Improving Psychology:

Discussing Arubig Mental Healthcare with SIKI Aruba

From left to right: Naziha Wever-Ras, Gionette van Geest-Becker, Jayburtt Dijkhoff, Antoniette Geerman, Marije Jansen, Chantel Vlaun at PSYCHED ARUBA

​We had an important conversation with Jayburtt Dijkhoff from SIKI Aruba discussing about the necessary changes in Aruba’s psychology systems and the introduction of ARUBIG. As many of you know, the title “psychologist” isn’t protected—anyone can claim it and treat clients, which brings certain risks. On top of that, we face a mix of professionals from various educational backgrounds—whether they’ve studied in the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, the US, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, and beyond.

​It’s clear that working together is essential. If we aim to improve the mental wellbeing of children, adults, and the elderly in Aruba, we must focus on building bridges among mental health workers and finding consensus, rather than emphasizing our educational differences. ARUBIG, launching for psychologists in 2025, is designed to help create this much-needed consensus and mutual understanding, ensuring we uphold quality mental healthcare for all citizens of Aruba.
We also received Jayburtt’s book, "E derechonan di Pashent", which our intern Chantel Vlaun pointed out aligns perfectly with our mission. It supports one of our core strategic pillars: ensuring quality mental health care for all, read more about our mission and vision on our homepage. SIKI Aruba, advocating for patient rights and healthcare quality through education, further emphasizes the importance of locally-based research and validation, so we can provide psychological therapy and assessments that reflect our shared culture and shared language.
Grateful to have Jayburtt with us, and excited for the changes ahead in psychology on Aruba!