Our Counsellors

Struan Duthie

MEd Counselling, BA, LTh, Dip Ed, MNZAC, MNZCCA.

Struan has been Director of Petersgate since its inception 14 years ago, and played a major role in its establishment. He has a special interest in relationships, depression, trauma and youth but works in many areas using a wide variety of techniques. He values compassion and kindness as essential to the counselling relationship.

Priscilla Brown

Dip Counselling, MNZAC.

Priscilla has worked for many years in social agencies in various roles and is in her 11th year at Petersgate. Priscilla enjoys working with adults of all ages and has a particular interest in relationship issues, grief and stress.

Margie Phillips

SRN, Cert Counselling, MNZAC.

Margie has a background in nursing. She has been counselling for over 14 years and has been at Petersgate for the last 11 years. She enjoys working with individuals and couples of all ages and has particular experience and interest in relationships, grief and stress.

Mary Whalan

MEd Counselling (Distinction), BA (English), PG Cert Couns (Counselling Supervision), MNZAC.

Mary has a background in reproductive health. She has specific interests in depression, grief and loss, adoption, sexuality and supervision. She uses a variety of approaches including Solution-Focused, Narrative Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

David Cartwright

PhD (Education psychology), Dip. Counselling, BEng (Electronics/Computing)

David is passionate about learning and relationships. He brings qualities of presence, listening and reflecting to support people to discover their own knowing and resources. David has worked as a lecturer, thinking coach, Lifeline counsellor and researcher.

Darren Cuskelly

BA Social Science, Dip Gestalt Therapy, Dip Social Science, MNZAC, MGANZ.

Darren is currently studying for a Diploma in Gestalt Therapy. His background is in family and individual counselling and in the fields of disability, child protection and youth mentoring. Darren uses Narrative, Solution Focused and Gestalt Therapies and is interested in self-awareness, domestic violence and male issues.

Tonia Denize

BE (Hons), Cert. Breathwork Therapy, Provisional MNZAC.

Tonia has over 10 years experience in Human Resources, Training and Development and Coaching roles. She is a trained Breathwork practitioner, and is currently working towards a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling.

Martin Dorahy

D. Clin Psych, PhD

Martin is a clinical psychologist with an interest in psychological therapy for adult difficulties. His work has been particularly focused on the psychological effects of traumatic stress.

Lindy Elliot

Dip Gestalt Therapy, PBANZ, MGANZ, RGON.

Lindy's background is in nursing in which she also counsels those who have a visual or other related health issue. She has an interest in how we make sense of our life experiences.

Di Ellis

European Dip Counselling, MNZAC, Member of BACP.

Di enjoys working with individuals of all ages and has experience in grief, loss, stress, and life’s many changes including living in a new country and living with serious illness. She offers a Person-Centred approach that can be combined with Interactive Drawing Therapy (IDT).

Christine Frost

Dip Counselling. MNZCCA.

Christine has trained in Person-Centred Therapy. She enjoys working with individuals of all ages drawing on her training, a variety of approaches and life experiences. She works with issues of grief, loss and depression.

Lorraine Green

Lorraine is training as a Gestalt therapist. She has much life experience including small business management and raising her four sons. Lorraine has studied counselling, relationship mastery and the Art of Living. She works with all issues and specialises in facilitating her clients to 'Dare to be their True Selves'.

Barbara Hayman

Dip Counselling, MNZAC.

Barbara comes from a background in Anglican pastoral care work and enjoys working with adults of all ages, with a special interest in the over 50’s age group. She uses a Person-Centred approach to counselling and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) as appropriate.

Karen Jefferson

Provisional MNZAC. Certificates in Grief Support, Applied Grief Studies and Basic Integrative Counselling Skills and Personal Growth.

Karen has worked in a variety of roles including a bereavement support service. She is studying for a Person Centred Diploma in Counselling and her interests include infertility, suicide, personal growth, pregnancy and baby bereavement and grief.

Ivan Jones

BA (Sociology), Lth, Dip Ed., Dip Psych, Adv Dip Teaching.

Ivan has a background in teaching, pastoral care and LifeLine counselling. He is currently studying for a Diploma in Counselling using a Person-Centred approach. Ivan works with adults from different age groups, with a particular interest in the over 60's and those dealing with grief and loss.

Gerda De Kleyne

Dip Counselling, MNZAC.

Gerda has a gentle, respectful and genuine Person-Centred approach. Gerda is interested in couple counselling, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), sex therapy, brief interventions and happiness. Gerda's experience includes 20+ years of Mental Health nursing & HR.

Dinah Kohner

BA

Dinah has worked in health care for ten years. She is studying toward a diploma in Gestalt therapy. Her wish for her clients is for their personal growth and healing, through attention to the whole self.

Anita Koziarski

Dip Counselling, MNZAC.

Anita is trained in Person-Centred counselling and enjoys working with individuals and couples of all ages and backgrounds.

Jackie van Litsenburg

BFA, Provisional MNZAC.

Jackie enjoys working with people to find their own sense of power, personal growth and direction. She has experience working with grief, trauma, abuse and compulsive eating. Jackie is currently studying towards a Diploma of Gestalt Therapy.

Karey Meisner

BA (Psych & Criminology), MEd Counselling (Distinction), MNZAC, CCA(Cdn).

Karey has a specific interest in people who are experiencing anxiety & depression, stress, men's issues, or life adjustments, including new immigrants. He mainly uses a Solution-Focused approach.

Sue Molloy

MEd (Counselling), Dip Teaching, Cert TESOL.

This is Sue’s 7th year at Petersgate. She has trained in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and enjoys working with folk of all ages. She has particular interests in multi-cultural counselling and youth work.

Jacqueline Scott

Dip Gestalt Therapy

Jacqueline has a background in language development and recovery. She supports clients to manage depression, loss and grief and family relationship issues. She has a special interest in working with single parents, bicultural families and adoption.

Karen Thompson

Diploma Counselling

Karen offers an empathic and non-judgemental relationship in her work. She complements her Person-Centred training with Transactional Analysis (TA), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamic concepts. Karen is passionate about working collaboratively with clients to promote awareness and healing, and is especially interested in the impacts of early childhood experiences on adults.

Sophie Toutain

BA, Dip. Int. Com.

Sophie is training as a Gestalt therapist. She has experience in telephone counselling and a background in community support. She is passionate about raising self-awareness, enabling empowerment, creative adjustment and growth.

Annekatrien Verbraak

BA (Social Work), MSc (Psychology), MEd (Counselling).

Annekatrien enjoys working with people of all ages and cultures. Annekatrien uses her understanding of psychology as well as various counselling methods with a base of Solution-Focused Therapy in her sessions.

Fumiko Wakeham

Dip Counselling, MNZAC

Fumiko is originally from Japan and has lived in New Zealand for more than 14 years. She trained in the Person-Centred approach and can counsel in Japanese as well as in English. She has particular interest in trauma and loss.

Ramon York

Provisional MNZAC.

Ramon is dedicated to offering assistance to enable clients to discover their own resources for attaining more fulfilling ways of being. He has trained in domestic violence facilitation and is currently studying for a Diploma in Counselling using a Person-Centred approach.