FAQS
General Questions
Canadian by birth, I’ve lived half my life there, and half in New Zealand. My initial training was in psychology (with strong neurobiology emphasis). I then added transactional analysis psychotherapy, neurolinguistic programming (NLP), values-based counselling, meditation and a basket of other skills. I love working with curious, gifted, creative and/or otherwise out-of-the-box people, and am actively involved in research with gifted adults. I train and supervise clinicians around the world. And I also have been lecturing and conducting research.
I work online and face-to-face. My home base is in Auckland, NZ where I work from Eden Therapy (Mt. Eden). I work extensively online with people all over the world. And I travel widely to present workshops and train other health professionals.
My aim is to keep things affordable. My fee is $190 per 1:1 session – about an hour.
Reading what I’ve put on this website should help. I’ve tried to be extensive. You might be sensing that we’re a good fit. If you also feel that this is the time for you to engage with a relational therapy, then get in touch. I’m very open to answering questions via email if that helps you make a decision.
Services & Experience
The different terms can be confusing. I’ve had extensive training in all, and here is how I think about my work:
Therapy is deep work – looking at longstanding and perhaps unconscious habits, ways of being in the world that may have been useful but aren’t serving you well anymore. The work is to bring it to awareness.
Counselling is more about what’s happening right now – negotiating life’s tricky bits while keeping in mind (or discovering) what you value most.
When I Coach, my aims are to inspire, motivate, clarify and support. And often there is room for all three.
I work with adults of any age. Occasionally I work with teens, usually where there is family involvement.
My areas of speciality include out-of-the box adults (some words are gifted, ADHD, neurodiverse – these categories are messy), trauma, executive functions, complex functional disorders and affect (emotions and body) regulation. I have decades of experience and training related to anxiety, depression, grief and motivation.
My training and presentations are ideal for families, business groups, and health professionals.
Sure. Most people seek me out when a problem or issue arises.
My work addresses things like anxiety, depression, relational difficulties, executive function issues, and trauma, including Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (C-PTSD).
Because of my deep understanding of ‘things neuro’ and my interest in out-of-the-boxness, it’s common for people to come when they are exploring their experiences of, for example, ADHD, highly sensitive (HSP), giftedness, and neurodiversity.
However, that’s not the entire picture.
Some of the people I work with come because they see opportunities to craft a life that works better for them, and they want support along THAT journey. And often, the work with ‘problems’ becomes the start of a new and more meaningful life.
In a nutshell, I always focus on positive growth, and the work is always a process of discovery.
My early training and passion were in areas of neuroscience, and I’ve built my psychotherapy training and practise on top of that knowledge. So it comes as no surprise that I love working with curious, intense, creative, complex and/or otherwise unusual people. I am actively involved in research with gifted adults. It’s one of my areas of expertise. That work often overlaps with other experiences such as those related to high sensitivity and intensity, creativity, ADHD (diagnosed or not), dyslexia and the like.
I also work a lot with trauma including complex, cumulative and relational trauma – often referred to as C-PTSD.
My strong background in neurobiology means that I naturally include what I know about the body and our nervous systems in my work. That knowledge is important when we work together with anxiety, depression, motivation and ‘burnout’. It is crucial when we are also dealing with chronic functional health disorders.
Yes. (See also my answer to the previous question)
To name a few: grief, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, domestic violence, serious disability, chronic illness, sexual abuse, depression, and executive function issues. I also work with families and partners at times. If in doubt, please ask. I’m honest.
‘Giftedness’ as Out-Of-The-Box
The word is tricky. Cringe-worthy for many. What I mean is someone who is a bit quirky – sensitive, complex, likely a deep thinker, with emotional highs and lows (and everything in between). It’s more than brain-smart…
Have a look at my anwer to the next question too …
There is a long history of gifted education, and the word comes from that. My research and experience show that being ‘gifted’ is rarely felt as a gift to those who live it. To be honest, I’d love to not use the word, but kids are being given that label, and so far I feel it’s important to have some continuity in how they understand themselves. Maybe soon we can come up with ways to understand the uniqueness without the ‘cringe’ factor AND WITHOUT TURNING THE EXPERIENCES INTO A MENTAL DISORDER WITHIN THE DSM!
Anyway, however we deal with a messy construct, gifted kids grow up. I work with those adults.
CONTACT
I offer to you an open mind and heart.
I have aimed to keep things simple and if you feel ready to get in touch please do not hesitate to do so. Questions are welcome. I am open and honest.
