​​​​​Department of Psychiatry

​Staff​

Clinical Psychology 

Heads of Sections


Principal Psychologist: Tygerberg Hospital​

Christina.jpg

Dr. Christina van de Merwe

BSc, BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD (Child Psychology)


Tel: 021 938 9455 | ​​9445

Fax: 0​21 938 9611

Dr. van der Merwe is the Head of Clinical Psychology at Tygerberg Hospital, Principal psychologist, and Senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry. She has a special interest in child and adolescent psychiatry, specifically, the treatment of adolescents with eating disorders.

Principal Psychologist: Stikland Hospital  

Melany L Hendricks

BA, HDE, BA Hons (Psychology), MA Clin Psychology, MPhil Applied Ethics, LLB


Tel: 021 940 4451

Fax: 021 940 4443


Melanie is the Head of Clinical Psychology at Stikland Hospital, a principal clinical psychologist, and a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry. She has a special interest in biomedical ethics and psycho-legal practice.


Principal Psychologist: Lentegeur Hospital  

​​Mlappeman.jpgMaura Lappeman

PhD (Psychology)


Tel: 021 370 1326


Dr. Maura Lappeman is the Head of Clinical Psychology at Lentegeur Hospital, a principal clinical psychologist, and a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry. She has a special interest in community psychology and health systems. She has published her work in international journals like the British Journal of Psychotherapy and BMC International Health and Human Rights. She previously worked for almost a decade in the community and district levels in Khayelitsha.