Phindile Madondo
Intern Counseling Psychologist
Summary
Professional and dedicated mental health advocate, passionate about providing psychotherapeutic services to promote the personal, social, educational, and career functioning and well-being of students.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
4
4
Languages
Work History
Student Success Advisor
2u
04.2021 - Current
- Responsible for various programmes on the University of London Online-Taught degree portfolio.
- Assesses critical situations and decides when escalation is required to internal or external teams through predefined channels, and routinely follows up on student queries to ensure resolution within service level agreement.
- Demonstrates unwavering commitment to the holistic success of enrolled students by consistently being supportive, responsive, empathetic, adaptable and professional beyond standard expectations.
- Acts as a liaison between students, management, faculty and administration for issues related to registration, course selection, assessment, academic success, retention and graduation.
- Connects students with appropriate resources, and streamlines access to tutoring services and other academic support tools.
- Utilizes an in-depth understanding of the technical functions of the Online Campus and related platforms to guide students in navigating their degree programmes and troubleshoots technical issues where necessary.
- Reduces student attrition rates by implementing comprehensive retention strategies.
- Builds strong working relationships with students through regular email contact, check-ins, call cadence to foster trust and open communication,.
- Evaluate existing advising practices and implement improvements for more efficient service delivery that positively impact workload and student engagements.
- Remains up-to-date on departmental processes and resolution procedures through ongoing training and development.
Counseling Psychologist Intern
University Of Pretoria - Student Counseling Unit
07.2019 - 06.2020
- Provided psychological counseling to enrolled and recently academically excluded University of Pretoria students.
- Demonstrated cultural competence by considering cultural and linguistic factors when working with diverse student populations.
- Utilized various evidence-based therapeutic techniques and strategies to address student's mental health, emotional and social concerns effectively.
- Built trust and established rapport with students through active listening, empathy, and validation during therapy sessions.
- Promoted a safe and trusted space by maintaining professional boundaries and adhering to ethical guidelines.
- Compiled detailed student histories using intake forms, interviews, and assessments to build a complete picture for determining optimal therapeutic approaches.
- Facilitated smooth transitions between therapy sessions by managing follow-up appointment scheduling and maintained thorough documentation of therapy sessions in confidential physical files and electronic record-keeping systems.
- Referred students to relevant University departments, administrators, colleagues and external health professionals for further support, where necessary.
- Leveraged good written communication skills to generate therapy and career counseling reports detailing findings and recommendations.
- Met regularly with assigned supervisors to assess individual cases and to coordinate further therapeutic interventions.
- Participated in continuing professional development opportunities to enhance professional skills.
Volunteer Counsellor
Itsoseng Psychological Clinic
04.2019 - 06.2020
- Provided counseling to individuals, groups and families, offering psychoeducational support to help them understand their adversity, emotional, social and mental health concerns.
- Connected clients with relevant community resources to address psychosocial needs.
- Supported high school learners and matriculants in achieving their educational and career goals through use of career assessment tools and career guidance.
- Strictly maintained client confidentiality in accordance with established privacy guidelines and ethical standards set by the clinic and the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
Counseling Psychologist in Training
Nelson Mandela University - E. Student Wellness
01.2018 - 12.2018
- Provided supervised therapy and counseling to current and prospective students at Nelson Mandela University, assisting them with personal, psychological, emotional, social, academic issues, as well as career-selection.
- Developed and implemented creative therapeutic interventions that were tailored to each client's individual preferences and goals, thereby increasing their engagement in the healing process.
- Established strong therapeutic relationships with students by being non-judgmental, showing genuine compassion, and being culturally and linguistically sensitive and adaptable.
- Maintained detailed case notes to track client progress and ensure continuity of care among team members in my absence.
- Contributed to a positive team environment by collaborating with fellow trainees on group projects and presentations.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities to stay current on best practices in counseling psychology.
- Met with assigned supervised on a weekly basis to discuss challenging case.
Counseling Psychology Student
University Psychology Clinic (UCLIN)
06.2017 - 12.2017
- Conducted thorough psychological evaluation to accurately identify and treat mild mental health conditions in children and adolescents.
- Utilized play therapy techniques alongside traditional talk therapy methods to better engage young clients during sessions effectively.
- Through active listening skills, empathy, trust-building techniques and genuine concern for their well-being and success, I established a strong rapport with clients.
- Collaborated with fellow classmates and lecturers for comprehensive assessment and intervention planning, improving overall treatment effectiveness and client satisfaction with therapy progress.
- Provided parent training and support to enhance their understanding of their child's needs and promote positive family dynamics.
- Upheld strict confidentiality standards while handling sensitive personal information in accordance with ethical guidelines relating to children in South Africa.
Education
Master of Arts - Counseling Psychology
Nelson Mandela University
Gqeberha 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Psychological Counseling
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Social Science - Psychology
University of KwaZulu- Natal
Durban, South Africa 04.2001 -
Skills
- Mental Health Advocate
- Short-term and Brief Therapy
- Active Listening and Empathetic
- Psycho-education
- Treatment Planning
- Psychometric Assessments
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Good Interpersonal Skills
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Analytical Thinking
- Time Management
Certification
Health Professions Council of South Africa - PSIN0154717
Timeline
Student Success Advisor
2u
04.2021 - Current
Health Professions Council of South Africa - PSIN0154717
07-2020
Counseling Psychologist Intern
University Of Pretoria - Student Counseling Unit
07.2019 - 06.2020
Volunteer Counsellor
Itsoseng Psychological Clinic
04.2019 - 06.2020
Counseling Psychologist in Training
Nelson Mandela University - E. Student Wellness
01.2018 - 12.2018
Counseling Psychology Student
University Psychology Clinic (UCLIN)
06.2017 - 12.2017
Master of Arts - Counseling Psychology
Nelson Mandela University
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Psychological Counseling
University of South Africa
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Social Science - Psychology
University of KwaZulu- Natal
04.2001 -
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