Deborah Stuart

As a General Counsellor and Addiction Practitioner, I provide brief intervention or longer term counselling to young people, adults and families, in individual or group settings. In addition I am an accredited Clinical Supervisor, passionate about transformational learning and development.

Areas of Special Interest

• addiction
• anxiety
• depression
• anger management
• stress
• relationship issues
• grief and loss
• life stage changes

Counselling Services

As an addiction practitioner, I work with people experiencing problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and eating disorders. I counsel people to help them to identify behaviours and problems related to their addiction. Counselling can be done on an individual basis, in family meeting/s, in a group setting and can include crisis counselling. I am trained to assist in developing personalised recovery plans that help to establish healthy behaviors and provide coping strategies. Often, I will work with family members who are affected by the addictions of their loved ones.

When providing general counselling, I see counselling as a process that supports people to resolve personal, social, or psychological challenges and difficulties. My goal is to enable people to see things more clearly, to support them to focus on positive thoughts, feelings and behaviours, to facilitate positive and meaningful change.

Counselling Approach

The foundation for my counselling practice is a client centred perspective. I am creative in my counselling, drawing upon my training and ongoing professional development to provide a range of therapeutic approaches to tailor counselling to meet the needs of the individual.

Counselling approaches that I use include:

• Client Centred Practice (CCP)
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Narrative Therapy
• Mindfulness

Background and Experience

In my private practice I provide addiction and general counselling and supervision. I have previously worked in an addiction agency and also spent three years on a Wellbeing Team, working alongside other health professionals, providing counselling for people presenting with mild to moderate mental health and/or addiction issues. I have worked predominately in the addiction sector but have also provided counselling in a school guidance setting, in a womens’ centre, and have facilitated groups for self-esteem and managing anxiety.

I am currently undertaking further post graduate papers toward a Diploma in Supervision in the Social Services. Professional development has included training in: Mindfulness, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Domestic Violence, Risk Management and Trauma.

Supervision Services

As an accredited DAPAANZ supervisor, and a registered member of NZAC, I am available to provide supervision for: drug and alcohol practitioners, counsellors, health professionals, youth workers, and community workers. You can have supervision in my comfortable counselling room or by Skype. Supervision ca n be undertaken individually or in groups.

I am passionate about keeping myself and supervisees’ up-to-date and working in an innovative way, within best practice guidelines. This can be done through: professional development; e-learning; research; self directed learning through reading, workshops, video clips, TED talks and/or attending conferences.

My definition of supervision is:
“A dynamic supervision relationship that promotes safe and ethical practice, and supports best practice. This is done with an understanding of the context in which the work and the supervision occurs; the supervisee’s affiliations or memberships; and the supervisee’s level of development; as these are fundamental for professional growth to occur”.
– Deborah Stuart May 2015