I am a fifth generation New Zealander on my father’s side, and third generation on my mother’s side.
I have roots in Ireland and England, and my family settled in Taranaki. I was born in Titahi Bay, Porirua, and the hills and waters of this part of Aotearoa are very significant to me. I lived in Manawatū for most of my school years, and Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) for a large portion of my adulthood. I have also lived in France, Italy and Alaska. In 2017 my husband, three young sons and I made Whanganui home and we love it here - especially the wide banks of the awa, the fresh roar of the sea, and the rich green of the suburbs.
I am passionate about human beings, relationship and communication, and have been for over twenty years. I came to therapy through my own experiences of counselling. My earlier careers included corporate communications and primary school teaching - which was both in Alaska and Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington).
I work with adult females, males, people of diverse genders, sexual orientations and sex characteristics. I work primarily one-to-one with clients. I am experienced in group facilitation, primarily in the fields of anger, abuse and family violence. I am particularly interested in developing therapeutic programs to ensure they incorporate research and therapeutic interventions that put the healing of trauma at the centre.
My qualifications include:
Masters of Counselling Studies - with distinction (Massey University)
Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy (2 year programme from the Hakomi Institute)
Post-Graduate Diploma of Teaching: Primary (University of Alaska Fairbanks)
Honours degree in Literature: New Zealand Literature and Children’s fiction (Victoria University of Wellington)
Bachelor of Arts (Victoria University of Wellington)
In addition, I have completed a number of specialised workshops including relationship therapy, working somatically with trauma, and suicide awareness and prevention. My learning - in the form of self reflection, supervision, workshops and study - is an ongoing part of my lifelong apprenticeship as a counsellor.
I was awarded a post graduate scholarship from Graduate Women New Zealand in 2019 for academic merit, personal attributes, and future plans in the field of counselling. My research from my Masters of Counselling was accepted for publication in the New Zealand Journal of Counselling, 2019.
I hold provisional membership with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors and am a Certified Hakomi Therapist with the Hakomi Institute (NZ and International).