Online Life Coaching & Counselling

Maria has successfully run a private practice as a Psychotherapist/Coach/

Counsellor since the early 80's and draws from a wide range of therapy

and coaching models. Working as a psychotherapist and coach in different

professional settings has given her a wide range of clinical experience.

She is passionate about what she does and works from a holistic perspective,

which encompasses the spiritual, psychological, emotional and physical dimensions of a person in the context of their family, social and cultural environments.

Maria shares her own little piece of eco-friendly paradise with her two
dogs and a cat and loves reading, music, walking and exploring the
concept of living holistically - with creativity and joy, sensitivity, humour,
love and empathy - each day.

Maria is A Full Member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors
                A Professional Member of Career Practitioners Association NZ
                A Member of International Guild Of Coaches

Qualifications and Training

 
-    BA
-    Post Graduate Papers - Culture and Counselling
                                                 Family and Couples Counselling

                                                 (I hope to finish my PGDipEd by 2008)
-    Cert Counselling/Coaching Online, (U.K.)

-    Cert Liberal Studies
-    Cert Clinical Hypnosis
-    Cert Sexual Abuse Studies - Miriam Saphira
-    Certificate in Clinical Supervision (CIT)
-    Certificate in Child Protection  (Institute for Child Protection Studies)
-    Qualified Vocational Consultant
-    EFT Training
-    NLP Practitioner Training
-    Abnormal Psychology and Pain Management Training for ACC
-    Family Violence - Training through CYFS and Women's Refuge
-    Trainings in T.A.
 
And many, many Workshops, Seminars and other Training forums over 25 years in all aspects of Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy, Counselling and Life Coaching; From Hakomi therapy, Cultural Analysis Huis, Theory of Mind - accelerated Learning techniques, Pain Management and Rehabilitation, Vocational Consultancy, Facilitating and designing Psychological Programmes to Manage Illness, Injury and Pain, School Counselling, T.A., Narrative therapy, CBT, Process, Systemic and Narrative Models trainings, Brain Stem Trauma Work, Work with Individuals, Couples and Groups, Culture and Counselling models, Mentoring and Coaching teens and adults and many other personal and professional development courses including studying Drama, Sociodrama, Psychodrama, Grief, Loss, Death and Dying workshops, Communication skills, Group Process, Creative Spontaneity, Hypnosis for Personal Growth and Insight, Meditation, Respite Caregiving, Tikanga Maori - Kapahaka Group Leader, Role Play and Fringe theatre.

"There is a great big wonderful world out there and so my training and learning is ongoing."
 

What are, generally speaking, the perceived differences between Life Coaching and Therapy?

 
There are basic core principles that underlie my approach both to Therapy and

Life Coaching, e.g. A person centered, empathetic approach and unconditional positive regard for the client. However it could be said that there are three key differences between the way I Coach and Counsel.
 
Orientation

In Counselling/Psychotherapy the focus is often initially on helping the client
deal with the past. In coaching the focus is more likely to be on maximising potential and developing strategies for the the future.
 
Goals

Initially therapy is often used to explore and resolve past issues/presenting problems, often in great depth - to at least make them less debilitating. Therapy may then move toward life coaching.  Coaching is more likely to focus on creating new opportunities and to assist the person to get more out of life: Processes in the here and now, rather than a focus on historical content.
 
Relationships

The therapist/client relationship is often based on functional                       differentiation..equal but each aware of their own role in the therapeutic process.In Coaching, the coach and client would be more like partners in a project or process.
 
Having stated all of the above it is not unusual for Therapy to contain aspects of

Coaching and vice versa.