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SACNA 2026: Assessment & Beyond:

The Art and Science of Neuropsychology

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The 18th Biennial Conference of the South African Clinical Neuropsychological Association

CELEBRATING MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE AND WORKING TOWARDS TRANSFORMATION

Dates:

Venue:

Theme:

5 – 8 May 202

Blaauwberg Beach Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa

Assessment & Beyond: The Art and Science of Neuropsychology

Invitation to Attend

The South African Clinical Neuropsychological Association (SACNA) is delighted to invite you to our 18th Biennial Conference. This year marks a historic milestone as we celebrate SACNA’s 40-years plus Birthday.

To honour more than four decades of growth, we are looking forward to taking new steps in the organisation in the service of South African neuropsychology. The 2026 theme, “Assessment & Beyond: The Art and Science of Neuropsychology” explores the dynamic interplay between clinical practice, scientific innovation, and the human dimensions of our work. We are gathering to bridge the gap between science and the “art” of rehabilitation and understanding the human context and experience within neuropsychology, in the South African context.

Whether you are a seasoned practitioner, a researcher, or a student, join colleagues from across South Africa, Africa and the globe for four days of scientific exchange, networking, and professional growth in the beautiful setting of Cape Town.

The Aims of the Conference

A core aim of SACNA 2026 is to address the future of our discipline in South Africa. We are moving beyond traditional models to ensure our practice is contextually and ecologically relevant and inclusive.
  • Decolonising Training: We will examine how to reconfigure training structures that still reflect Eurocentric curricula.
  • Indigenous Epistemologies: We aim to tackle the marginalisation of indigenous knowledge systems to ensure cultural relevance in clinical practice.
  • Bridging Science & Practice: We are placing a renewed focus on person-centred practices, ecological validity, and multilingual and multi-cultural engagement.
  • Rehabilitation: We aim to expand the existing focus on neuropsychological assessment to include knowledge of and engagement in contextually relevant neuropsychological intervention within the local healthcare system.

Meet the Keynote Speakers

We are proud to host a local and international lineup of experts driving innovation in research, rehabilitation, neuropsychology assessment, psychotherapy, and education:

Prof. Kevin Thomas

Topic: Transforming Neuropsychology Training in South Africa.
Prof. Thomas will present a framework for decoloniality and practical theology to address historical inequities in the workforce. He will outline a transformative agenda including curriculum reforms, mobile clinics, and satellite campuses to diversify the profession.

About Prof. Kevin Thomas

Kevin Thomas is a Professor and Dean of Humanities at University of Pretoria. His work plays a pivotal role in the transformation of the discipline locally, using decolonial theory and practical theology as frameworks to reconfigure neuropsychology training in higher education. He is dedicated to addressing historical inequities shaped by apartheid-era policies and Eurocentric curricula, with a specific focus on the inclusion of Black and female voices. His professional agenda advocates for curriculum reforms, the diversification of the workforce through mentorship and outreach, and the implementation of patient-centred practices that prioritize ecological validity and indigenous epistemologies.

Prof. Jonathan Evans

Topic: The State of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation.
Prof. Evans will discuss the evidence base for rehabilitation, introducing “Neuropsychological Nudges” and the use of technology in task management. He will also present on Single Case Experimental Design (SCED) as a vital methodology for generating evidence in clinical settings where large trials are impossible.
About Prof. Jonathan Evans
He is a Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Glasgow, where he serves as the Programme Director for Clinical Neuropsychology training, and an honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist with the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. A Past-President of the International Neuropsychological Society, he has published over 200 papers, books, and chapters within the fields of cognitive neuropsychology, assessment, and rehabilitation. His contributions to the discipline have been recognised with several prestigious honours from the British Psychological Society, including the May Davidson Award, the M.B. Shapiro Award, and the Barbara Wilson Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Jill Winegardner

Topic: Neuropsychological Formulation & The Art of Practice.
Dr. Winegardner will explore how formulation helps clinicians understand “puzzling cases” and manage complex symptoms like fatigue and intrusive thoughts. Her sessions will focus on translating principles into practice using a biopsychosocial model.


About Dr. Winegardner
Dr. Jill Winegardner is a clinical neuropsychologist specialising in rehabilitation, currently serving as the Director of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and an Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She previously served as the Lead Psychologist at the world-renowned Oliver Zangwill Centre in the UK from 2010 to 2018 and has provided teaching and consultation internationally in countries such as Nicaragua, Turkey, and India. A widely published author, she co-edited Neuropsychological Rehabilitation: The International Handbook and was honoured with the British Psychological Society’s Practitioner of the Year Award in 2015. She is also a co-founder of the Saugatuck Institute for Neuropsychological Rehabilitation.

