Sue Harris

Kia ora. My name is Sue Harris. Am Canuck-Kiwi. Been in Tauranga Moana for 25 years and now live in Te Tai Tokerau, Northland. Hobbies: wildlife photography – land and under the sea, freediving, my dog, community issues/projects, enjoy cooking and being travel guide for friends and family.

Areas of Special Interest

• Trauma – family violence, childhood abuse
• Family dysfunctional patterns and impact on one’s development – ie self-concept, developing and maintaining relationships – work, friends, family, partners, children
• Sexuality issues
• Identity

Counselling/Therapy Services

Knowing that you are not ok, not happy, troubled, lonely, confused, maybe depressed, and want to feel better is the first step. It is a brave act to seek outside help from yes a stranger, even though a qualified one!

Our work together is one of joint exploration and of trying to find out what is really going on – it is not just symptom relief of a problem.

I see the outcomes as building developing resilience – can cope with life’s challenges – with more effective coping strategies, more effective genuine communication, stronger reliable relationships, often better self-care.

Often we are afraid of our emotions, or are ruled by them or don’t understand them. Therapy can assist in developing emotional tolerance/capacity and for some people they need help to dial these down so this needs more of a thinking/reflecting approach.

Counselling/Therapy Approach

The therapeutic relationship is central to how I work with clients whether our work is short term or longer term – the building of trust, of being truly heard, of revealing oneself to another and to oneself. The interactions between myself and a client often mirrors/represents their relationship difficulties but also reveals deeper less “conscious” information that is often more understood after the session.

• What has brought you to therapy at this time? Why now?
• What are patterns, coping methods that use to try and manage your difficulty?
• What has contributed to your present situation?
• What are you strengths, your anchors?

I work from an existential-psychodynamic base.

Background and Experience

Twenty five years as a self-employed psychotherapist within a group practice – private clients, contracted client work – ie ACC, Victim Support, Family Court, EAP schemes. I work with Maori as well as Pakeha – clients from different cultural backgrounds. I have had and will continue with appropriate cultural supervision for Maori clients.

Have worked with a variety of clients:

• with various levels of depression, anxiety – ie. OCD, phobias
• personality disorders – Borderline, schizoid, avoidant
• clients with complex presentations – ie personality disorders with alcohol, depression, trauma issues
• clients with relational issues – marital/couple, family, elders, dislocation and alienation
• workplace bullying, employment issues.