Mandy Vincent

As a skilled, Masters qualified Couples and Family Therapist, experienced in working with Individuals, Couples & Families; I offer a safe and confidential space where your challenges can be explored. My style is warm, direct and respectful with the aim of building a relationship with you which fosters healing, hope and change.

Areas of Special Interest

• Relationship and Communication difficulties
• Affair Recovery
• Separation & Divorce
• Managing Conflict
• Parenting/Co-parenting challenges
• Blended family issues
• Life Transitions
• Loss & Grief
• Depression & Anxiety

Counselling Services

People come to therapy for numerous reasons, with different needs and expectations. Some have specific problems, whilst others may only have a vague sense of what is troubling them. Often by the time people seek therapy, they have tried various things to resolve their challenges but continue to feel stuck in patterns of interactions, behaviours and relationships that are unhelpful. Despite this, the decision to involve a professional in one’s private and personal issues can still be daunting.

Therapy can be helpful when someone in a couple or family (sometimes more than one person) has a problem or difficulty. Their difficulties often affect not only themselves but other important people in their lives. Often these difficulties can become more problematic at important life transitions.

Whilst conversations in therapy may focus on moving things forward, it can sometimes be helpful to talk about past events and how they may affect what is happening in the present and the future. Talking things through can increase understanding, connection, intimacy and create stronger relationships.

In therapy sessions, I endeavor to ensure everyone’s voice and perspective is heard and valued and each person can contribute meaningfully.

Therapy Approaches

• Systemic/relational therapy with Individuals, Couples & Families
• Trauma informed practice
• Gottman Couples Therapy
• Attachment Focused
• ACT

My main framework is Systemic Therapy, a relational model that explores what goes on between people rather than what goes on inside people, but my approach also draws on the other models listed. This model can help improve communication and relationships so that partner’s or family members can understand one another better and work together to make changes. Systemic therapy builds on people’s strength and commitment to resolve their difficulties and as a therapist, I work alongside individuals, couples and families to create a way of working that is most helpful to them in making the changes they want for their future.

Background and Experience

I have been working with Couples, Individuals and Families in various Health, Government, Community and Private Practice settings for 30+ years; including Mental Health Services since 2001. I spent 9 ½ years working for a DHB as Clinical Lead and Consulting Family Therapist. I currently consult to a fostering organisation as Therapy Consultant and deliver Trauma Training to Foster Carers; provide supervision/consultation to a range of DHB’s throughout the North and South Islands (team and individual clinicians); have a private practice and teach at Otago University’s PG Systemic program.

I have extensive experience of working with distressing and challenging relationship difficulties in an honest, collaborative and skilled manner.

Supervision Services

I have provided clinical supervision to a range of professionals/clinicians in NGO’s, District Health Boards, Private Practice and other Counselling environments for the past 18 years. I have been a lecturer and examiner on the PG Certificate in Systemic Therapies, lead a reflecting family therapy team in a DHB mental health service, provided team supervision to hospital and care & protection teams and train Foster carers in trauma informed care.

My approach to supervision is based on systemic frameworks and models, attachment ideas and trauma informed practices whilst respecting the existing training and models you bring with you. My aim as a Supervisor is to build a supportive, authentic and collaborative relationship that assists you to:

• Reflect on your practice and personal & professional development in a safe, supportive space
• Explore the influence you have on clients and clients have on you; from an ethical position, taking account of issues of power & difference
• Reflect on what you bring to the therapeutic and supervisory relationships from your family of origin, training etc
• Explore theory to practice links and draw on evidenced based practice/practice-based evidence

Face to Face or Skype supervision available.