Our team
About Me
Anne O’Kane
Much of my work has had a trauma focus which led me to further study and understand somatic presentations of mind, body and emotional wellbeing. “The body holds the score’’ concept underpins my holistic interventions with individuals today. I hold psychodynamic understandings of an individual’s presentation and utilise this understanding in working with clients in an informed manner.
I work with couples to help enhance relational satisfaction through Imago Therapy principals. Again I experience this way of working to be insightful and transformational.
About Me
Sophia O’Kane
I am also O’Kane Counselling and Psychotherapy Service’s practice coordinator. In this role I liaise with practitioners, ACC, manage client enquiries, organise supervision, invoicing and more.
About Me
Juliana Lawrence
“The life in front of you is far more important than the life behind you” – Mahatma Gandhi
I focus on client -centred approach and work according to client’s needs and readiness, providing a non-judgemental space to share. I am a good listener and have great compassion for your narrative, understanding your needs and your trauma.
My approach to counselling is to work with clients to create a ‘good life model’ for their future and the future of their loved ones. My purpose is to create a safe place for clients to explore their life events, explore their own strength, to build upon it, to understand themselves better and to focus on the positives of life. Post traumatic growth is the basis of my therapy which revolves around empowerment and self-worth.
Counselling / Therapy Services:
Trauma informed care; focusing on healing from historical /childhood trauma, domestic violence, sexual abuse, relationship issues, PTSD, anxiety, depression, isolation and other mental health illnesses.
Counselling / Therapy Approach:
Trauma Focus Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (TFCBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Behaviour Change Modals / skilled based / mindfulness
Compassion Focused Therapy
Internal Family Systems
EMDR
Client Types:
Adults – male & female.
Vast experience and special interest in working with Maori & Pacific clients.
Telehealth Only
About Me
Caroline Witten – Hannah
About Me
Robyn Agnew
Firstly in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and then within Oranga Tamariki (CYF) as a Therapist, then Manager of child assessment and therapy services (Specialist Services). During this period of work, I was ACC registered providing therapy services to child clients.
I then provided national policy and support to social workers within CYF implementing and running a Critical Incident Stress Management Service. This service triaged social workers following work related incidents causing harm. It comprised a team of up to 60 trained senior social work staff who would provide support to a site experiencing work related incidents. I also trained a staff of up to 200 peers to provide day to day on site support for affected staff.
Following this period of work, I took a sabbatical in the UK working for the first time as a child protection social worker in the Scottish Highlands.
Coming back to NZ I worked in the Starship and then began working for HELP (sexual abuse therapy) supporting families managing sexually abused children.
I now work solely in private practice, doing a lot of Sensitive Claim ACC work for clients with historical sexual trauma. I enjoy helping with relational difficulties either family or work related.
My ACC clients have learned to be silent contenders with their own abuse experience, most never sharing or disclosing their abuse.
Therapy assists with clients understanding what has happened to the spirit within after damage has occurred. The role of the therapist provides a sensitive mind to assist the feeling states of clients to come to terms with their own experience and become liberated into their true selves, not stuck in their trauma self.
The ‘originating’ family psychodynamics have often operated to suppress all child resistance to oppression and encouraged self-internalised denigration and punishment which controls the child’s own spirit.
In survival mode the child makes the best decisions to survive and in therapy the adult child needs to review the family patterning; the decisions the child made and if they are relevant now.
I feel joy with the adult child’s connection with this powerful new energy that allows the adult to be themself.
This is the joy of therapy. Seeing a client’s increasing independence and the liberation of experiencing their true self.
About Me
Melanie Woodham
Registered Clinical Psychologist
Member of the New Zealand Psychological Society
Member of the Institute of Clinical Psychologists
Member of EMDR New Zealand
My name is Melanie Woodham and I have been working with infants, children, adolescents/youth and families since 1999. I am experienced in the clinical assessment and treatment of a wide range of psychological and mental health difficulties such as:
- stress and adjustment issues
- behavioural difficulties
- neurodevelopmental issues such as ADHD and ASD
- grief and loss
- trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder
- anxiety
- depression
- anger management and emotional dysregulation
- attachment and relationship difficulties
- parenting and family issues
- children living in out-of-home placements and adoption
- school anxiety
- sleep difficulties
In my work I think it is important to work with the young person as well as their family. My practice is informed by a wide range of treatments models such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), trauma-focussed CBT, Play Therapy, Sandplay Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT). I have many years of experience and am committed to ongoing training and clinical supervision.
