ATTENTION

Unfortunately our counselling services are currently fully booked - please email us to join our cancellation list: Contact us here

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Free Counselling

Kaiāwhina kore utu

Looking for something?

What we offer (when we have availability) Meet our counsellors

Unfortunately our counselling service is at full capacity

But we'd still love to help if we can! If you'd like to join our cancellation list, please email the following details to [email protected]:

Name
Best contact number
Region
Preferred time of day for an appointment

Alternatively, if you feel you cannot wait for an appointment, you can speak to a trained counsellor for free by calling one of these helplines:

Lifeline: 0800 54 33 54 
Need to Talk :1737
Suicide Crisis Line- Tautoko: 0508 82 88 65

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can contact your local mental health crisis team by calling 0800 800 717.
 
Each of the services listed above operate 24-7 and may experience higher demand at peak times, they have a callback request service for each helpline, the Crisis Team will ask you to leave a clear voicemail with your contact details.
 
In a life-threatening situation, if you cannot go to your nearest hospital emergency department, please call 111 and ask for ambulance and/or police assistance.

We offer free and confidential short-term counselling, helping to equip you to deal with life's challenges.

If you're seeking support in relation to your mental health and wellbeing, consider our group or individual counselling services. These are generally offered online but in some locations face-to-face services are available.

This service is available to:

People living with HIV 
People affected by HIV (e.g. partners, whānau and friends)
Rainbow and Takatāpui People* (including trans and gender diverse people)
Men who have sex with men

We understand that Rainbow and Takatāpui communities are made up of many different identities. We also know that these terms don't always cover the full range of genders, sexualities, and sex characteristics in our communities. During counselling, you can share more about your identity if you want to.

What can I talk to counsellors about?

Every person's situation is different. These are some of the types of things our clients work through with us:

Managing a new HIV diagnosis
Living with HIV (eg: the impact of stigma)
Ageing with HIV
Supporting a significant other/whānau with HIV
Sexual and gender identity
Sexual behaviour including sexual dysfunction and sex addiction
Self-esteem and self-care
Relationship issues
Grief and loss
Substance use and harm minimisation (Please note we are not specialists in substance use and harm minimisation)

Meet our Counsellors:

Andrew Pang (he/him) - Wellington

I love working alongside people on their journey towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life. I have been a practicing counsellor since 2014 working with young adults and adults in a variety of settings over the years, including community organisations, prison, high school, and university.

I identify as a Chinese New Zealander (second generation), hetero-demisexual, ethical non-monogamist, cisgendered male, and go by he/him pronouns. I grew up on the Kapiti Coast and have been living in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) for many years now.

I work with a broad range of issues; however, I have particular interest in working with people around:

Self-esteem
Sexual identity (LGBTQIA+ friendly)
Cultural identity
Relationships and intimacy (monogamous and polyamorous/non-monogamous)
Men’s work

In my spare time I enjoy boardgames, fantasy and science fiction books, psychology and personal development audiobooks and podcasts, and organising events.

Victoria Riddiford (she/her) - Christchurch

It has been a privilege to have worked as a counsellor for Burnett Foundation Aotearoa in Christchurch for the past 14 years. During this time, I have gained a deep understanding of the unique needs of the communities we support; being people living with HIV and men who have sex with men.

I create a warm and non-judgmental space for individuals and couples to explore how they feel and get to the heart of what is needed. Helping clients get clear on what is right for them, live more authentically and in doing so, develop a deeper sense of connection with self and others.

I bring a calm presence that invites others to share whatever is challenging them in their lives, whether it be: shame, stigma, grief, relationship issues or sexual identity.

I am a registered counsellor and professional member of NZ Association of Intuitive and Pascha Therapists.

John Wickham (he/him) - Ruapehu-Taihape Region

I have been delivering counselling services for Burnett Foundation Aotearoa since 2011 and was originally based at the Āwhina Centre in Wellington. I am a gay male counsellor and live with my partner on a small lifestyle block.

My aim is assisting clients to address and resolve issues which are creating confusion and troubles in their life and relationships. At the heart of my work is enabling men to live a more wholesome sense of wellbeing so they may enjoy their precious human life with dignity, integrity and respect.

I am registered with NZAC, an accredited ACC Counsellor (Sensitive Claims), BWRT Practitioner & Family Mediator. My counselling approach is client centred and led (Narrative) as well as utilising Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) and BWRT (Brainworking Recursive Therapy). I work part-time with a Whanganui Based Trauma agency and maintain a private practice in the Ruapehu and Taihape region”.

Sara Rose Barnes (she/her) Ngāti Rangi - Christchurch

Kia ora I'm Sara, a dedicated counsellor with expertise in addiction counselling, mental health, and relationship work.

My specialization lies in sexuality and identity, and I hold a profound passion for supporting the LGBTQ+ community. As a proud member of the rainbow community myself, I bring a unique perspective to my practice. Committed to providing culturally inclusive services, I strive to create a safe and affirming space for individuals seeking support and empowerment on their personal journeys.

