Thaaniyah Gydien

Thaaniyah graduated from UCT in 2017 and continued to complete her community service at Kimberley hospital. She then stayed on as a permanent speech therapist for 2 years before venturing to open her own practice. Thaaniyah is very passionate about advocating for the voiceless, be they adults or children. She is passionate about continuous learning, teaching, teamwork and holistic care. Thaaniyah completed her Introduction to NDT training through SANDTA in 2019. She then went on to complete her Neurodevelopmental Supportive Care Training through Little Steps and Exploring Infant Behaviour (The Hammersmith approach) in 2021.

Thaaniyah went on to complete her Geriatric Medicine Diploma Series through the Geriatric Society of South Africa. She completed the Palliative care (paediatric and adult) short course through UCT in 2021 and then completed her Post-Graduate Diploma in Paediatric Palliative Medicine in 2022 marking the first speech-language pathologist to complete the diploma. In 2022, she completed training on nutrition in Neurodiverse populations with Lucinda Lourens. Towards the end of 2022, she completed level 1 Makaton and completed level 2 in 2024. She has taken a keen interest in sensory integration by completing mini-courses through the Pediatric Therapy Playhouse and plans to complete the theory course through SAISI next year. In 2023, she completed her SOS approach to feeding training (an approach to children with feeding difficulties). She also completed her PROMPT training in 2023 and is very excited to embark on her myofunctional journey this September (2024).

In addition to consulting and training young clinicians at her practice, she is a clinical supervisor at UCT and consults for Paedspal and Reach for a Dream. She is also a board member for PATCH South Africa. Thaaniyah is incredibly passionate and thrives to provide the best possible care for you and your family.

Zahrah Sedick

Zahrah completed her studies at the University of Cape Town, and went on the do her community service year at Tonga District Hospital in Mpumalanga. There, she gained experience working with patients with various support needs and diagnoses within a multidisciplinary team, including NICU infants, toddlers, school-aged children, and adults.

Since returning to Cape Town, Zahrah has gained experience in the private practice space. There, she worked mainly with early childhood and school-aged patients on their speech and language development, and doing rotational ward rounds in hospital ICUs, before finding her way to the Gydien Therapy team.

Zahrah is an eager learner in all areas of speech therapy and is committed to learning all that she can within the profession she loves.

Mea Hendricks

Mea Hendricks is the bright, welcoming face at the front desk of Gydien Therapy. As a cheerful and dedicated receptionist, she brings positive energy to every interaction—whether she’s answering calls, scheduling appointments, or greeting visitors with a warm, welcoming smile.

Known for her friendly demeanor and can-do attitude, Mea takes pride in making clients and team members feel at ease. She’s passionate about providing excellent service and ensuring that every day at the office runs smoothly.

When you visit or call Gydien Therapy, chances are Mea will be the first to make you feel right at home and is eager to assist in any way that she can.

Thaaniyah Gydien

Caylene graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2021 with a BSc (Hons) in Speech-Language Pathology and completed her community service year at Aliwal North Hospital, where she worked with a diverse range of patients across paediatric and adult settings. It was during this time that her passion for working with children deepened, along with her belief in the importance of connection and compassionate care.

Since returning to Cape Town, Caylene has worked in both hospital and private practice settings, supporting children with speech and language delays, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, and literacy challenges. She is deeply committed to creating a safe, nurturing space where children feel supported and empowered to express themselves with confidence. Caylene is known for her gentle, thoughtful approach and her ability to build meaningful relationships with the children and families she supports. For her, speech therapy is more than a profession—it’s a way to help others feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Thaaniyah Gydien

Kaylin is a passionate speech therapist who completed her studies at the University of Cape Town in 2019. She went on to complete her community service year at Ngwelezane Hospital, a busy tertiary-level facility in KwaZulu-Natal. During this time, she worked across inpatient and outpatient settings, gaining hands-on experience with a wide range of speech, language, and swallowing disorders in both adults and children.

Since then, Kaylin has focused her practice on working with children, particularly those of school age. She has extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of speech sound disorders, language delays, and literacy difficulties. She is especially passionate about supporting neurodiverse children, including those with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and other developmental differences. She strives to create engaging and inclusive sessions that build confidence and empower children to communicate effectively in all areas of life. She loves being part of each child’s unique journey—celebrating the small wins, building trusting relationships, and watching her kiddies grow into confident communicators.

Thaaniyah Gydien