When we started this journey a couple of years ago, after my son received an ASD diagnosis, we quickly realised how important it is to have the right team for support and therapy. Michaela has been a part of our team since October 2019.

Michaela has been working with our son over the past couple of years and he has flourished. He thoroughly enjoys his sessions with her and always looks forward to them. During their sessions they work on various things, like social skills or any specific areas that have been brought up in conversations. In addition to this, Michaela also offers support to us as parents and his teachers as and when required. It is always great to have someone to test theories with or ask for advice on how to deal with specific situations.

We are very grateful for the role Michaela has played, and continues to play, in our son’s journey.

Michaela has been involved as a Social Worker/therapist at the Boland School for Autism since 2019. With her interest and natural flair for the learner on the spectrum, she had added tremendous value to our students, and supports the rest of the family as well. Whether it is support with getting grants, social skills or routines and structure in class/home – her remarkable knowledge of her field led to many solutions of situations, which in turn lead to happy and enriched parents. Her highly professional approach to cases and dealing with them makes her the therapist that any school dreams of. Always on time, well prepared and ready to handle any situation she is the perfect team player with all the skills and experience to operate as an individual as well. Her reporting is excellent and as a member of our multidisciplinary team she keeps everyone up to date on cases. Thanks Michaela for walking many extra miles for Boland Autism School.”

My only wish for my little girl was for her to be happy. She seldom seemed truly happy. My daughter struggled to identify emotions in others. She exhibited impulsive behavior, emotional outbursts, and she seemed to lack focus. Her schoolwork was suffering. She had outbursts at school and at home and she struggled to make friends. She was labelled as a ‘bully’ and a ‘difficult to handle’ child. I believe that her difficulties may have been contributed to some of life’s obstacles she was having to face. In her short life of only 7 years I think there were more than she should have had to face. Michaela has offered me, as the parent, and my daughters teachers a lot of support and guidance on how to handle specific situations with her, what to look out for and how to navigate issues at school. My daughter had seen one other therapist before Michaela and I always felt like this person helped her, but never offered the amount of support that Michaela has offered me. She loves her sessions with Michaela and the work they do. There has been a significant improvement in her behavior at home and at school. She hasn’t had a major outburst in months, her schoolwork has improved, and she has a wonderful group of friends now. She is a happy 7-year-old, and it is all thanks to Michaela. Ever Grateful”

“The tools Michaela provided to not only my son but to us as a family helped and was relevant to our situation. We can highly recommend Michaela (Rise-Up Therapeutic Services) for counselling. She will go above and beyond to assist.”