Susan (Sue) is known for her warmth and empathy in her practise as a counsellor and supervisor. She values creating a safe space for clients to make sense of experiences. Within 20 years of counselling experience, she has applied a range of approaches – particularly those that have a relational, person-centred focus and that help people experience, understand and respond to their emotions, thoughts and behaviours most effectively. She is passionate about facilitating change and renewal by identifying a person’s strengths, values and hopes as well as things that get in the way of a fulfilling live and meaningful relationships.

Approaches:

With children she favours Gestalt play therapy and expressive, creative approaches. With adults and teens, she applies talk therapy – Person-Centred, Narrative, Internal Family Systems and Gestalt; as well as expressive techniques; according to what supports her client’s therapy best. Gordon Neufled’s Developmental Psychology of Attachment influences her work and she comes alongside parents to understand their position as parent, as they nurture their children in their growth towards maturity.

Sue enjoys teaching and training and has been a lecturer in tertiary institutions since 2010, including Counsellor/Psychotherapy education programmes at Laidlaw College and Auckland University of Technology. Her research into the place of spirituality and nature in mental health and wellbeing opens opportunity for clients to experience therapy with the support of nature and the natural elements, if they choose to. She has also enjoyed supporting other people-caring professionals in her role as supervisor.

Graduate Diploma in Education

Bachelor of Arts in Health Science

BA Psychology Honours

Master of Arts in Psychology

Additional Training:

Restoring the Sense of Self: Narrative Therapy Strategies for Trauma Healing

Neufeld Institute Intensive One – Making Sense of Kids & Neufeld Institute Intensive Two – The Separation Complex

Trauma Treatment Certification Workshop: CBT and Somatic-Based Interventions to Move Clients from Surviving to Thriving

Transformative Clinical Supervision - by Fran Vertue, Jason Northover and Liz Waugh (Christchurch Psychology)

Unitec / New Zealand Coaching & Mentoring Centre - Supervision Skills for Health and Social Service Professionals

Centre for Play Therapy & Training, South Africa - Introductory and Advanced certificates in Gestalt Play Therapy

Full Member of NZCCA