About me
Hi, I’m David.
I began my therapeutic work in 2010, driven by a desire to understand myself and connect more deeply with others. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in counselling and a Graduate Diploma in Sociology and have continued to develop my practice through training in developmental trauma, trauma-informed and somatic approaches, sound therapy, and breathwork.
My work is informed primarily by Internal Family Systems (IFS), with a strong emphasis on how early experiences shape our nervous systems, relationships, and sense of self. I believe healing happens through safety, curiosity, and compassion, and I work at a pace that honors each person’s inner world.
I’ve worked as a school counsellor, mental health worker, and therapist in private practice, supporting people aged 16 to 76, in person and online. I work with issues including relationship difficulties, grief, anxiety, depression, sexuality, and the long-term impacts of trauma.
I live in rural Waikato, New Zealand. Outside of work, I enjoy swimming, music, reading, and writing. I’ve been married for over 20 years, and am a father of four, toddlers and teens.
My Approach
Many people come to therapy not because they are “broken,” but because their nervous system has learned to survive in ways that are no longer sustainable.
You may be thoughtful, perceptive, and deeply relational — yet easily overwhelmed. Perhaps you find yourself caught in anxiety, emotional shutdown, compulsive coping, or relationships that feel confusing or draining. You might understand yourself well, yet still feel unable to shift what happens in your body or reactions.
I work with people who experience the world intensely — who adapted early and learned to function or “hold it together,” often at personal cost.
My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and unhurried. I pay attention to how safety and threat show up in the body and in relationships. Therapy isn’t about pushing insight or forcing change. It’s about creating enough safety for new patterns to emerge.
Together, we explore early experiences, current relationships, and the stories you carry about yourself — with compassion, curiosity, and choice. All parts of you are welcome here, including those that feel protective or unsure.
I offer a collaborative, non-pathologizing space that moves at your pace. This work may be especially supportive if you feel wary of being seen, have felt overwhelmed in therapy before, or are seeking depth without pressure.
Qualifications and development trainings
2024 - 2025 - Internal Family Systems Trauma Treatment Course
(Frank Anderson - IFS Lead Trainer)
2024 -2025 -Integrative sex and couples therapy course - (CSTIP) - IST Institute
2024 - Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist - (CCTS - family Therapy) -
(Trauma Institute International)
2024 - Internal Family Systems Deepening Module - Auckland
(IFS Institute)
2024 - Breathwork Fundamentals -
(Free to breath) Tauranga
2023 - Trauma-informed Coaching Certification
(The Centre for Healing)
2023 - Introduction to Internal Family Systems model - Auckland
(IFS Institute)
2022 - Certification in Sound Therapy & Sound Healing - (IOATH)
2021 Imago Fundamentals (Couples therapy) training - (Imago Institute)
2018 -'Sad Blokes' Men; Depression & Suicide Support workshop (TM' Training)
2017 -Sexual violence support workshop (SOS Kaipara)
2014 -2016 - Graduate Diploma in Arts (Sociology)- Massey University
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Sociology
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Anthropology
2011 - 2013 - Bachelor's degree in Counselling - Laidlaw College
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Relational Psychology, Person-Centered & Narrative Therapy
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Human Development, culturalism, and Diversity