to teach, enliven, inspire and ground my work.

University Of Johannesburg, Psychology Department | Senior Lecturer (current)

Helen Joseph Hospital | Medical Consultations | Individual Therapy | Mindfulness Groups for Stress and Pain | Familly Therapy | Adolescent Therapy | Neuropsychological, Emotional and Personality Assessments | Suicide Risk Assessment & Management 

TARA Hospital | Ward 4&5 Specialised Unit for Personality Disorders : Individual Therapy | Neuropsychological assessments | Mindfulness, Dialectical Behaviour Group Therapy | Life Skills Groups | Family Support Group

Addiction Recovery Centre (ARC) Dual Diagnosis Specialist Centre | Locum Psychologist – Individual Therapy.

The Centre for Psychological Services & Career Development (PsyCaD) (prev. Institute for Child & Adult Guidance) | Cognitive, Interest, Aptitude & Personality Assessments | Group assessments 

Supervised Practice (Psychometrist) | Cognitive, Intellectual & Developmental Assessments | Psycho-Emotional & Personality Assessments | School Readiness | Career Development

The Ohio State University Counseling & Consultation Service (Columbus, OH, USA) | Initial Consultations | Individual Therapy | Groups: Mindfulness for Depression & Anxiety | Suicide Risk Assessments & Management | RUOK? Suicide Prevention Campaign

Amethyst, Inc. Southpoint Place (Columbus, OH, USA) – Supportive Housing & Addiction Recovery | Case Management | Diagnosis & Treatment Planning | Individual Therapy | Psychoeducational Support

South African Depression & Anxiety Support Group | Counselling Support 

People Opposing Women Abuse | Research | Advocacy | Counselling Support | CBO Training on Gender-Based Violence

SAPS Morningside Police Station | Trauma Counselling / Victim Empowerment

Institute for Social & Health Sciences | Medical Research Council – UNISA Violence, Injury & Peace Promotion Unit | Community-based Research, Dialoguing & Collaborative Practice | Interventions on Violence Prevention and Peace Promotion | Managing Editor : African Safety Promotion Journal | Journal of Community Psychology Student Editorial Board Member | Community Facilitation & Workshops | Academic Seminars, Conferences, Journal Clubs

Student Equity and Talent Management Unit, University of the Witwatersrand | Research Consultation | Programme Evaluation  

Global Village Language Centre (Taichung, Taiwan) | HESS Language Organisation (Taipei, Taiwan) | Group facilitation of English dialogue and conversational skills | Expressive Writing (adults) | English for Kindergarten learners using Total Physical Response (TPR) methodologies | Student Language Assessments

©️COPYRIGHT URSULA LAU 2019