For many years now victims / survivors of sexual assault have been hindered and denied the opportunity to talk about and work through their experiences.
Through the courage of many who have begun to speak out and actively pursue ways of dealing with recent and past sexual assault, we are now witnessing both personal growth and political change.
Sexual assault is a crime. It is a violation of basic human rights with the victims being women, men and children.
Many survivors of sexual assault and other clients have found comfort in being able to share their experiences with trained supportive counsellors and therapists.
Models Denise uses include
Denise was born in Tauranga and educated both in New Zealand and Australia. She has spent half of her adult life living and working across multiple cultures in Australia and New Zealand, was a pivotal specialist in Melbourne, and a founding member of Bay of Plenty Sexual Assault Service in Tauranga.
Denise’s formal qualifications include
Membership ANZASW Aoeteroa NZ Association of Social Workers
Denise was a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA House), The State-wide Emergency Over Night Women’s Refuge, Victoria After Hours Centre Against Sexual Assault, all of which are based in Melbourne.
Since the year 2000 Denise has run her own private practice based in Tauranga and Hauraki, and helped establish Bay of Plenty Sexual Assault Services. For over thirty years she has worked with thousands of people to help make positive changes in their lives.
Her focus is in providing acute, medium and long term counselling and sexual assault support services to women, men and adolescents.
In 2009 Denise's research was used as the basis to develop the Sexual Assault Primary Prevention two year program, initiated by the Tauranga City Council's "Tauranga Safe City".
Denise has significant experience working with Maori and her own Iwi is Ngati Maru of Hauraki.
My professional training and personal study has lead me to explore a number of different therapeutic and health modalities and systems. In turn these frameworks have provided valuable insight and understanding into some of the ways at different times in our lives we can become unbalanced in mind, body and spirit/transpersonal.
As a motorcyclist, swimmer, and kayaker I am reminded that the art of balance is important in firstly establishing stability and secondly maintaining it.
I see my role as someone who can work in partnership with you to develop appropriate strategies and learn how to maintain them. This process will assist you to stabilise your emotions and regain balance and mental steadiness. I can walk beside you and guide you while we in partnership find the best way to integrate your trauma , assist you to experience personal positive growth, a deepening of relationships and an increased sense of wellbeing.
Community Educational projects such as “NO MYTH” acting in a production about the myths of Domestic and Sexual Violence ( seen by over 8000 people in Melbourne and Western Australia), consultant for the 50 minute documentary No MYTH and consultant and actor for the Television Community Service announcement about Domestic Violence (that aired consecutively for 9 years in Melbourne), Author for the book NO MYTH have allowed my advocacy skills to be used in ways which have provided a personal and political balance to the counselling role.
Fees to be discussed with Denise dependent on income.
Denise works from two locations in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty.
Hours Of Work
9am - 5pm Tuesdays & Thursdays
24 hour Sexual Assault telephone crisis line 0800 883 300
Te Korowai Hauora O Hauraki (07) 868 0033
Hauraki Maori Trust Board 0508 468 288