About Me
Michelle Rush
ACC sensitive claims & WINZ approved provider
I work with individuals – from late teens onwards, providing a confidential service and following the code of ethics of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors.
Working in private practice and for the DHB as a Counsellor and registered social worker, I have worked in the Emergency Department at two major hospitals, in Womens Health and with Older Adults for Waitakere and North Shore DHBs.
I have experience in working with a wide range of emotional challenges. This has included Sensitive Claims for ACC dealing with the impacts and residue of sexual harm, worked with clients with depression, anxiety, abuse, trauma and relationship difficulties and other general real life issues.
I have been privileged to work with the students at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design as part of the Pastoral Care programme providing counselling services.
In life we sometimes face adversity such as Anxiety, low self esteem, trauma, sexual harm, loss, grief and many other events along the way which can affect how we feel about ourselves and how we navigate our lives and relationships:
Real life counselling is working through the issues in life that can affect us all.
Real life isn’t straight forward, I work in an empathic and collaborative way providing a safe and supportive environment that builds self awareness and self acceptance so that you can reconcile your personal challenges in a way that enhances the quality of your life.
About Me
Mihili Alexander
Issues I can help you with:
PTSD, healing from childhood trauma (insecure attachment, rejection, abandonment, perfectionism, feelings of unworthiness), depression, panic attacks, anxiety, stress management, low self esteem, body image concerns, sexual orientation and identity, relationship difficulties.
I work from a culturally sensitive, trauma informed, holistic perspective. My practice incorporates a variety of modalities including Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, EMDR, DBT, Polyvagal theory and mind body awareness techniques. I use supportive, non-threatening therapeutic interventions with the aim of helping clients increase self awareness, re-examine the impact of life events and experiences, identify and change limiting beliefs and move towards authentic self expression.
About Me
Sarah Hargreaves
I believe in the transformative power of therapy and work with individuals facing a variety of challenges, including childhood trauma, anxiety, depression, interpersonal and relationship difficulties, work, study, and life pressures, learning difficulties, and life transitions.
In our work together, I aim to help you:
– Regain inner calm and have more energy to enjoy life.
– Feel more in control of your emotions and situation, and be connected to the people who matter to you.
– Improve interpersonal communication and relationships, find renewed strength in identifying what you need, and be able to ask for change or help.
– Regain a sense of trust in your abilities, skills, and strengths.
– Feel more at peace within yourself and have a life worth living.
In addition to individual counselling, I also work with couples to enhance their relationships and address challenges together.
I am fully registered with NZAC and a registered provider for ACC, WINZ and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
With over a decade of experience working in education, forensic, drug & alcohol, community, and private practice settings, I am here to support you on your journey to healing and self-discovery. Together, we can find ways to cope with worries and anxiety, deal with difficult emotions, and improve your relationships, helping you to live according to your values and goals.
I look forward to working with you and supporting you to achieve a more fulfilling and balanced life.
About Me
Christine Cowan-James
PGDipCounsPsych
Member DAPAANZ
Since my initial registration I have undertaken further training in the area of brain-based therapy – which is an approach that uses the most up to date findings from the field of neuroscience and applies them to therapy. My clients have found this to be a helpful way of understanding what needs to happen to shift patterns of behaviour that are not working for them.
I work with clients experiencing depression, anxiety, and debilitating stress. I provide support for addiction recovery, and assist with trauma processing and healing – including ACC sensitive claims.
I use a multi-modal approach to therapy that is based on collaboration with my clients to develop therapy goals. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), EMDR and Mindfulness are some of the frameworks I am trained to use. I see therapy as teamwork and there is regular evaluation of progress and approach to ensure the right fit for each individual client.
About Me
Trish Cassidy
