Dr Aida Dehkhoda

You don’t have to do this journey alone. Find the support, healing, and tools you need to navigate life’s challenges.

Areas of Special Interest

• Loss and grief (of any forms) and bereavement
• Terminal and chronic illness
• Assisted dying (also known as euthanasia)
• Caregiving distress
• Family and life changes
• Existential challenges
• Anxiety, stress, and depression
• Personal and relationship difficulties
• Migration stress and integration
• Trauma and abuse

General Counselling Services

When we first meet, my priority is to create a safe and supportive space where you feel comfortable unpacking what weighs heavily on you. I often liken therapy to navigating a cluttered room—it’s about taking time to sort through everything, deciding what to keep, what to let go of, and organising what remains in a way that brings clarity and calm. This process makes the emotional load feel lighter and easier to carry as you move forward. I walk alongside you in this process of reflection and discovery, helping you explore where you’ve been, where you are now, and where you want to go. My own journey with loss, grief, and migration has shaped me into a warm and empathetic counsellor, ready to support you as you work toward a future that feels true to who you are.

Counselling to Navigate the End of Life

I, particularly, provide emotional and psychological support to individuals and families facing end-of-life situations, helping you navigating both practical and emotional complexities of this phase. I assist in processing feelings around death and dying, helping you make sense or meaning of the experience with compassion and understanding.

If you are a patient considering the use of assisted dying services or a family member supporting a loved one through this process, I am here to help you navigate this journey, process the unique aspects of AD bereavement, share experiences, and manage any potential stigma. If you are a healthcare professional whose patient have chosen assisted dying or a practitioner involved in providing this service, I can support you in coping with the emotional and ethical challenges, developing effective coping strategies, practicing self-care, and maintaining professional boundaries and resilience.

Counselling Approach

I use an Integrative Counselling approach that is culturally sensitive, strengths-based, and tailored to your unique needs, goals, and hopes. I am trained in Person-centred therapy, Psychodynamics, Existential Therapy, and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).

Background

I was born and lived in Iran until moving to New Zealand in 2014. In addition to my counselling practice, I am also an academic psychologist. For over a decade, I have conducted research on topics related to death and dying, exploring the unique challenges and strengths it brings to individuals, caregivers, and their loved ones.

Being a migrant myself, I am sensitive to cultural differences and their importance in the mind’s journey to healing and have worked with people from various backgrounds and cultures.