Kia Ora-

I am the founder of mindbranch, which holds the contract to deliver ACC Sensitive Claims and Psychological Services to Rotorua and nearby regions. I came to Rotorua via Wellington from the Rocky & Cascade Mountains, USA. I completed my PhD and clinical studies with Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) while starting a family. VUW employed me in research, lecturing and Māori & Pasifika equity roles. I held clinical roles with Health Pasifika, Child Development, Adult Acute, Dept. of Corrections and Forensic ID teams, before starting private practice and mindbranch psychology services in 2015.

My focus is on synthesising non-pathologising treatments for adults who want to collaborate and grow. In particular, those adults experiencing difficulties recovering from single or repeated, historic or recent, trauma, who struggle with feeling too much and/or too little. I specialise in blending ego-state (e.g., IFS, Schema Therapy), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), and somatic approaches (e.g., Polyvagal Theory, Yoga). I often also have one of my two border collies helping me in session.

Out of work, I love hiking, mountain biking and snowboarding with family and friends, yoga, and making things with clay.