I am an experienced psychotherapist trained mainly in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I work with people as whole persons—with their history, hopes, relationships, beliefs and conscious as well as unconscious processes. Your individual life history and past relationships are important because we can then begin to understand together your present life situation and your hopes for the future.
I also draw on training in Dialectical Behaviour therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Mindfulness, especially in helping people manage their symptoms so that the deeper and more lasting work can be done.
Through my own history and background I have extensive experience working with people from different cultures and diverse backgrounds. Psychotherapy is my second profession after being a professional social anthropologist for many years. I worked and made a life in different European countries (England, Scotland, Switzerland, and Germany) as well as in Papua New Guinea and India, before permanently settling in New Zealand nearly 20 years ago.
I welcome adult clients from all walks of life and all ages. A special interest is psychotherapy with immigrants to New Zealand who are trying to make this country their home, (people in exile, recent migrants or long-term immigrants), and with first generation New Zealanders. With my professional research background I also specialise in working with professionals, academics, scientists and other creative people.
My main language is English, but I also speak a Swiss dialect, German, Melanesian Tok Pisin, and I have a good ear for French.
Memberships and Qualifications
- Registered Psychotherapist (Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand, PBANZ) www.pbanz.org.nz
- Full Member, New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (MNZAP) nzap.org.nz
- International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (IARPP) iarpp.net
- Balint Society of Australia and New Zealand (BSANZ) www.balintaustralianewzealand.org
- MPsychotherapy (Honours First Class) AUT University Auckland
- Graduate Diploma in Psycho-Social Studies, AUT University Auckland
- PhD in Social Anthropology, University of Manchester, UK
- MA in Philosophy and Ethnology, Free University Berlin.