Heather has worked at the Christchurch City Mission for 20 years within the Alcohol & Drug Services. She works mostly with women with addiction issues doing individual sessions and in groups.

Her experience with addictions and its impact includes working with grief and loss, PTSD, depression, self-harm, mental health, domestic violence, low self-esteem, and involves couples and or families. She is committed to providing a safe environment for clients to share their journeys.

Heather is passionate about walking alongside her clients in their journey to healing and self-discovery. She assists the clients to go at their own pace and works with them to find answers within themselves. Although Heather has over 20 years’ experience, it has been full of learning from both from her studies and from clients, as every client also gives opportunity for learning. Heather likes to get to the core of the client’s issues. She works at understanding why they think, feel or behave in the way they do and explores possible alternative ways of thinking and behaving.

Heather has specialized in a variety of approaches in her work and likes to work with the client to find what is most suitable for them. These approaches include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, (CBT), Strengths Based Therapy, Person Centered Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Relapse Prevention.

In her downtime, she likes to watch sports especially the Crusaders and All Blacks. Heather likes to spend time in her garden either relaxing with a book or with her flowers especially Dahlias that she grows for show. She loves fishing and is often spotted on local rivers, fishing rod in hand, trying to catch that big one!!

National Certificate in Social Services

Diploma in Counselling

Certificate in Supervision

National Certificate in Business (First Line Management)

Member of New Zealand Association of Counsellors (MNZAC)

Standard Member of Drug Alcohol Practitioners Association Aotearoa New Zealand (DAPAANZ)