About

True wellbeing is achieved through loving understanding and acceptance of self.

Sarah BSW, SWRB #12067, ANZASW member

My move to New Zealand from the UK over 21 years ago lead me on a journey of self-discovery. Dealing with mental health struggles, the consequences of not addressing child and adolescent trauma, forging a career, parenthood, cancer and the joy of discovering te ao Māori were all pivotal to bringing me to where I am today.

My Foundation Theories

Intersectional Feminism:

An ideology founded in the empowerment of women towards sexual equality, whilst acknowledging there are other factors that influence privilege and discrimination.

Specifically relevant is decolonised feminism.

Gestalt Psychology:

Looks at the person as a whole, aiming to unify mind and body to achieve wellness. Preoccupation with the past leads to a lack of awareness, which can be addressed by tuning in to the environment and observation.

Te Whare Tapa Whā:

A Māori health model that views wellness as the balance of four aspects (pou) of being.

Taha Hinengaro – mental

Taha Tinana – physical

Taha Wairua – spiritual

Taha Whānau - relationships

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

A therapy focused on teaching four core skills (mindfulness, acceptance & distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness) to help combat unhelpful thought patterns and extreme emotions

Why Women?

I have had the privilege of knowing some extremely inspirational wāhine throughout my life. Women who have been beaten (literally and figuratively) , who have been struck down by physical and mental illness, who have suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of men they loved, and men they barely know. Yet still they rise.

Women carry their personal trauma, plus the collective trauma of thousands of years of feminine oppression, yet remain astonishingly resilient. However, conversely we are incredibly self-limiting , and more often than not our unconscious bias tells us we can’t, or we need to put others needs before our own.

My objective is simple – to help women find their power, to harness the joy of womanhood and to feel the lifeforce that flows through our cells, vibrates in our hearts, and is created in our wombs. We are descended from powerful Papatuanuku (Mother Earth) who bestowed on us the ultimate mana of Te Whare Tangata (the house of humanity).

Your power lies in your compassion, your courage and your soul-strength. Harnessing that power is the key to true healing, leading to improved relationships with lovers, children and friends, achieving goals and finding success, whatever that looks like to you.

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