Sara offers both virtual counselling and in person counselling, some sessions are available on evenings and weekends also.

Dr Stella Maris Orzuza (she/her)

Kia ora koutou katoa, I'm Stella. In 2023, I connected with The Burnett Foundation seeking financial support for a client, and I was impressed by their thoroughness and compassion. I'm thrilled to now be a part of their team.

As a trained psychologist with multiple qualifications up to PhD level, I relocated from Argentina to Aotearoa and became a registered counsellor. My approach to therapy is holistic, integrating various clinically proven methods such as psychoanalysis, DBT, Mindfulness, trauma-informed, art and play therapy, as well as indigenous models. In our sessions, we'll explore what resonates with you, paving the way forward.

My extensive experience spans across adult mental health, community care, and education settings. I'm particularly dedicated to supporting clients from the Queer and Rainbow community.

Sessions are available in both Spanish and English. I look forward to working with you.

Rowan Arahia (she/they) - Thames / Coromandel

Kia ora, my name is Rowan Arahia and I use she/they pronouns. I am a gender fluid bisexual Māori (Ngati Tamaterā, Ngati Maniapoto, Te Arawa, Tainui) counsellor and psychotherapist and parent of two young children. I am a trained yoga therapist and Kai-mirimiri and am passionate about holistic health (Te Whare Tapa Whā), and helping people recovery from oppression and trauma.

My hope is that everyone I work with feels safe, heard, seen and validated with the ultimate goal of helping people connect with their inner strength and beauty so that they are empowered to live the life they want.

Client experience:

Māori/people of colour/immigrants and refugees, trans/gender diverse and queer, children, adolescents, couples and families, people recovering from family violence and trauma (including sexual abuse).

Practice Locations

Thames/Coromandel, online.

To learn more about me you can visit my website.

Counselling / Therapy Approach

Holistic, Kaupapa Māori, Somatic Therapies, Focusing, Internal Family Systems, Family Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Trauma therapy

Registrations and Professional Memberships

· New Zealand Association of Counsellors membership

· Postgraduate Diploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling

· Postgraduate Certificate in Developmental Psychiatry

· Masters of Indigenous Studies (Oppression of ethnicity, gender and class)

· ACC Registered (sensitive claims)

Lee Grabarek (they/them) - Ōtautahi Christchurch

Kia ora, I’m Lee Grabarek, a transmasculine, queer, tauiwi (American of predominantly Korean and Polish descent) counsellor based in Ōtautahi. My practice is deeply informed by my experience working in rainbow and sexual health promotion, gender-affirming healthcare advocacy, and rainbow competency development.

Having worked in an array of rainbow support and advocacy roles, I have become acutely aware of the ever-growing need for accessible, affirming, and identity-responsive counselling services. My therapeutic approach is grounded in a blend of Solutions-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Narrative Therapy. These approaches enable me to offer a flexible, collaborative space for clients to explore their experiences and build on their strengths. I am particularly passionate about supporting people who are navigating their gender, sexuality, relationships, transitions, and processes of grief and loss. While much of my work has been with rangatahi (ages 12-21), I also work with whānau and adults in a compassionate, affirming, and culturally sensitive way. If you're seeking a safe, supportive space to explore your identity, challenges, and growth, I would be honoured to walk alongside you on that journey.

I can meet in-person and remotely. I currently hold provisional registration with NZAC.

Lou Greene-Winters (they/them) - Pōneke Wellington

Kia ora, I’m Lou. I am a Queer, gender-fluid, neurodivergent, pansexual and non-monogamous person. A counsellor and parent to a transgender teenager residing in Pōneke (Wellington).

In my counseling practice, I focus on your unique experiences and cultural identities. My goal is to support you in feeling empowered and confident so that you can live your life with dignity. I understand that well-being means different things to different people. Counselling is but one step along the winding road to well-being, a path where you are given choices and support to make decisions that resonate with your true self. I hope that together, we create a therapeutic space that feels like a sanctuary, where your fears, hesitations, challenges, and grief can be held with tenderness and navigated at a pace that feels right for you.

My experience is predominantly in supporting people with sexuality, identity, ambiguous grief (grief unrelated to death), gender-affirming care, alternative relationships, disordered eating, addictions and lifestyle changes. I draw from an array of therapeutic modalities, often narrative therapy leaning with poetry and writing woven in, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness and guided meditations, solutions-focused techniques (SFT), brief interventions, and harm reduction strategies.

My trauma-informed practice is inclusive of sex workers and neurodivergent individuals; please let me know how I can make you comfortable. I am available for in-person sessions in Pōneke and online sessions across the motu.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Counselling and Addictions Practice and a Diploma in Psychology. I am a provisional member of the New Zealand Counselling Association (NZAC) and the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA).

Al Wilkinson (he/him) - Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Kia ora, I'm Al, a registered psychotherapist working with clients to promote self compassion and personal growth.

A proud member of the Rainbow community, I really enjoy working to support whanau via the Burnett Foundation. Everyone is welcome in my practice. I have particular experience working with issues related to: