Tom Boggins

I work in a therapeutic relationship, built on trust, safety and grounding in the present moment – here and now continuum. 

I emigrated from Dublin, Ireland to Zealand in December 2017. I am an accredited member of the NZAC. And have trained in Gestalt Psychotherapy.

I work with clients presenting with:

• Anxiety
• Addiction (alcohol, drug, food and sex)
• Bereavement
• Conflict
• Depression
• Grief & Loss
• Men’s Mental Health
• Relationship
• Separation and Divorce
• Stress
• Trauma and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Counselling/Therapy Services

I have 36 years experience working as a therapist. I have gained many skills around varied issues that clients present with. Some of those issues are with habits or addictions to alcohol, drugs, sex and food, to name but a few. I help people understand their relationship with the above, for example, clients may not understand that they may have an emotional relationship with food, or are self-medicating their (emotional pain) with alcohol; illicit or prescribed drugs, or sexual disconnection from their true selves, by their dysfunctional relationship to pornography and/or infidelities. Also, for a lot of people with the above presenting issues is – a search for meaning and purpose in our lives. We all experience existential emptiness or psychological emptiness (google this as too much to go into here). When people avoid (The Void) the above pain, including boredom, agitation, loneliness, perceived emptiness, etcetera, very often they turn to pleasure (for some in a chronic way) with the avoidance of reality, which again for most their people reality is a very real struggle, which they find it difficult to cope. We are talking here about chronic or addictive avoidance. Also, in my experience people become ‘addicted’ because they do not know what their purpose and meaning is for them in their lives – Victor Frankl’s book: Man’s Search For Meaning, gives a good direction on this, along with strategies with The Power Of Choices we make in our lives, and taking Responsibility For Those Choices. can free us of the feeling of hopelessness, and feeling stuck in our lives. a

 In my counselling practice I have come to understand that building a ‘therapeutic relationship’ (building trust, safety, and confidence) is crucial to a positive healing outcome.

Counselling/Therapy Approach

I have a client centered approach, within a therapeutic relationship, along with therapeutic writing – e.g., journal keeping. I have a here and now approach with mindfulness for anxiety and stress.

About Me

I trained for 5 years in Gestalt Psychotherapy (1993-1998): Irish Gestalt Centre, Carlow, Ireland.

Also, I trained in Addiction Counselling (1989-1991): Stanhope Treatment Centre. Dublin, Ireland.

And I have worked in Private Practice in Ireland for 25 years. Also I have delivered programs for Men’s Mental Health Organizations in Ireland.

I emigrated to New Zealand in 2017, and am a Citizen of Aotearoa-New Zealand. I have been working in Private Practice since 2018. And wofor AOD services: Mashtrust in Dannevirke and Palmerston North. I deliver Men’s Mental Health for individuals.