Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre

Founded by Clinical Psychologist Lungile Siphesihle Mangena, Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre focuses on identifying and managing the presenting problems in infants, toddlers, children and adolescents. It further focuses on enhancing the attachment bond between the parent and the child. Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre is invested in relieving any emotional distress existing within the parent, the child and/or their interaction.

The Building

The outside building that leads to the reception area where clients attending at Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre are warmly welcomed by our staff.

Parking Area

The parking area where clients attending at Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre are able to park their cars safely while the cars are being monitored by our cameras and staff.

Play Therapy Room

Children have a limited ability to express feelings verbally. Children are better able to express their feelings through play. Play allows a child to have a therapeutic release of difficult feelings. Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre adopts play therapy as a therapeutic approach to enable children to express their troubles and learn to regulate their emotions through play. Furthermore, the play therapy room at Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre is also used when conducting theraplay between the child and the parents which aims at enhancing a strong and healthy child/parent attachment bond.

Therapy Room

The therapy room is where talk therapy occurs for individuals above the age of 12 years. Furthermore, it is a place where parental counselling as well as family therapy occurs at Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre.

Vision

Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre thrives at promoting mental health and optimal development for the child so they can grow up as emotionally healthy adults. Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre aims at providing support for the child with an intention of empowering the parents to be able to meet the needs of their children.

Mission

The mission of Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre is improving the mental health of a child (from infancy to adolescent years) as well as that of the parents and the child's family members. The organization aims at providing therapeutic interventions which focus on the following areas: maternal mental health, parent infant psychotherapy, play therapy for children, individual psychotherapy for teenagers as well as theraplay for supporting a strong child/parent attachment bond. Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre further aims at providing parental counselling for the parents as well as interventions for supporting the family to whom the child belongs.

Services at Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre

Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre assesses, diagnoses and manages mental conditions in infants, children, teenagers, parents which may have a negative impact on the relationship between the child and the parents; affecting their ability to interact effectively. Children’s mental conditions that Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre manages are as follows:

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Depression
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Adjustment difficulties
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Bereavement

  • Opposition Defiant Disorder
  • Conduct Disorder

  • Intellectual Disability
  • Learning Disorders
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

  • Parent-Child Relational Problems
  • Sibling Relational Problems
  • Upbringing Away from Parent
  • Child Affected by Parental Relationship Distress
  • Disruption of Family by Separation or Divorce
  • High Expressed Emotion Level Within Family
  • Inadequate parental supervision and control
  • Parental Overprotection

  • Child Physical Abuse
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Child Neglect
  • Child Psychological Abuse

Parents emotional distress (for example, post-partum depression, anxiety, parents’ childhood traumas et cetera), can have an impact on their ability to bond and respond effectively to their children’s emotional needs. Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre believes that it is important to support parents with emotional distress and empower them with techniques that will enable them to respond effectively to their child’s emotional needs. The organisation accomplishes this by providing the following services for the parents:

  • Parent infant psychotherapy
  • Theraplay
  • Parental counselling
  • Family therapy
  • Workshops for parents

Who is Lungile Siphesihle Mangena

Lungile Siphesihle Mangena is a Registered Clinical Psychologist, with special interest in working with children and parents. She trained at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College, where she completed her three-year Bachelor of Social Science degree. Lungile then proceeded into completing her Honours degree in Psychology which was followed by her obtaining a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. She has been practising as a Clinical Psychologist from 2012 till present. Lungile is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as well as the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF). She is affiliated with the Institute for Psychodynamic Child Psychotherapy (IPCP). Lungile has numerous experience in working with children as well as parents. She has a special interest in maternal mental health. Furthermore, Lungile’s work focuses on providing parent infant psychotherapy, working with children under the age of five (5) years old, play therapy, individual psychotherapy with teenagers, parental counselling for supporting parents, as well as family therapy for families in distress. Lungile has a passion for teaching on public platforms where she teaches parents on effective parenting. The parenting talks aim at empowering parents to better understand their children, connect better with their children as well as empowering parents to come to terms with their children’s mental conditions. Lungile is the founder of Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Therapy Centre which is an organisation that focuses on improving the mental health of a child (from as early as infancy) and the parents to whom the child belongs. Furthermore, the organisation founded by Lungile, specialises in relieving any emotional distress existing within the parent and the child as well as their interaction. Ekuthuleni Parent and Child Centre aims at enhancing the attachment bond between the parent and the child.
Credentials: BsocSc, BsocSc (Hons), MA (Clin.Psych) HPCSA Reg: PS0118192; PR no. 0573396

Lungile Mangena is affiliated with

Media centre

VideosandInterviews

Lungile was featured as one of the clinicians in the SADAG's "Ask the Expert" show which was reflecting on children and mental health.

Lungile was one of the guests in the panel discussing parenting and equipping parents in reducing some behavioral problems among their children.

One of the best ways to reduce misbehaviour in children is by praising and giving them attention when they least expect it.

Lungile Mangena The Chatroom

Lungile together with the panel were reflecting on appropriate toys that parents can buy for their children by taking into consideration the child's stage of development.

Lungile was one of the guests in the panel discussing some of challenges of co-parenting once parents are separated. Reflecting on how at times their obsession with hurting each other may have traumatic consequences for the child and them as parents.

Lungile was one of the guests in the panel discussing some of the challenges single fathers may encounter when raising children.

Newspaper Articles

...

Lungile was part of the panel of mental health care professionals that were featured in the Sowetan Newspaper article which highlighted children’s mental health.

Contact

Contact Information