I have spent more than twenty five years working with individuals and couples, supporting people through conflict, transition, and the complex emotional dynamics that shape long term relationships. Over that time I have worked with partners navigating recurring arguments, emotional distance, betrayal, and the quieter sense that something in the relationship has become difficult to understand or repair on their own. My work is grounded in the belief that most relationship struggles are not caused by a lack of love, but by patterns of communication and emotional responses that develop over time and often remain invisible to the people inside them.

 

My approach focuses on helping couples slow these patterns down so they can begin to see what is happening beneath the surface of conflict. I draw primarily on the internationally recognised Imago Relationship Therapy framework, alongside insights from the Gottman research tradition. Through structured conversations and guided dialogue, I help partners listen to one another in ways that reduce defensiveness and create a deeper sense of understanding. Rather than focusing only on the immediate disagreement, the work often explores the emotional histories and relational patterns that shape how we respond to the people closest to us. When these dynamics become clearer, couples often find it easier to move away from blame and towards curiosity, empathy, and renewed connection.

 

Alongside my work with couples, I am also an experienced clinical supervisor and other professionals in the fields of counselling, psychology, social work, and relationship therapy. I have trained and worked internationally, including in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Germany, which has given me a broad perspective on the challenges people face in their relationships and families.

 

I am a full member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (MNZAC), an accredited counsellor and family therapist, and an accredited clinical supervisor for social workers, counsellors, and couples therapists. I am a Certified International Imago Relationship Therapist through Imago Relationships Aotearoa New Zealand and I am Gottman Couples Therapy informed. I am also court approved and EAP approved, and I have also trained in Expressive Arts Therapy through the Tamalpa Institute in California.

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My clients come from all over the world, New Zealand, Australia, the US, the UE, Europe and the Middle East.

 

In addition to counselling sessions, I facilitate immersive relationship workshops and retreats. These workshops, held in places such as Auckland (Piha & Ponsonby), Whangārei, Berlin, and Bali, create a focused space where couples can step away from the pressures of everyday life and engage more deeply with the patterns shaping their relationship. Through teaching, demonstration, and guided dialogue exercises, partners learn practical ways to speak, listen, and respond differently so that the changes they begin during the workshop can continue long after it has ended.​

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thecouplesshed@gmail.com

​+64 22 070 0104 text