BRINGING OUT THE BEST

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Globally, psychometric tests have been a tool for many years to help employers find the best person for the job. While much depends on the candidate and position, essentially the result can give an overview of the candidates’ character, strengths and weaknesses. There’s also been a growing demand for individuals to test their own abilities, perhaps find hidden talents and strengths whether for career choices or improving their quality of life – or both. So, if we feel the need to plumb our own depths, how do we go about this? Lauren Scherman, an uMhlanga psychometrist, updated us on the complex world of psychometry. Lauren recently moved from Pretoria to uMhlanga and bought the popular uMhlanga Health Shop, the products adding value to her independent practice Psycognition. “Clients often ask what more they can do to better their mental and physical well-being and how a psychometric assessment can improve their daily life. I administer assessments for personality, cognitive abilities, career and subject choice, intelligence (including emotional intelligence) which gives them more information about themselves. Each client receives a personalised report that highlights his or her unique traits and abilities, cognitive development, strengths and weaknesses as well as coping styles and methods. The testing is usually divided into several individual sessions to avoid fatigue and achieve optimal performance,” explains Lauren.

The learners - finding their light

Evexia is a psychiatric day clinic where Lauren is head of the psychometric unit of a multi-disciplinary team consisting of psychometrists, psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, dieticians, occupational therapists and more. “The focus from the

Bringing out the BEST

WITH A NEW YEAR AROUND THE CORNER, NOW IS THE TIME TO IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE – PERSONALLY AND CAREERWISE, EXPLAINS LEE CURRIE

psychometry side is on pre-school, primary and high schools,” says Lauren, who carries out assessments at several schools.

“I have found that parents generally don’t want to hear that their children may have a learning disorder or other underlying problems. However, we need to address this early, thus preventing it from manifesting and growing into adulthood which takes much longer and may even be too late to fix. Prevention in these cases is definitely better than cure. Severely limited school hours during the pandemic have also exacerbated learning difficulties. We work with complex children and teens and take time with each learner creating comprehensive evaluations with ready access to other services. If a child needs to see other specialists, we co-ordinate the consultations. Giftedness or very high intellectual ability may come to light during the assessments which will allow recommendations for accelerated learning opportunities. We are all passionate about helping children overcome their obstacles, watching them blossom and reach their full potential.”

The shop

Umhlanga Health Shop has been in existence for more than two decades, and residents and visitors have always been welcome to pop in for a chat and advice. “We will continue to stock the majority of products such as nutritional supplements, vitamins and so on, while increasing the range of new products to keep up to date. While the health shop allows a holistic approach towards improving our clients’ well-being, it’s important to note we do not diagnose nor offer homeopathic treatments, and where necessary refer the client to the appropriate health professional. I believe in going that extra mile as each person is unique and we enjoy learning and growing with them.” *

ABOVE: Psychometrist Lauren Scherman offers psychometric assessments to adults and schoolchildren to help them improve their daily lives.

FOR MORE INFO Psycognition, Level 3A, PearlsMed Medical Centre, The Pearls of uMhlanga; Psycognition.co; Email: lauren.psycognition@gmail.com

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