I strive to be an ally to the blak community. As a practitioner, I enjoy working with heaps of varying cultures, especially when it comes to helping out Māori Pasifika, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health. My counselling style is all about understanding the heavy stuff while considering the intersectionality of each individual, and the many layers of what makes us who we are.

I grew up in Aotearoa. Being a Pākehā, I continually focus on checking myself and acknowledging that all white people hold a degree of white fragility. It’s paramount that I ensure the space I create is one where people of colour feel empowered, emotionally safe and connected to the room.

My work as a counsellor is backed by spiritual principles that resonated with me during my time in Aotearoa. As someone who lived alongside the Māori and Pasifika community, I believe there are legitimate strengths in the Māori health model (developed by Sir Mason Durie), te whare tapa whā.

Taha tinana (physical health)
Taha wairua (spiritual health)
Taha whānau (family health)
Taha hinengaro (mental health)

Narrative Therapy aligns with te whare tapa whā and is leveraged in my practice, never talking at people, but instead being with them. I find success in supporting mental health as a partnership and moving further away from the traditional colonial approach to psychology.

I have completed training at the Clinical Counselling Centre to further strengthen my cultural competency as a practitioner, though I will forever be learning and striving.