Donita Rodrigues – Clinical Psychologist – Plattekloof

Donita Rodrigues - Clinical Psychologist - Plattekloof

Donita Rodrigues is a registered Clinical Psychologist affiliated with the Babies in Mind network at the Plattekloof location in Cape Town. She completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Cape Town, followed by a BPsych in Counselling Psychology. Afterward, she fulfilled her community service requirement at City of Cape Town mental health clinics, where she trained in infant observation techniques and perinatal screening.

Since joining Babies in Mind, Donita has focused on the perinatal period, supporting parents and infants through pregnancy and postpartum challenges. Moreover, she collaborates with fellow network practitioners to develop attachment-based interventions and evidence-based perinatal programs. Consequently, families benefit from cohesive care plans that address both maternal well-being and infant developmental milestones. Additionally, Donita leads regular peer supervision sessions within the network to share best practices in postnatal depression screening and infant neurodevelopment.

Driven by a client-centred philosophy, Donita tailors each intervention to a family’s unique needs. Furthermore, she remains active in professional development through workshops on mindfulness-based stress reduction, perinatal trauma, and infant mental health. As a result, her clients receive cutting-edge, compassionate support throughout their therapeutic journey.

Services

• Perinatal Mental Health Support: Conducts comprehensive assessments and therapy for anxiety, depression, and adjustment difficulties during and after pregnancy.

• Parent-Infant Psychotherapy: Facilitates sessions that strengthen the emotional bond, enhance attunement, and improve caregiver sensitivity.

• Attachment-Based Therapy: Guides structured activities to promote secure mother-infant attachment through reflective exercises and play.

• Infant Developmental Screening: Performs neurodevelopmental evaluations monitoring cognitive, motor, and social milestones in early infancy.

• Breastfeeding Support Counselling: Offers psychological guidance for lactation anxiety, building feeding confidence and maternal adjustment.

• Perinatal Workshops: Delivers group programs on stress management, sleep regulation, and transition to parenthood.

• Postnatal Well-Being Training: Educates parents on self-care, mindfulness, and resilience skills tailored to postpartum experiences.

• Multidisciplinary Case Collaboration: Coordinates with Babies in Mind colleagues in psychology, nursing, and development to ensure holistic care.

Each service emphasises personalised care, with goals co-created alongside parents to ensure relevance and engagement. Additionally, Donita integrates evidence-based techniques in every session, thereby promoting optimal outcomes for both mothers and infants.

Additional Information

All consultations occur within the perinatal therapy suite at Babies in Mind Plattekloof, which features soft-furnished observation rooms, age-appropriate play areas, and secure teletherapy platforms for remote follow-up. Moreover, Donita employs a digital progress-tracking system that allows families to review session notes and home-practice assignments safely online.

She schedules quarterly family feedback sessions to celebrate infant developmental gains and refine ongoing objectives. Consequently, caregivers feel actively involved in each step of the process. Furthermore, Donita leads network-wide professional development workshops on topics such as infant sensory integration and perinatal trauma, thereby advancing the expertise of all Babies in Mind practitioners.

Donita’s commitment to professional excellence and heartfelt compassion ensures a supportive environment where every family flourishes. By focusing her practice within the Babies in Mind framework, she maintains consistent quality and specialised perinatal expertise. Schedule a consultation today with Donita Rodrigues at Babies in Mind Plattekloof to begin your journey toward maternal well-being and infant development.