Dr Miriam Larsen-Barr

Engage Aotearoa

I am a service-user informed psychologist and family therapist who will adapt my approach to suit you. Together we will build a safe space where you and/or your whanau can share your story, make sense of the difficulties you face, gather new skills and perspectives, and discover what works for you.

 

I work with youth and adults facing a range of troubles including:

  • anxiety
  • depression
  • elevated mood/mania
  • emotional dysregulation
  • grief
  • insomnia
  • hearing voices and other sensory experiences
  • trauma
  • navigating LGBTQI+ identities

You can find out more about me and my referral process on my website.

 

Counselling/Therapy Services

I provide individual and family therapy based on a thorough assessment of your needs.

The assessment process considers your experiences within the story of your life, your strengths and limitations, and the wider social context all this unfolds inside. This is an opportunity to make sense of the difficulties you face, the solutions you have tried, and what you want in life. At the end of your first appointment, we will talk together about what to do next. This could involve moving on to therapy, further assessment, and/or referral to other supports.

Therapy is a process of reflecting on your experiences within a trusting, validating relationship and experimenting with new ways of responding so you can live more in line with what matters most to you. This can be an individual or a family process, and can be brief or more long-term. Depending on your needs and preferences we may use poetry, interactive drawing, and/or therapeutic letters as well as talking and practicing new strategies together.

The people I work with describe leaving therapy with an improved ability to manage difficult thoughts, feelings and relationships, to appreciate their strengths, to stay on track with what matters most to them, and to enjoy their lives.

 

Counselling/Therapy Approach

I am a creative and collaborative therapist who prioritises service-user perspectives and draws on multiple evidence-based models to tailor assessment and therapy to your personal needs, strengths and goals.

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • The youth model of ACT called DNA-V
  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
  • DBT-informed therapy
  • Family Systems Therapy
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Single-Session Family Consultation (SSFC)

I am also informed by evidence from the field of positive psychology, mindfulness-based interventions, creative practices, an appreciation of different cultural perspectives, and service-user informed models like the British Psychological Society’s Power Threat Meaning framework and the Hearing Voices Movement.

 

Background and Experience

I am a clinical psychologist with a background in the service-user workforce and the creative sector. Before moving into private practice, I spent several years providing individual therapy, groups and reflective family therapy within DHB services for children and adolescents facing moderate to severe mental health challenges and young adults experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

I am a cisgender woman and my pronouns are she/her. I grew up in rural Far North and completed all four of my psychology degrees at the University of Auckland. My doctoral research explored service-user experiences of antipsychotic medication from first prescriptions through to attempted discontinuation and I continue to contribute to the field of withdrawal research around the world.

FAQs

Q Registrations and Memberships

- Registered Clinical Psychologist
- Member NZ College of Clinical Psychologists (MNZCCP)
- Founding Member of Aotearoa Therapists with Lived Experience Network (ATLEN)
- Associate member of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal (IIPDW)
- Member of the Professional Association for Transgender Healthcare Aotearoa (PATHA)
- Association for Contextual Behavioural Sciences (ACBS)

Q Qualifications

- Doctorate of Clinical Psychology, 2016
- Master of Arts (First class honours; psychology), 2010
- Post-graduate Diploma of Arts (psychology), 2006
- Bachelor of Arts (psychology and employment relations), 2003

Q Locations

- WEST Community Hub, 9 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson, Auckland
- Zoom sessions

Please note that the Henderson office is not wheelchair accessible. If you have limited mobility, do get in touch to see if it is possible for me to see you at home or another location that suits you. I do not make home visits as standard practice, but aim to be flexible in the interests of equal access. It is my policy to meet everyone via zoom or in the community before making home visits.

Q Appointments

I see clients in person in Henderson on Tuesdays and online on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I am not available for evening or weekend sessions.

Please visit my website for more information about me and my availability. If you would like to make a booking, just fill out the referral form on my website and I will give you a call. If you have any questions first, feel free to send me an email.

Q Fees

- Standard assessment and therapy sessions (50 mins): $200 (incl GST)
- Initial assessment and family therapy sessions (80 mins): $276 (incl GST)
- Partial funding may be available from WINZ or StudyLink.
- I am NOT a registered ACC provider.

Q Payment Options

You can pay by direct bank transfer, automatic payment, or in cash at the time of your appointment.

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