Deanna Wanoa

Origins and Qualifications

Ehara tōku maunga i te maunga nekeneke, he maunga tū tonu a maunga Hikurangi.

“My mountain Hikurangi does not move, it remains firm and steadfast.”

Descended from proud iwi such as Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Tainui and Ngāti Maniapoto – I am committed to providing a counselling service that incorporates the tikanga (customs) and matapono (values) of my tipuna (ancestors). My practice is supported by a Bachelor of Counselling Degree, a Diploma in Health Psychology and a Postgraduate Diploma of Science, majoring in Psychology.

I am a qualified counsellor currently registered to both the New Zealand Association of Counsellors and Addiction Practitioners Association Aotearoa New Zealand, as a provisional member.

Counselling and Approaches

As a counsellor, I have forged strong positive relationships whilst studying and working within community organisations. Having had the privilege to work with a diverse range of people using a whanau centred and holistic approach, I endeavour to encourage all whanau to recognise and work toward their full potential.

Person-centred, Strengths Based, Whanau centred, Holistic, Narrative, Solutions focused and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy are the primary approaches I use in my work. These methods emphasise the importance of your perspective and allow your worldview to become the centre of our work.

Ata Hāpara

Ata Hāpara Counselling was created with the vision that we each possess the potential to discover our own positive pathways, whether that be finding a new road or rediscovering our passion for our current path. Ata Hāpara, translating to First Light or Dawn, symbolises the start of a new journey and taking the first steps into a brighter day.

Areas of Special Interest

• Adults, Parent and Child (relationship building)
• Anger
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Motivation
• Self-Esteem
• Grief and Loss
• Mindfulness
• Emotional Regulation
• Self-Harm
• Relationships