Prof. Oliver Turnbull

Topic: The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy & Emotion Regulation.
Prof. Turnbull will explore “The Visceral Mind,” linking brain anatomy to the mind. He will discuss how emotion regulation predicts mental health outcomes and how therapeutic experiences are altered after brain injury, offering a genuine “neuroscience of psychotherapy.”
About Prof. Oliver Turnbull
He is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Neuropsychology at Bangor University, Wales, where he also serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor. His research primarily explores emotion and its consequences for mental life, covering topics such as intuition, false beliefs in neurological patients, and the neuroscience of psychotherapy. He has authored approximately 200 scientific articles and notable books, including the popular science text The Brain and the Inner World (co-authored with Mark Solms) and Mistakes in Clinical Neuropsychology: A Case-Based Approach. Additionally, he runs the Visceral Mind Summer School, an innovative neuroanatomy course that teaches brain structure through drawing and painting.

Invited & Honorary Speakers

Dr. Vigneswaran Veeramuthu

(Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara, Malaysia)
Topic: To be announced.
About Dr Veeramuthu
Dr Veeramuthu completed his doctoral training with a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology (Neurosurgery) from University of Malaya in 2016, a clinical fellowship at Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience Institute (2013), and recently a clinical observation at the Department of Neurosurgery, University of California San Francisco (2023). His clinical and research interest lies predominantly in the area of neuropsychological evaluation, presurgical planning, intraoperative brain mapping, advanced neuroimaging and rehabilitative interventions in neurological surgery (brain tumours and epilepsy predominantly) and disorders of consciousness.

Conference Programme & Topics

Pre-Conference Workshops:

Main Conference:

5 May 2026

6 – 8 May 2026

The full program will be available in March 2026.

Call for Abstracts: Closed.

Key Topics Include:
  • Neuropsychological Assessment and Diagnostic Approaches
  • Forensic Neuropsychology
  • Treatment and Rehabilitation
  • Issues unique to practice in diverse contexts.
    • 31 January 2026.
    Click here

    5 May: Pre-Conference Workshops

    MORNING (09:00 to 12:15): Introduction to the Fundamentals of Clinically Applied Aviation Psychology (Aeromedical Psychology)

    Presenter: Trevor Reynolds is a registered clinical and neuropsychologist with extensive knowledge and experience in clinically-applied aeromedical psychology. He has presented and lectured locally and internationally, and has been a contributor to a comprehensive text on aeromedical psychology.

    What to expect: This three-hour introductory workshop explores the fundamentals of clinically applied aviation (aeromedical) psychology. It covers the regulatory framework, key skills and assessment requirements for clinical and neuropsychologists working with aircrew and air traffic controllers, and uses case illustrations to highlight best practices in reporting to the South African Civil Aviation Authority. The session also introduces a more in-depth course in Clinically Applied Aviation Psychology.

    AFTERNOON (13:00 to 16:00): Brain Drawing Workshop (Afternoon)

    Presenter: Prof Turnbull has a long standing interest in teaching neuroanatomy through drawing, and also painting, brains.

    What to expect: Prof Turnbull, will lead an interactive workshop exploring the anatomy of the human brain through art. It covers the fundamentals of human anatomy by adopting a classical approach of ‘anatomy through drawing and rehearsal.’ Attendees will be provided with a diagrammatic workbook and will practice the drawing and labelling of core brain structures.

    We will extend the theme of this workshop with an art exhibition at our welcome function. More information will be provided in January 2026.

    Social Events

    5 May 2026

    5 May 2026: Student Contact Event: 17:00 to 18:30

    A student networking event will be held on 5 May in the evening. The event aims to give psychology and neuropsychology students an opportunity to interact with one another, and with the SACNA Exec and conference speakers, to gain more information regarding the Neuropsychology profession.

    The function will include drinks and snacks. The details of the event will still be announced. We look forward to seeing you there!

    Our student representative on the SACNA Conference Sub-committee is Jason Hall, who will assist with organising this event.

