An example of shells used to understand family dynamics, an example of how I work as a counsellor

How I work 

Tangata is the Māori word for person, which emphasises the importance of you and I. I endeavour to create sessions in which we can meet as genuine human beings. Each of my clients takes a different experience from their sessions. This demonstrates the personal nature of counselling. It also highlights how I work as a counsellor.  Furthermore, I believe by being sensitive to the here and now enables me to offer you a range of counselling techniques. Each has opportunities to help you reach your desired goals or potential.

I feel it is important that you have the control over your counselling. During our first session, we will discuss what has brought you to me. Collaboratively we will decide how many sessions would be a good starting point. I will always be open to reviewing our progress. I understand that you are the one living your life. Therefore you are in the best position to know what is right.

I won’t be able to ‘fix you’ with a magic wand. However, personal experience has taught me that commitment to the counselling relationship can be a truly humbling experience. The rewards available have the potential to be life changing. Additionally, I offer patience, especially if this sounds daunting or like mumbo-jumbo. Finally, I am fully committed to helping you set your life in the right direction.

 

A technical bit

I believe that my person-centred approach provides a solid foundation on which we can begin. As sessions progress I may feel as though techniques from other counselling approaches may be useful. I am trained to work integratively, meaning that I have experience using aspects of CBT, psychodynamic, transactional analysis, Gestalt or existentialism to name few. Also, I have experienced how effective it can be to use creative mediums such as writing, life-lines, sand trays, force-field analysis or work with shells and stones. Creative working has the ability to be very powerful and can provide us with great insights into your unconscious. It is something we can decide to use together.