Our one-on-one therapy programme is informed by current, evidence-based best practice for the provision of psychosocial care and support for tamariki and mātātahi / young people. It can help reduce incidences of anxiety, depression, isolation, anger and other psychosocial issues associated with childhood trauma, and equip young Kiwis with useful tools to help them cope at the time and in the future. We offer up to 12 funded therapy sessions with registered mental health professionals throughout Aotearoa.
Meet our team of therapists below!
If your taitamaiti / child is affected by serious illness or grief as outlined below, please contact us to see if we can support you with 1-on-1 therapy. We can support:
Please be aware that we're not a crisis service. If you need immediate support, please see our list of services that can help.
Masters of Psychotherapy (AUT), Registered Psychotherapist (PBANZ), Member of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (MNZAP), Member of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT), Member of Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa (PADA)
Angela’s particular areas of interest are relationship difficulties, anxiety and depression, grief and loss, maternal mental health, fertility issues and secondary infertility. She offers the opportunity to explore the connections between the current griefs and difficulties and usual ways of coping. Angela has particular skill in couple’s therapy, understanding that the security of the couple’s attachment bond is important to the grieving process. Additionally, she has a particular interest in how people who have characteristics of Asperger Syndrome experience relationships and in the experiences of their intimate partners. Angela’s private practice is located in Ponsonby, Auckland or online.
More information about Angela can be found at http://www.talkingworks.co.nz/listing/angela-shaw
Bernice Gabriel is a South African psychologist, based in Hawke’s Bay, who has 20 years’ experience working in child and adolescent mental health. Bernice has assessment and therapeutic skills (individual and group) in a broad range of mental health, behavioural and parent-child relationship interventions and therapies. She is currently employed part time at the Child, Adolescent and Family Service, Hawkes Bay District Health Board. Her particular interests are attachment and trauma-related difficulties in tamariki and adolescents.
For more information about Bernice's work, you can check out her website here: www.nowpsychology.co.nz
Masters of Psychotherapy (AUT), Registered Psychotherapist (PBANZ), Member of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (MNZAP), Member of the New Zealand Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy (NZCEFT)
Bronwyn has worked extensively both in private practice and in Hospice and Bereavement settings for the last ten years. She has a passion for helping individuals and couples facing life threatening illness, companioning the dying and supporting the bereaved.
More information about how Bronwyn works can be found on her website www.yourpath.co.nz
Bronwyn’s private practice is based in Greenlane, Auckland.
Caryl is based in New Plymouth and has over 20 years’ experience in a variety of settings: Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health (DHB), Specialist Behaviour Service (MoE), ACC psychological services, Special Education Services, and private. She provides assessment and treatment services for children, youth, and adults.
She has particular interests in anxiety, mood challenges, and parent work. She is passionate about personal growth and development within the context of healthy relationships. She uses a strong ecological framework, working with and alongside her clients, schools, and other agencies.
Therapy styles include Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment (ACT).
Currently in Private Practice, Cheska has worked for 20 plus years in a variety of settings: Inpatient and Community Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health, Paediatric Diabetes, Mother and Baby Unit (Starship Hospital), Specialist NZ Family Court Writer, ACC Sensitive Claims and ACC Health, Secondary Education System (Guidance Counsellor and Teacher), Retreat Centre and Buddhist Hospice, Complementary Health, ProCare Health and Employment Assistance Programme.
Her session focus is on supporting tamariki, mātātahi and families through serious illness, cancer and bereavement
Choosing a Psychotherapeutic Approach to suit the individual seeking help: Therapies: Cognitive Behavioural (CBT), Acceptance Commitment (ACT), MindBody, Creative, Spiritually Based, Trauma Focused, (EMDR)
(B.A, M.Ed, PgDip Child & Family Psych, MNZPSY Registered Psychologist)
I am a Registered Psychologist with a Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Family Psychology (PgDip Child & Family Psych) from the University of Canterbury.
I have over 17 years’ experience in the assessment and treatment of a range of psychological problems affecting tamariki, mātātahi, adults, couples and families.
Although I have a very diverse practice these days, I have a particular interest in the areas of couple and family therapy, plus adolescent and adult therapy as related to anxiety and/or mood disorders, or individuals looking to address more existential concerns and/or grief and loss. I am passionate about personal growth and development in the context of our important relationships and I have worked with many individuals seeking to enhance their interpersonal skills and ability to form and maintain healthy relationships.
I continue to contract to various government agencies including Police, Coronial Service, Family Court, Public Defence Service and the Judiciary where I provide support to individuals who are working in high stress environments.
I am a member of The New Zealand Psychological Society, Registered with New Zealand Psychologists Board, an accredited TRIPLE P (Positive Parenting Programme) Practitioner, and an accredited provider of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) - a treatment specifically designed to alleviate the effects of trauma exposure.
