Dr Ruth Lawson-McConnell

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (MNZAC) with over 30 years’ experience, having trained and worked as a children’s and family counsellor in Scotland. My PhD (Counselling Psychology) focused on counselling children in high conflict divorce situations. I have lived and worked in Canada where I trained with Dr Gordon Neufeld in his Attachment-based Developmental approach, becoming a Professional Associate of the Neufeld Institute. I moved to New Zealand in 2010 and worked as a Senior Lecturer in Counselling as well as in private practice.

I offer counselling, supervision, professional development training, online courses and retreats. My specialist areas are working with attachment traumas, parent consulting on behavioural and emotional issues in children/teens as well as training in neuropsychotherapy, supporting partners of sexual addicts as well as people who are trying to leave/have left high-control religious groups (cults and closed sects).

I am a warm, empathic, and non-judgmental counsellor, who is client-centred, focusing on establishing a strong and authentic connection, in order to help you reach your desired goals. When working with you, I am compassionate and curious to listen and learn how to best support you and your whanau, as well as acknowledging your own unique strengths and resources. In my holistic therapeutic approach, I consider various contexts including relational, psychological, developmental, environmental, cultural and spiritual. I am passionate about the importance of delivering high quality evidence-based treatments tailored individually to client’s needs. I was born and raised in the Amazon region of Brazil, to Scottish parents, so have experienced multiple cultures and migrations which add to my skill set as a counsellor.