About
I seek to become a human who can respond, rather than a human who reacts. I notice when I move our of reactivity, my experience of life feels better. I feel freer. It helps me to connect to calm when the inevitable storms of life arrive.
I’m now in my 5th decade of life. I am a mother (sons aged 30, 21 and a daughter of 17), a partner, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a Devon Rex cat-adorer. I have lived in Aucklands rugged and green west for 22 years and have developed a recent love of both hiking and mountain biking in the beautiful Waitakere ranges.
I have studied in every decade I've been alive and will continue to... I kinda like learning. I hold a long-ago-obtained-and-directionless Bachelors degree, a Grad Dip in Psychosocial Studies, a BHSc (Hons, First Class) in Psychology, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling.
A great deal of my working life has been spent in social and business research, I have been a parent educator and coach and used to publish in parenting and health and wellness themed publications (you can read some of my articles here - I think they are good!)
Therapy is another form of ‘research’, and goodTherapy really happens when your therapist is engaged in the conversation with you – finding out about YOUR experience, and where YOU want to go, offering information and resources.
I spent four years working as a counsellor in Adult Mental Health recovery, and am now in private practise. I have a depth and breadth of experience in having conversations about all manner of problems and difficulties that may be troubling peoples lives.
I have said to all three of my kids at times: "The best life skill you can develop is to tolerate difficulty". That may sound negative to some, but I have found (along with many of my clients) that developing your capacity to meet the uncertainties of life and living really does place you in really good stead for being able to live a life of greater ease. And the greater our personal agility the more energy we can access to enjoy life.
Reactivity takes so much precious life energy - wouldn't you like to begin to respond to life instead?
I look forward to meeting you and speaking together.
Hilary
(Photo shows me in early 2023 hanging out with my dear friends lovely doggo, Ziggy, who provides not just good therapy, but the very best therapy. I aspire.)