I have worked in the public sector at the Regional Eating Disorders Service in Auckland, and for the Auckland District Health Board Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. I have worked in the private sector since 2013.
I work with people experiencing eating disorders, depression, relationship difficulties, stress, trauma, emotional overwhelm and regulation difficulties. I have a particular interest in working with anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, generalised anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. I specialise in working with children, adolescents and young adults.
I have training and experience in a variety of evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive behaviour therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy with a particular interest in acceptance commitment therapy. I am passionate about assisting people to live a life that is value-driven and meaningful for them. I help people develop insight, coping strategies and skills that help them manage distress, as well as manage difficult thoughts and emotions.
Kia ora. I am an Arts Therapist/Counsellor working in private practise in New Plymouth. Arts Therapy is a form of Psychotherapy. When we begin working together we explore if your preference is for a more talk based or an arts psychotherapy based approach.
I work with children, teens, adults and have experience working with people from diverse backgrounds. My previous experience has included teaching in primary and secondary schools in New Zealand and London, guidance counselling in high schools and also as a counsellor/arts therapist companioning the dying and supporting the bereaved through Hospice. At Hospice I worked both on site and in homes with carers, the dying, the bereaved and their wider Whānau.
Bereavement often unleashes questioning of our values, existential questions about our existence and purpose, leading to a change in the in essence of who we are. It is a privilege to accompany people in this journey.
You can find out more information about me on my website
https://deborahfrenchartist.com/mamaku-arts-therapy/
I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years’ experience working in mental health in a variety of roles and settings. I completed training to doctoral level in the UK, where I am from, including specialist placements with children and families. I moved to New Zealand in 2019 and worked in the DHB before moving into private practice. I am passionate about actively promoting psychological ideas among the community to improve the wellbeing of families.
I use a variety of different psychological modalities, including systemic/family-based work, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, considering attachment and parental needs, and EMDR. I also have a lot of experience working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum. I enjoy adapting sessions to fit the needs and interests of people I see, knowing that everyone has their own family story and things which are important to them.
You can find out more information about me on my website www.drfreyjamann.com.
I see people face to face in Invercargill, and can also work online if appropriate.
Georgia has a passion for supporting children, young people and whanau through life's challenges. She strives to ensure all involved feel supported & empowered throughout the process. Georgia grew up in Invercargill and studied at the University of Otago to study. She has worked in various services across Otago and Canterbury including child and adolescent community mental health teams, student health services, and in research settings. She is currently based at reThink Children’s Therapy in Dunedin. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring local beaches and cooking creations in the kitchen.
Georgia is based in Dunedin, https://www.rethink.net.nz/team, and available via telehealth in the wider Otago & Southland region.
Glenn is a registered clinical psychologist with over 13 years’ experience. He specialises in working with tamariki, mātātahi, and families. Glenn also provides various specialist psychological assessments.
Since moving to New Zealand over 10 years ago, Glenn has been employed as a clinical psychologist with a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. For the last 8 years, Glenn has been the clinical leader and consultant psychologist in the child teams, and more recently in the areas of youth offending and conduct problems.
Registered Counsellor and Play Therapist
Jenhai began her career working with tamariki, mātātahi and their families in a variety of settings after training as a social worker and in counselling in the 1990s. She then went on to train as a Play therapist at York University in the UK. She has provided therapeutic services to tamariki, and their families affected by loss, trauma, adoption and parent and child relational difficulties both in the UK and now in Aotearoa.
In her work she offers a child- centred approach through the use of play. She works from a strength - based practice which she sees as being vital to building a positive and affirming working relationship with her clients. She has developed a strong interest in parent –child attachment relationships and over the past 8 years has provided infant- parent (0-5yrs) psychotherapy both in a residential and community settings. She is currently pursuing further post –graduate studies in Perinatal, Infant mental health and Parent- Infant Psychotherapy .Her goal is to facilitate a safe space where children and their parents can find resolution, healing and recovery.
Jenhai has a private practice based in Hamilton.
Jo Doyle has worked in Christchurch as a registered Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist since 1996. After completing a BA she trained as a primary school teacher at Christchurch Teachers' College and taught in Te Anau before travelling overseas.
On returning to Aotearoa Jo completed a post-graduate clinical diploma in Child Psychotherapy at the Wellington School of Medicine. She returned to Christchurch to take up the position of Child Psychotherapist for the Christchurch District Health Board in 1996, and has since worked in the public and private sectors.
Jo specialises in working with tamariki and their families who have experienced trauma and loss. This includes experience working with teenagers who are suffering from anxiety and depression. Jo works from the Blackheath Building in Sydenham, Christchurch.
Joanne Bruce is registered child and adolescent psychotherapist with the psychotherapy board Aotearoa New Zealand and a member of the New Zealand Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy (NZACAP). She did her training through the Otago School of Medicine in Wellington many years ago and has been working with children and their families in distress in New Zealand and in Australia.
