Mrs Melissa Ridgway, MEd
Educational Psychologist
“I am an experienced educational psychologist dedicated to supporting children and adolescents who face barriers to learning. I work to identify each young person’s unique strengths and help them develop practical strategies for academic progress and emotional development.”
About Me
Approach
Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.
Services
Services Offered:
- •
Child Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal assessment of a child's psychological, cognitive, or emotional functioning to identify conditions and guide appropriate support.
- •
Intellectual Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal testing to evaluate intellectual ability and cognitive functioning, often used for educational planning or diagnosis.
- •
Child / Adolescent Therapy
Therapy for children and teenagers using age-appropriate methods, such as play, art, or adapted talk therapy, to address emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Learn more about Child / Adolescent Therapy - •
Play Therapy
A therapy for children that uses play as a natural form of communication, allowing them to express feelings and process difficult experiences.
Learn more about Play Therapy - •
Psychoeducation
Structured information provided about a mental health condition (what it is, why it occurs, and what strategies can help) as part of the therapeutic process.
Learn more about Psychoeducation - •
Adolescent Therapy
Therapy designed for teenagers, using age-appropriate methods to address issues like anxiety, identity, peer pressure, and family conflict.
Learn more about Adolescent Therapy
Works With:
- •Adolescents
- •Children
- •Parents
Area of Expertise
Scope of Practice:
- •
Adolescent Therapy
Therapy designed for teenagers, using age-appropriate methods to address issues like anxiety, identity, peer pressure, and family conflict.
Learn more about Adolescent Therapy - •
Autism (ASD)
A neurodevelopmental condition affecting social communication, sensory processing, and behaviour patterns, with a wide range of presentations and strengths.
- •
Career Issues
Work-related difficulties such as chronic dissatisfaction, conflict, burnout, uncertainty about direction, or the stress of career change.
- •
Child Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal assessment of a child's psychological, cognitive, or emotional functioning to identify conditions and guide appropriate support.
- •
Child Behaviour
Behavioural difficulties in children, such as tantrums, aggression, withdrawal, or defiance, that signal emotional distress or developmental needs.
- •
Mood Disorder
A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.
Learn more about Mood Disorder - •
Learning or Development Difficulties
Conditions that affect a person's ability to acquire, process, or apply information, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or intellectual disability, impacting education and daily life.
- •
Parenting Support
Guidance for the psychological challenges of raising children, including discipline, communication, co-parenting, and managing the emotional demands of parenthood.
Professional Title:
- •
Educational Psychologist
A psychologist specialising in learning, development, and educational needs of children, adolescents, and young adults.
Qualifications
Master of Education
MastersUniversity of Stellenbosch
Year: 2012
Bachelor of Psychology
University of South Africa
Year: 2008
Service Area