    6 May 2026

    Reception Function & Art Exhibition

    Stories from the Kwakhanya Childhood Trauma Study

    We want to welcome all the conference delegates with a special early evening of drinks, snacks, and an art exhibition that includes products of the previous day’s brain drawing workshop, a display of art used in the Kwakhanya Childhood Trauma Study and an exhibition of art pieces submitted by practitioners and others sharing their personal experiences. We hope to receive submissions for our art exhibition from artists, art therapists, psychologists, other practitioners or their clients (with permission) around the conference theme, with the exhibition title: ‘The Art of Neuropsychology.’

    The guidelines and process of art submission have been compiled and are available from nicky@sacna.co.za or erika@sacna.co.za, or find more information and submit your request for exhibition space here before 27 March: https://form.jotform.com/260432136589561

    7 May 2026

    Gala Birthday Dinner: 19:00 to 23:00

    One of the focus points of this year’s SACNA conference will be a special gala dinner, celebrating the more than 40 years of SACNA’s existence and reflecting on the role SACNA has played in advancing Neuropsychology in South Africa. We also want to remember previous SACNA conferences and events. Reflections on the past and the future will be shared. We aim to celebrate a new era in the history of Neuropsychology in South Africa, which started with the opening of the Neuropsychology registration category. Moving forward, SACNA finds itself in a new era of transformation in health practices in South Africa as well as worldwide societal shifts, including technological transitions. To open our celebration, Dr Ann Watts (LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-d-watts-0505424a/) will briefly talk about SACNA’s role in Neuropsychology in South Africa, followed by a toast to our past and current SACNA leaders and members. We are planning a true celebration at a lovely venue (On the Rocks Restaurant) against the magnificent backdrop of Bloubergstrand and Table Mountain views and a celebratory atmosphere created by our projector displays.

    Keep an eye open for information about SACNA’s history project, and participate in sharing photos, documents and reflections on SACNA’s activities through the years.

    Registration & Fees

    Registration is now open! Presenting authors are required to register and pay fees to confirm their attendance. Secure your spot early to take advantage of discounted rates.

    Early Bird Deadline: 28 February 2026.

    • Dietary Supplements (Halaal/Kosher) apply.
    • Exhibitor Stands are available starting at R6 500.00.
    • Please note: Day Delegate rates do not include evening functions.
    • Art exhibition space is limited and requires booking, but it is free.

    Category


    • SACNA Members (Full Conference)
    • Non-Members (Full Conference)
    • Student Members (Full Conference)
    • Pre-conference Workshop (5 May)
      Morning (Aeromedical)
      Afternoon (Brain Drawing)
    • Day Delegate (Member)
    • Day Delegate (Non-Member)
    • Gala Dinner (Add-on)
    • Welcome Function (Delegates)
    • Additional Ticket for Welcome Function and Art Exhibition

    Early Bird Fee (Until 28 Feb)

    • R5 550.00
    • R6 100.00
    • R4 250.00

    • R1 500.00
      R1 500.00
    • R3 000.00
    • R3 300.00
    • R 650.00
    • Free
    • R 450.00

    Standard Fee


    • R5 950.00
    • R6 500.00
    • R4 250.00

    • R1 800.00
      R1 800.00
    • R3 500.00
    • R3 500.00
    • R 650.00
    • Free for Delegates and Art Exhibitors
    • R 470.00

    Marketing, Conference Exhibitors & Sponsors

    Blaauwberg Beach Hotel, Cape Town

    Conference Exhibitors and Marketing:
    We welcome conference exhibitors and marketing of neuropsychology-related products. To register as an exhibitor or to place pamphlets in the conference bags, please login and click on the registration button for the conference. The fees for exhibitors and marketing (pamphlets) are noted in the table.

    Sponsorship:
    We invite sponsorship in various forms, including support for speakers, conference events such as the gala dinner, attendance fees for others, or any other aspect of the conference. Should you wish to sponsor the event or its associated activities, please contact Nicky at nicky@sacna.co.za.

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    Venue & Accommodation

    Blaauwberg Beach Hotel, Cape Town

    Set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, the Blaauwberg Beach Hotel offers the perfect environment for relaxation and professional networking. We encourage delegates to book early to secure accommodation at the venue or in the area.

    How to Register

    Don't miss the opportunity to be part of the 40-plus anniversary celebration.

    • Click the Book Now button to access the registration portal. Log in or create a profile. Provide your details, indicate your choices and click submit.
    • Contact: For queries, please email mymembership@sacna.co.za and Nicky or Christi will respond.
    Book now

    Join us in May 2026 as we celebrate the art, science, and future of Neuropsychology!