Embedded Files
My Mental Health And Addictions Practitioner Experience
Senior Addictions Practitioner at CareNZ.
AOD report writing for lawyers.
Men and Trauma Aotearoa and Trauma Recovery.
Ora Toa Mauriora, providing counselling for PIKI, a free service for 18–25 year olds.
Individual counselling at the Gumboot Friday Foundation, and later, during my addictions placement, I was privileged to work with Te Paepae Arahi; a kaupapa Māori community addictions service in Lower Hutt.
Recovery Coach at an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) residential treatment centre.
Other Cool Stuff To Know About Me
I was born and raised in Manchester, England until my parents brought me to Aotearoa when I was nine years old.
Before I found my calling in mental health and addictions work, I was an industrial electrician. I’m married, and we share our home with our beautiful dog, Marshmallow, and two bunnies. My interests include digital and board gaming, guitar, gym training, and seasonal photography and gardening. I used to play a lot of football before a serious injury, but I still miss the game.
Lived Experience
I know how important it can be to feel like you can relate to your therapist, trying to find that common ground can be the difference in heading in a meaningful and purposeful direction.
The professional boundaries and the ethics have made talk therapy appear very one-directional, and you are right. However, I do maintain strong professional boundaries and ethics; but the evidence is changing and what I can reassure you is that if it is appropriate self-disclosure is something I offer if it helps build that trust.
I know what living a life without, meaning, purpose, direction and connection is like. I know what unimaginable pain feels like, and I know the lengths it can push someone to get rid of that. If you are like me, then I get it...
So, I have experience with:
Mental health, Substance abuse, Natural Disasters, Domestic Violence, Chronic Pain, PTSD and CPTSD and Attachment.
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