Aqeela Mahomed is an HPCSA dual-licensed Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist.
In 2013, she was humbled and honoured to have been selected for the prestigious Clinical Neuropsychology program at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where only six students are accepted each year.
Fascinated with the workings of the brain, its pathology, and its influence on behaviour, Aqeela eagerly embarked on her journey to complete her Master's degree in Clinical Neuropsychology, with her thesis centring on the Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning following Paediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (pTBI).
She then completed a one-year internship at Groote Schuur Hospital, providing neuropsychological evaluations and assessment services to adults and geriatric populations, and worked within a multi-disciplinary team. She has also had training and experience as a neuropsychologist in pediatric settings such as the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (DCAP) at UCT.
After graduating and completing her qualification in 2015, Aqeela could not practice as a Clinical Neuropsychologist in South Africa as there was no independent registration category in the country for this field. However, internationally, neuropsychology has been an accredited specialist field for over 25 years and is rapidly expanding.
Determined to persevere, Aqeela decided to pursue a second Master's degree. In 2017, she completed her training in Clinical Psychology and Community Counseling at Stellenbosch University (SU). Her research explored the service availability, utilisation, and needs of caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's Disease in low-income communities.
She then went on to complete her clinical internship in two rotations – first at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Johannesburg, where she offered psychotherapeutic services, psychological evaluations, and psychometric assessments to mothers and children.
Aqeela worked at various community clinics in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area as her second rotation, where she offered psychotherapeutic services and conducted psychological evaluations and psychometric assessments to children, adolescents, and adults presenting with a myriad of psychosocial stressors and psychological and psychiatric difficulties.
Feeling fulfilled by her immersion in a community setting, Aqeela decided to remain at the Johannesburg Metropolitan Community Clinics to complete her Community Service. In 2020, she was among the first cohort of UCT Neuropsychology graduates to take and pass the first official HPCSA board examination for the new Neuropsychology registration category ever offered in South Africa.
Aqeela is warm, approachable, compassionate, culturally curious, and committed to providing accessible and effective care to meet her clients' brain and mental health needs. In addition, she is passionate about psychoeducation – not only to destigmatise mental illness but to assist with understanding the effects of brain-related conditions (such as strokes, brain injuries, and dementia) for individuals, families, and communities.
She uses her training and experience in both fields of expertise to inform her integrative and holistic approach to client care. Additionally, Aqeela has rich experience within community clinics, hospitals, and specialist psychiatric settings and has enjoyed interacting with clients and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. She has a profound respect for each individual's unique journey and strives to continue on her own lifelong journey of learning and growth.
Aqeela is currently completing her PhD at Stellenbosch University and is a published author.
Health Professions Council of South Africa
Board of Healthcare
Funders
South African Clinical Neuropsychological Association
South African
Medico-legal Association
Biofeedback Association
of South Africa
Alzheimer's
South Africa
Neuropsychology SA