THE MIND IS NOT THE ENEMY; IT IS HOW WE USE THE MIND THAT CAUSES THE DIFFICULTY
The counselling therapy Denis is drawn to, respects the client's life perspectives, and offers other helpful alternatives - which may have got overlooked in navigating life's journey. Aiming to broaden the range of possibilities open to people. By supporting Insights that serves the client’s to their best well-being.
Denis has extensive knowledge and skills in a number of therapeutic tools after working in Mental Health for the last 20 years plus - from Acute Services to GP settings. He primarily includes, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT); Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Denis has his own private practice in Wellington Central, Overthinking Therapy.
Denis also draws on ‘Radical Acceptance Therapy’ as a way to open up to life's difficulties as opposed to closing down to them - which the latter can lead to unhelpful avoidant behaviours. 'Embracing Your Demons' - so to speak. Opening up to - rather than struggling and resisting. Denis endeavours to support you to find ways of what seems unworkable to more workable ways. He appreciates how brutal the mind can be, therefore, he also integrates ‘Self Compassion Therapy’ to work more with the mind, then against it.
“I celebrate myself, and sing to myself, and what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you”
Walt Whitman
Denis offers counselling in the following areas:
· Relationships
· Depression and anxiety
· Self-esteem, assertiveness and anger management
· Stress, burnout and work-life balance
· Change, goal setting and feeling stuck
· Trauma
· Grief and loss
· Teens
· Sexuality, identity and transition
· General life skills
· Career uncertainty and self-development
· Professional development
· Spirituality and religion
Denis has special skills in the following areas:
· Anxiety and depression
· Life skills / goal setting / problem solving
· Grief
· Emotion Focussed Therapy
· Mindfulness
· ACT
· CBT
Denis' Qualifications & Memberships are as follows:
· Post Graduate Diploma - Occupational Therapy
· Post Graduate Certificate - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
· Professional Registration: OTBNZ 50 - 04834
· Member of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science/ Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Born in the UK to Irish parents, Denis graduated from Queen Mary, University of London with a BA Honours in English Literature; post graduate qualifications in Occupational Therapy, St Bart’s and the Royal London, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Otago University, NZ. Denis lives with his partner and 2 dogs in Lower Hutt. He enjoys day walks and cooking vegan food.