Our People

Jeremy has worked as a manager, counsellor and specialist FV practitioner for the agency over 20 years. When he’s not working at ChangeAbility, Jeremy has a private counselling practice. He also teaches mindfulness and meditation retreats throughout New Zealand and is a founding member and Chair of Waiwaste Food Rescue.

Hayley has over 11 years’ experience working as a Social Worker, specialist Family Violence practitioner, and Facilitator within the agency. Hayley continues to work directly within the Family Violence team, supporting individuals and whānau to enhance safety, strengthen wellbeing, and create sustainable positive change. Hayley brings a holistic and strengths-based approach to her practice. She is committed to empowering clients to build resilience, develop insight, and achieve safer and healthier futures. Her work is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and an understanding of the importance of culture, relationships, and wider support systems in achieving long-term wellbeing and safety.

Angela comes to the Wairarapa from the Manawatu with 12 years’ experience as the office administrator for a busy school.   She endeavours to provide a welcoming, helpful and efficient service to anyone engaging with ChangeAbiity.  Although every organisation is different some of the fundamental goals for an administrator are the same. To be efficient, accurate and adaptive. Angela also values the importance and responsibility of being the first point of contact for people seeking help through ChangeAbility.

Liat has worked with the agency since 2005 and is part of the management team. She is the coordinator of Mates & Dates in Wairarapa.

Kay has worked with the agency for over 20 years. She plays a key role in supporting and engaging families to become safer and more respectful. Kay provides family violence community training and in-house supervision and is a specialist FV practitioner working with clients individually and in groups.

Kath has over 20 year’s counselling experience, providing general counselling and family violence programmes. She has completed 6 years advanced training in Affect State Therapy (AST) and often uses this modality in her therapeutic work with clients. AST is an attachment-based, short-term dynamic psychotherapy that helps individuals become aware of and change underlying patterns of thought, behaviour, and emotion. Kath has found this model to be greatly beneficial for most of her clients. Kath also has training in many other therapies and can assess which will best meet each client’s needs.

Paul is a specialist FV practitioner and delivers programmes to men and youth. He is a facilitator of the ACC ‘Mates n Dates’ programme and also works in schools to help promote respectful ways of behaving and communicating.

Margie is a firm believer in the benefits that counselling can bring for adults, children and families. She believes that a safe, confidential and non-judgemental environment allows people to explore concerns and issues that may be holding them back.  Honesty, kindness, creativity and perspective underpin her approach.  Margie tailors counselling to the individual or couples by using a mix of talk and narrative therapies, Emotionally Focused Therapy ]EFT],  cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and creative therapies (such as play and sand tray).

Justine has a background in couple’s therapy. Her life experience and ongoing study help her to be an empathetic, encouraging, non-judgemental part of the changeability team. Justine is training to become a specialist FV practitioner, and is committed to working with individuals, couples, and families to build relationships that are free of violence and abuse, she loves helping others make positive changes in their lives. Justine is training to become a family violence facilitator.

Rachel is currently studying a Bachelor of Counselling and Addiction. She has a background in the service industry and aged care and believes in approaching her work in a non-judgmental way with compassion and empathy. Rachel’s interests are broad and include working with children, youth, women and with addiction in a trauma informed and collaborative way. Rachel is training to become a specialist FV practitioner to provide programmes for men and women.

Proudly born and raised in the Wairarapa.   Amanda has recently joined the team after working for Ministry of Justice for the last seven years as the family court co-ordinator for Masterton District Court and the National Family Violence Team. Prior to that she worked for the Department of Corrections for 18 years as a Corrections Officer, Principle Case Manager and Operational Policy Advisor.  Amanda is passionate about walking along side others to help bring out the best in people and help people realise their full potential.

Mieke brings a wealth of experience in supporting children and young people, with a background in family violence, trauma, and mental health. She began her career in Auckland as a counsellor and child advocate, later pursuing her passion for disaster and emergency trauma through university lecturing. A move to the beautiful rural Wairarapa led Mieke to work as a primary school teacher for several years before returning to her roots in counselling and facilitation. Deeply committed to the people she works with, Mieke values genuine connection and approaches her work with empathy, honesty, and sincerity.

 

Originally from the UK Judy first studied counselling in 2003 and more recently she has completed a bachelor’s degree in counselling and addiction practice to update her skills and knowledge. Judy has a client centred approach that is tailored to the unique needs of the individual. She draws on a blend of therapies that may include ACT, DBT, Positive Psychology, and mindfulness-based approaches. Judy has a particular interest in working with adults who are struggling with low mood, stress, anxiety and trauma; If that sounds like something you are experiencing, please know that you are not alone and change is possible.

Info coming soon on our new trainee counsellor

Alishea is currently on maternity leave and will return later this year as the Administrator for the Family Harm Interagency Response team; she works alongside the Co-Ordinator of Te Tatau Pounamu to assess risk and create plans for whānau affected by Family Harm. Alishea has a background in investigations, finance and management support, and loves being home in the Wairarapa raising her boys and growing flowers.

Mike has joined us as the Family Violence Network Coordinator for the Wairarapa.

Holly is the Administrator for the Family Harm Interagency Response team; she works alongside the Co-Ordinator of Te Tatau Pounamu to assess risk and create plans for whānau affected by Family Harm. Holly has a background in working at government agencies and has a passion for helping others. Holly loves spending time with her whānau which often looks like spending time at the racetrack on the weekends.