Frequently Asked Questions

For me the values I hold closest are; Integrity, Respect, Love, Honesty and Trust. These are the foundations that I build all of my relationships on whether they are personal or professional, new or old. 

No matter what walk of life you come from,  I want you to know that I will provide you with a safe non judgemental space to explore who you are. If you are struggling to understand who you are, and how you fit into the world we can chat about it and find a way that works for you to live your best life. 

I offer a pluralistic style of counselling. What this means is that I work with each client in an individual way using a range of  counselling modalities. The main ones I use are; Play Therapy, Creative Therapy, CBT and DBT. If I notice that a different modality will suit a client then I will naturally implement these into the session. These may include Te Whare Tapa Wha, Narrative Therapy and more. 

All of my work is aligned with following a trauma informed approach that acknowledges the role that trauma may play in an individual's life.

Some people attend counselling because they want to be "fixed", however it is important to know that you are not broken; you have just hit a bit of a speed bump and need a bit of help and support to help you through it. Having time with a counsellor and talking through your worries will help clear your mind, give you some strategies and solutions to move forward and ways to manage things if they are feeling overwhelming for you.  So yes, I believe if you are ready to talk and share counselling can work for you. Just spend time finding a counsellor that you truly connect with as that will make all the difference to your success.

Counselling works when you find a counsellor that you connect with, one that you feel comfortable to be yourself with, and one that gives you a comfortable place to share your truth . 

I follow the New Zealand Association of Counsellors Code of Ethics which prioritises client safety and confidentiality. 

For online sessions I use Zoom as this is a secure connection. 

I am police vetted and fully insured

Bachelor in Applied Counselling - Manukau Institute of Technology  2022 (Pending completion Dec 22)

NZAC Provisional Member

Level 5 Certificate in Interpersonal Skills (2020)

Certificate in Mauri Ora (2011)

NZQA Level 2 Maori Te Waharoa (2011)

Full Teacher Registration (2011)

Diploma of Teaching ECE (2008)

NVQ Level 3 in Early Years Care and Education (1999)

International Montessori Diploma (1996)

BTEC National Diploma in Business and Finance (1994)

International Montessori Diploma 

All communication between us ( counsellor and client) is confidential and privileged information, unless the client gives consent to particular information being disclosed. This includes the information your children share with me during their sessions. 

I may discuss my client work in supervision, however confidentiality will be maintained (names and personal details not given) My supervisor is a qualified registered experienced counsellor whose role is to support me and ensure I am following the code of ethics.

Exceptions to confidentiality  will occur when: there is serious danger in the immediate or foreseeable future to the client or others or the client's competence to make a decision is impaired. At this point you will be advised that I am needing to break confidentiality and will be supported during this time

For the first session or so, your child may ask for you to stay in the session with them. After that it is best for your child to attend sessions alone . This needs to be your child's choice, not yours, and although you may be anxious about leaving them I can assure you that they are safe. I will have your phone number on speed dial and if for any reason  they want the session to stop you will be notified immediately.  I do find it is often the parents anxiety that draws the parent to wanting to stay rather than their child actually needing them too. Don't stress though, this is perfectly normal. Sessions with me will be safe and relaxed and tailored to your child's needs so please rest assured they will be ok.

 I have business pages for Room to Reflect on Facebook and Instagram. These pages are used to promote my business and share information about mental health and wellbeing. From time to time I may share photos of pieces of art created by clients. This is kept anonymous and is only done with client consent. This consent is not forced so please know that you can say no. You are most welcome to like and follow these pages. Please do not ask to add me on Facebook. 

 All sessions need to be paid for in advance prior to attending your session.  I accept cash or bank transfer. If notice is given 24 hours prior to a booked in session it can be rescheduled, if however less than 24 hours notice is given, full payment is required for the session.  This needs to be paid before another session can be booked. 

This is up to you, and really depends on what you can afford and how busy you are. For new clients I do recommend attending weekly for the first few sessions. This is for us to build a rapport with one another.  After this I find that clients may move to fortnightly, or monthly depending on their needs. Please note that if you swap to a longer gap between your sessions and you begin struggling again then know that it is ok to book an additional session in the interim until you find yourself on your feet again. 

Room to Reflect offers;

I am hope/Gumboot Funding

This means that anyone aged under 25 has the opportunity to access 2 free sessions. These sessions will be subject to Gumboot Approval 

Disability Allowance (with WINZ approval)

 MSD subsidizes counselling for people of all ages who have a disability or ongoing health condition and need help with the additional costs directly associated with that condition. You may be entitled to the Disability Allowance of up to $70.04 per week to put towards counselling.  Contact WINZ to find out more.