Gill Stacey

Kia ora koutou, my name is Gill Stacey I live in Palmerston North. In my life and work I draw from a rich and varied work and life experience. I believe in living simply and making a contribution to this beautiful world.

Be kind for everyone is on a hard journey

– Plato 

I specialise in many areas including:

• trauma
• grief
• relationships
• sexuality
• health/disability
• chronic pain
• adjustment
• workplace stress
• gender
• mental health
• parenting
• sexual matters
• family harm
• sleep management
• + any issues people face

Counselling Services

Everyone has moments when they feel stuck and therapy helps people to understand themselves, and their lives, and to develop the understanding, skills and strategies needed to live effectively. You will be helped to identify your values and find new ways to live a rich, meaningful, life.

When we meet I will ask you some questions to give me a picture of your life as it is right now, and then we will look at what you wish to achieve in our appointments. We will review what you have tried – what is working and what isn’t – then we will work together to develop some new ideas, try some different approaches and come up with a plan to help make life better. In our sessions I will draw from different counselling/therapeutic approaches to provide the best approach for you.

The Brief Intervention approach is highly flexible and the session structure and the number of appointments will be planned to meet your needs. Some people may get the help they want from a single appointment and others may want to book for more appointments, or a check-in session to see if things are on track.

Counselling Approach

I am committed to promoting kindness, empowerment, equity, change and diversity. I work with any adult with any issue affecting their wellbeing and have a wealth of personal and professional experience and training to draw from. I am committed to my ongoing development of bi-cultural awareness in my life, work and practice.

I use an integrated approach including a wide range of therapeutic and counselling methods to suit the person I am seeing, within a Brief Intervention structure. We are all in this life together and we all have times of peace and times of challenges. It is completely normal to get stuck in unhelpful patterns of behaviour, or to feel overwhelmed by emotions, or thoughts and I will help you find ways to move forward.

I promote LGBTQIA+ safe spaces

Background and Experience

I am a Registered Social Worker, UK Psychiatric Nurse, and have a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling. I am an Advanced Health Improvement Practitioner, a Clinical Supervisor and a trained Sex Therapy New Zealand counsellor. I have been practicing as a social worker, counsellor, Health Improvement Practitioner – matanga whai ora, and supervisor in a wide range of health, education and community settings since the early 1990’s. I have worked for ACC with sensitive claims and physical injury trauma, hospice, health centre’s, hospitals, Massey University, NGO’s and the Family Court.

Professional Supervision

I have worked as a Professional Supervisor since the 1990’s and have a strengths based, collaborative approach to supervision practice. In supervision we work together with a focus on the best interests of the Tangata Whaiora we all serve. I am an Advanced Health Improvement Practitioner and am passionate about supporting the development of this important role throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

We will create a contract to ensure clear roles and responsibilities and provide a robust platform for supporting best practice, celebrating successes and finding creative solutions for the challenges of our mahi. I am committed to a bi-cultural approach to my work, life and supervision practice.

Supervision services are available for anyone working with people. This includes: managers, other supervisors and front line workers in a range of professions from health, education, health improvement practitioners, matanga whai ora, social services, pastors, youth workers, volunteers and allied health workers

Appointments are usually in person in my office in Palmerston North but can be adapted to suit you including online/video/zoom supervision and/or phone consults.