Our Wellington Team Rob McGregor - Counsellor After two and half decades working my own para-medical clinic managing complex injuries to the lower limb, I lost that career due to personal injury.
It meant a few years walking a personal wilderness trying to figure out what life was, and also gave me time to process some abuse events I experienced as a child and young person.
Did that really happen? What do I call that? What does the Law call that? And the questions went on and on...
Now I have names for all that stuff and the accurate interpretations. Now I know how to park those ideas and experiences, and it has freed me enormously to engage in life in a much more meaningful manner. I worked with refugees from Vietnam (1988), a short period with St Stephan's Society in Hong Kong working with drug addicts (1988), community-based counselling and counsellor training with Elijah House (2007-2010), and co-facilitated training programmes with Jubilee Resources nationally and in the Caribbean (2010-2015). I am currently formalising my counselling experience into a Bachelor of Counselling degree. Most of my work is with men, and my interests are in counselling and managing trauma, abuse, suicide and grief. I have worked with couples, one-to-one and group-oriented peer support work.
Sancia Duncan I have a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Guidance and have just recently completed my Masters in Counselling. I am a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors and the New Zealand Christian Counsellors Association. In sessions with clients I use a pluralistic approach that is client centred and based on the needs of the individual. I have a particular interest in Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Solution Focused Therapy, however I am not limited to these modalities. I have experience working with adults and youth from various cultures and backgrounds. I see it as a privilege to support and journey alongside people offering hope as they grapple with the challenges in life. I believe that each individual knows what is best for them and that they have within them the resources needed to make change.You can expect to feel valued, respected and heard in sessions with me without any judgement.
Jonathan Beezer
Life is often hard, and for many years I've found it enormously helpful to talk my problems through with a counsellor.
I have personal lived experience of depression, suicidal thoughts, significant mental illness, divorce, job loss, and more. I have also discovered the joy of facing my issues, taking responsibility for myself, and moving on to live a positive and fulfilling life. I would love to work with you using my experience and training to help you figure out how to get through your stuff.
Along with the primary issues we work with at Men and Trauma, I specialise in anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other common mental/emotional challenges. As well as relationship problems, grief, life goals, meaning of life, stress, work conflicts, and more. I am fond of CBT and broadly Rogerian approaches, however I favour choosing the techniques that will best fit your needs, in consultation with you.
I'm now in my 50s and jobs I've worked in include builder's labourer, steel factory shift worker, web developer, business analyst, university tutor. I have a Masters degree in sociology, and my unpublished PhD thesis was the basis for learning to overcome my bipolar disorder. Peer support is a foundation of my approach. In this regard, I am also a board member of Kites NZ, a well-regarded peer-based mental health charity, and I was a past "consumer advisor" to the Wellington 3DHB before its restructure.
Complimenting my work with Men and Trauma I run my own counselling practice.
In my personal life, I am a father to two awesome kids, and am passionate about music, close friends, cooking, and nature.
Nik Sala - Intervention Specialist
I am skilled in working with Tangata Whaiora in a supportive space employing art as a tool for therapy. I have a background of personal and family experience dealing with trauma and mental health issues.
Richard Beazer - Therapist Hi, I am an experienced trauma counsellor and have a long history working with male survivors of trauma, having been one of the founding trustees of New Zealand’s first peer support service for male survivors of sexual abuse in the early 1990s.
I strongly believe that supporting men to work through the challenges that often accompany abuse benefits their relationships and the community as well.
I am experienced in working with people of all ages, genders and sexual orientations. I like working with young people, couples and families.
My clients include Pakeha, Maori, Pacifica, African, Asian and other ethnic groups. People from the Disabled, Rainbow, Kink and Refugee communities
My skill set includes: Therapeutic peer support groups Sexology Trauma and Sexual abuse recovery Somatic experiencing Relationship issues Racism issues Anger Management Addiction work
I have worked in a number of settings, including; Corrections Student counselling Suicidality Police advocacy and court support