Joanne did her training through the Otago School of Medicine in Wellington many years ago and has been working with children and their families in distress in Aotearoa and in Australia.
Joanne uses play-based therapy to help tamariki in individual sessions to help them express themselves and their inner world. She also sees tamariki and their parents together for attachment therapy to help them both understand the developmental story and make sense of what has happened to them.
Based in Tauranga, Joanne has a private practice near Bayfair shopping centre and does one day a week in Rotorua.
PBANZ (Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand), NZACAP (NZ Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists)
I work therapeutically with children, adolescents, young adults, and whānau with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma, behavioural and emotional difficulties, or with those who are having trouble in relationship, be it with family, peer groups, or romantically.My practice is based on psychodynamic psychotherapy and sessions can include a combination of talk therapy, play, sand tray, art, and awareness of the connection between the emotional and physical body. While disharmony manifests in different ways for different people, I work to try and understand the essence of what is causing the symptoms that you, your child, or your whānau may be experiencing to support your return to fulfilling relationships and a meaningful engagement with life.
I am a New Zealand registered Psychologist specialising in Health (Masters in Health Psychology , PGDip HealthPsych (First Class Honours)). I have a passion for helping individuals holistic health & well-being and providing a safe space to talk. I understand every client is individual and I tailor my sessions accordingly- whilst utilising research based therapy.
My expertise include:
Nicola Jackson is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and specialises in helping infants, tamariki and adolescents who are experiencing challenging feelings and behaviours. She welcomes all young people and their whānau including those from the neuro-diverse, rainbow, twice-exceptional and other non-dominant communities.
Nicola practises in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and her Masters of Psychotherapy is focussed on infant sibling bereavement.
More information about Nicola and her practice can be found at www.childinmind.co.nz.
I have over 25 years’ experience working with children and their families in District Health Board mental health services, charitable and private settings in New Zealand and the UK. I have experience as a clinical manager and supervisor. I have acted on the Executive of the New Zealand Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists for 9 years. I served as a practitioner member of the Board with the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand (PBANZ), and continue to act as professional advisor to the Board.
My clinical experience includes work with a wide range of clinical presentations in children and adolescents, including depression, anxiety, developmental issues, attachment and family relationship issues, trauma and loss. I offer assessment, support and advocacy, clinical supervision and child, adolescent and family psychotherapy.
For more information about Simon's work, you can check out his website here: harakekecentre.co.nz/simon-hall/
Seonaigh works with infants, children, adolescents, parents and caregivers. Her work encompasses grief and loss, particularly within families. Advocating for children, she supports families to optimise their relationships and works with children in play, following their lead to understand their internal world. She enjoys supporting children and parents to live fulfilled lives. Based in Lower Hutt she works both face to face and online.
MSc Psychotherapy (London), PGDip (London), MA (Hons) Psychology (Auckland), BA
Veronica has worked in a range of public, private and third sector settings and is trained in and able to use a range of assessment and treatment approaches including relational, attachment-based, cognitive behavioural, systemic,mentalization-based, DBT skills and psychodynamic.
She has worked with tamariki, adolescents, adults, couples, groups and families for many years in both Aotearoa and the UK. . She is an experienced clinical professional supervisor of other clinicians across professional disciplines. She also worked as a consultant and advisor in the UK on best practice in working with families, parenting and high risk, complex presentations. Veronica managed services for over ten years in the UK, specializing in child and family community services. Her professional interest areas are adolescence, parent-child relationships, family systems, negotiating transitions, separation and loss, abuse and trauma, and couple work.
Tara qualified as a counselling Psychologist in Ireland in 2000. With over 20 years’ experience, she has worked in a variety of different settings, including with adult survivors of childhood abuse, Specialist Behaviour Services with Te Mahau (Ministry of Education), Primary Mental Health, Infant Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Paediatric (inpatient and community) and Child Development Services. She works part time with Te Whatu Ora-Lakes and also has a private practice.
Tara provides comprehensive psychological assessment and intervention for a wide range of emotional, behavioural, developmental and parenting difficulties. Tara specialises in neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessments and paediatric support for families, whose children have a diagnosed medical condition. Drawing on multiple theoretical orientations and techniques, Tara adapts her approach to fit the individual needs and goals, and is predominately guided by the Humanistic, Narrative, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches.
Melanie is passionate about supporting children and their families and enhancing parent -child/family relationships through difficult times and challenges. Melanie has over 25 years’ experience in social services and the health sector. She has previously worked for hospice developing and delivering services for parents and children with life threatening illnesses and has provided bereavement therapy.
Melanie holds a BSc (Hons)degree in Applied Social Science and post graduate qualifications in Child Centered Play Therapy, Theraplay (attachment-based therapy) and Filial Family Therapy. Melanie is an approved therapist for ACC sensitive claims and Victim Support.
Melanie’s has a private practice is based in Tauranga, https://www.playtherapytauranga.co.nz
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