Pam Howells

I am a generalist counsellor with experience in most issues including:

• relationships
• grief
• depression
• anxiety/stress
• trauma and abuse
• parenting
• life changes
• anger
• work place issues
• family issues
• self esteem
• bullying
• communication

Counselling Services

Counselling is a unique experience for everyone – that’s because you, your relationship or your family are all unique! Counselling can help you work out why you are feeling and/or acting in a certain way and help you in changing unhelpful mental habits, non beneficial patterned behaviours and disabling thoughts and emotions.

Counselling is about providing you with a safe and trusting environment whereby you feel comfortable talking about issues that are of concern to you and/or your loved ones. Counselling is a private and confidential process whereby everything talked about is kept confidential.

Counselling can help you:

• explore emotions, thoughts and behaviours which may be puzzling, uncomfortable or distressing for you.
• understanding more about your thoughts, emotions and behaviours can help you gain more control over them.
• improve your relationship with yourself and others including your family/whanau and loved ones.
• acquaint yourself with what you value in life and find new meanings, understandings and awareness of yourself and others.
• find peace, contentment and fulfillment through reducing anxiety and expanding possibilities
• create for yourself and your family a fulfilling life

Counselling Approach

I believe the most important aspect when undertaking counselling is the quality of the therapeutic relationship between the client and the therapist. You can be assured of my unconditional regard and respect throughout the counselling process.

My philosophical stance to therapy is from a social constructionist perspective using the narrative metaphor. I favour this stance as it acknowledges cultural and contextual considerations and language and discourse as a form of power. Often these considerations subjugate and marginalise people, often unbeknown to them.

I am trained to help people recognise these considerations and challenge them. I have a sound understanding of a number of therapeutic appraoches and tailor my approach to each client.