Dr Lucie Zwimpfer

I can help with:

• concerns about feeding/sleeping/soothing your baby
• difficult or early birth experiences
• behavioural or emotional difficulties in toddlers or young children
• feeling disconnected from or not bonded to your child
• feeling overwhelmed as a parent
• depression and anxiety
• experiences of loss/trauma
• difficult childhoods and/or distant relationships with your own parents

Parent Infant Psychotherapy

I am experienced and skilled in helping parents who are concerned about their young child aged 0-4.  The parent infant psychotherapy approach is informed by psychodynamic theories of emotional development and scientific research on the developing brain.  It can help parents to feel more connected to and understanding of their young children, leading to less overwhelm and more harmonious relationships. This approach supports secure attachment and infant development.

Parent Consultations

I also offer consultations to parents who are worried about their child’s mental health and/or their parenting (I specialise in children age 0-8).   In each consultation I hear parent concerns and help create tailored parenting plans to support them and their child. These consultations can be one off or more regular as needed.

Individual sessions

I provide individual psychotherapy sessions, contact me to discuss your needs.

Supervision Services

I offer clinical supervision (in person and via zoom) to a range of professionals working with young children and families across the health, education and child protection sectors. I am an experienced Psychoanalytic Infant Observation Seminar group leader.

About Me

I obtained my Masters in Social Work in 2002 and began my working life as a social worker in the Wellington community, offering parenting support to families with children under 5, whilst undertaking my studies in child psychotherapy by distance from Australia. It was during this time that I became interested in the early years of emotional development.  I went on to train as a Parent Infant Psychotherapist in the U.K.  During this training, I worked in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in London treating families with children under five.

I returned to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2010 and joined the Specialist Maternal Mental Health Service in Wellington working with mothers with moderate-severe mental health difficulties and their babies.  I have also spent 3 years working in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) providing parent infant psychotherapy, infant mental health supervision and parent consultations for children up to the age of 15. I currently work part time in Wellington’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) providing psychotherapy and infant mental health education to families and staff.

Between 2011 and 2017 I had the privilege of working  alongside NICU staff as I completed my PhD in premature babies and infant mental health. I served on the Executive Committee of the Infant Mental Health Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (IMHAANZ) 2010-2022 and on the Psychotherapy Board of Aotearoa New Zealand (PBANZ) since 2019.