Manuela Lopes
Occupational Therapist
Manuela Lopes obtained her BOcc Ther from the University of Pretoria.
After a few years she was snapped up by Akeso Clinic, a private practice, where she’s still based. She works with adults, adolescents, dual-diagnosis adults and adolescents, and patients with eating disorders, oversees both individual and group therapy and is currently managing the young adolescent programme. Her passion lies in adolescents and their long-term treatment and integration back into community. When she’s not spending time at home with her partner, Clive, she’s playing with her boisterous huskies and Spaniel or reading a gripping novel.
She completed her community service at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg, where she cut her teeth in neuro rehab and psychiatry. From there she moved to the government-owned Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital West of Johannesburg where she worked with chronic patients and conducted forensic assessments required for court proceedings.