Katrina Jacobsen

Kia ora

As a psychotherapist my style is warm – having a caring therapist who ‘gets you’ is so important to feeling safe.  I create an individualised approach & work collaboratively with you so that you find a way through the struggle to feel more clear, whole, and happier.

I use attachment based emotionally focused therapy, transactional analysis, CBT, and other therapies as well as interventions informed by research in neuroscience, physiology, & nutrition.

Achieve greater well-being and widen the possibilities for your life 

He moana pukepuke, e ekengia
A choppy sea, can be navigated

 

Areas of Special Interest

• relational issues
• mood issues – depression &/or anxiety
• patterns of anger
• grief
• childhood & incident-related trauma
• helping you parent even in the face of difficult behaviours
• understanding what’s happening in your couple-relationship
• domestic violence or abuse
• workplace relationships & impacts

Psychotherapy & Counselling Services

I’m warm, compassionate, straightforward, practical, and real with what will make a difference. It’s important to me that you finish therapy feeling that you’ve achieved what you set out to do, are coping with life, and are happier.

Your objectives matter, so I consider what will help you most effectively and appropriately. While I like to work in an emotionally-focused manner so that you feel understood and are able to work through what’s been difficult and painful, I’ve also the training, experience, & flexibility, to provide other ways of working.

• My core training was in the humanistic, cognitive-behavioural, and psychodynamic (ie focusing on the unconscious) fields*.
• I also use methods like attachment-based emotionally focused therapy (EFT), transactional analysis (TA), brain-based therapy, focusing, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), solutions based therapy, narrative therapy, somatic therapy, and family systems.
• Our unconscious processes are expressed in our bodies so that’s important too
• I use stress reduction techniques including mindfulness in a practical way
• I’m particularly research-informed and that includes ideas from neuroscience, physiology, and nutritional biochemistry as these areas affect the brain and therefore our moods and resilience

Though I no longer work with couples, teenagers, and families, it still features in my individual work if there are issues stemming from when you were young or in relation to a family, friends, or colleagues

My Psychotherapeutic Approach

Firstly, I like to understand the issues you’re experiencing and your goals. It’s okay if you don’t know – sometimes good therapy is about exploring and clarifying things. I also like to find out about you – I’m curious about your emotions, beliefs, personality, partner, family, culture, gender, sexuality, and your strengths – we all have them.

We’ll then work out what might help. I draw on my training, client experience, and sometimes even my organisational background.

I’m respectful of your readiness and the way you work – it’s so important that it’s you that sets the pace of our work. I like to keep checking with you on how you’re going and how you feel I’m going with you.

Background and Experience

I’m a registered psychotherapist with a Master’s level qualification (Certified Transactional Analyst – Psychotherapy), and work in private practice using Zoom. I’m also a Level 2 Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) couples therapist including family work.

Past work:

• Parent Help –  focusing on parents, and couples and mild to serious mental health and behavioural issues including patterns of interpersonal-aggression.
• As a group therapist I worked with parents of teens to improve family relationship through altering patterns of disengagement and anger.
• Prior to becoming a psychotherapist, I worked for both government and commercial organisations in change and management roles focused on people and teams

*I’ve training and experience in areas such as: diagnosis, attachment, family systems, mood disorders, communication, trauma, and personality disorders.