Kumari’s experience is in working with people in crisis as well as people struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, stress, and other issues that affect their day to day functioning. She is currently focussing primarily on ACC assessments and providing an assessment that feels supportive and empowering.

Kumari has been in private practice since 2007. Her areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, trauma and overthinking (the subject of her PhD and popular seminars). Kumari also provides supervision to a range of professionals including those working for ACC and with trauma.

Kumari worked in Christchurch as a postdoctoral fellow on a randomised trial comparing schema therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for depression. Sessions were audiotaped and audited to ensure that CBT was being delivered to a high standard. She also worked part time as a clinical psychologist on an acute inpatient ward and taught CBT to psychiatric registrars and abnormal psychology at the University of Canterbury.

In 2009, Kumari moved back to Dunedin and was appointed as a senior lecturer at the University of Otago where her research work has focussed on attachment, mindfulness, and depression. Kumari also worked on an inpatient ward in Dunedin where she developed an award winning protocol that dramatically reduced inpatient stays for those who chronically self harm while at the self time upholding their dignity and autonomy. Kumari worked for a year in Australia, teaching clinical psychology students in a newly formed programme and served as interim Director of a Psychology Clinic.

Kumari has also recorded a range of mindfulness based CDs and is developing online courses to help people learn and practice mindfulness based coping skills.

2001 Bachelor of Science, Honours, University of Otago

2006 PhD and PGDiploma in Clinical Psychology, University of Otago

2011 Certificate in Tertiary Teaching, University of Otago

Awarded Fellowship of the NZ College of Clinical Psychologists (March 2015) in recognition of contribution to Clinical Psychology in NZ.

Awarded Distance Educator of the Year (2012) at Central Queensland University and teaching commendations (2011-2015).

Awarded postgraduate study scholarship and Postdoctoral Fellowship (University of Otago).

Member of the NZ College of Clinical Psychologists