Jennifer D'Costa

Counsellor & Supervisor

 

My approach as a counsellor is non-judgemental, transparent and honest. You will be heard, understood and supported as you resolve the issues that are impacting your self–worth and well-being.

Client Types

Children, adolescents, adults, couples, families.

 

Areas of Special Interest

Anxiety depression, stress, family dynamics, stress, grief and loss, migrant issues, identity, relationships, conflict resolution, goal setting, communication, addictions and mental health issues.

 

Counselling/Therapy Services

Counselling is a holistic way of looking at one’s self. While it’s important for our well-being to be able to talk about things that are important to us, sometimes talking to family or friends doesn’t meet our needs. Counselling gives us the opportunity to talk to an unbiased person who has the skills to help us find a way forward. When we carry unresolved issues they can impact on every aspect of our lives - relationships, work and physical health. Resolving issues gives people a wonderful sense of being free and the ability to let go and move forward.

Being a migrant myself I am intimately connected to the hardships that people experience when they come into a new country. There are many adjustments to be made and losses to be felt. There is the ultimate challenge of how to assimilate well into the new culture, while trying to hold onto what you value from your own culture. All these adjustments can create identity issues as you try to work out who you are and how to be in this new country.

I have often worked with people who for reasons of ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation have experiences of being different within their community or culture. I embrace differences and my practice is LGBTI friendly

 

Counselling/Therapy Approach

I use a range of counselling approaches which include client centered approach cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), Transactional Analysis (TA) and Motivational Interviewing(MI). I also work well with couple therapy approaches like EFT and Gottman Method that support couple’s in their journey of a healthy and functional relationship. I also work well with family therapy approaches which recognise that people live in a community, with many connections. Good therapy acknowledges those connections, and helps people to heal them or make new ones.

 

Registrations and Professional Memberships

• Member of the NZ Psychological Society (MNZPsS)
• Registered Member and Supervisor with the NZ Association of Counsellors (MNZAC)
• Practitioner Member and Registered Supervisor with the Drug and Alcohol Practitioners Association of Aotearoa-New Zealand (DAPAANZ)

 

Qualifications

• Masters of Arts (Psychology)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Guidance
• Bachelors of Arts (Psychology)
• National Certificate in Mental Health

 

Background and Experience

Since coming to New Zealand in 2001 I have worked as a Clinical Supervisor, Drug and Alcohol Counsellor, Methadone Case Manager, and Residential Support Worker. Before coming to NZ. I practised as Counselling Psychologist providing Student Guidance Counsellor for 4 years in Mumbai and also was a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Applied Psychology University of Mumbai, India. Overall I have worked in the Addiction and Counselling field for the past 23 years.

I also provide clinical and cultural supervision to counsellors and health professionals.

 

Supervision Services

I enjoy providing clinical supervision and cultural supervision to counsellors and health professionals. My eclectic supervision practise incorporates different supervision approaches which include Cognitive Behaviour Approach, Carl Rogers Person Centered Approach, Developmental Models of Supervision and the Tapes Model of Supervision.

I am very transparent and open in my communication with my supervisees. I keep confidentiality well and hold very clear boundaries to support the supervision process. Supervisees say they find me supportive, fair, and honest and open to discuss a variety of supervision issues. I am skilled at matching the supervisory process to meet the particular needs of the supervisee and their level of experience. At various times this can mean I may be providing guidance, mentoring, support, theoretical knowledge, skills development, ethical inquiry, or robust conversation with a peer.