Mary Fennessy Registered Psychotherapist, Counsellor

Aurora Health Centre 70 Macandrew Rd, South Dunedin Phone 03 4550 006

• Hours by appointment during weekdays and evenings
• Reasonable fees
• Professional Supervision
• Mary is trained to provide supervision to professionals.

Mary Fennessy

B.A., B.TH., T.C.DIP., DIP GESTALT THERAPY, REGISTERED PSYCHOTHERAPIST, M.P.B.A.N.Z , M.N.Z.A.P. , CERTIFIED IMAGO RELATIONSHIP THERAPIST Professional background As a trained teacher, Mary has been involved in adult education since 1976. In 1980 she began initiating and leading groups for adults in personal growth and assertiveness. She combined this with a six-year apprenticeship style training in psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy with a senior New Zealand Psychologist and Psychotherapist. Mary has also completed a three year course in Theories of Psychotherapy at Ashburn Clinic and a Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy. She has twenty eight years experience as a counsellor and psychotherapist. She is a Certified Imago Therapist. Specialisations include counselling and psychotherapy for:

• relationship issues, including sexuality
• depression, anxiety, low self-esteem
• sexual, emotional and physical abuse
• crisis management
• grief-related issues
• mind/body connections with physical symptoms
• conflict resolution
• parenting skills

Mary also offers couple counselling and professional supervision.

Memberships Mary is a Registered Psychotherapist, a member of the NZ Association of Psychotherapists and a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist. She is an ACC-approved Counsellor. 

Why does counselling work?

Counselling works because you get a chance to tell your story to a skilled outsider. When you do this you will be able to see what is happening more clearly and you and the counsellor together will be able to see what changes you can make to improve your life. The counsellor will then help you develop new, more satisfying and resourceful ways of living. How do counselling and psychotherapy differ?

In Counselling the emphasis is mostly on immediate issues such as a crisis. The counselling sessions are a supportive and safe place to express how you think and feel. Psychotherapy is similar to counselling but often the present difficulties are closely related to issues in the past which have not been dealt with adequately. Psychotherapy usually takes longer than counselling with more emphasis on understanding and coming to terms with your past in order to make for a better future Working under the Codes of Ethics of PBANZ and NZAP, Mary will

• be trustworthy
• respect your confidentiality
• listen to you carefully and sensitively
• help you to sort out how you would like things to be different
• support you in making the changes you choose to make.

Under what circumstances may counselling and psychotherapy help you?

• If there’s a trauma or crisis in your life
• If you feel stressed or worried and can’t shake these feelings off
• If you feel depressed
• If you are aware that your relationships are not going well and similar things often go wrong
• If you think life could be a whole lot better for you but you don’t know how to change things
• If you know there’s a more joyful, playful person inside you trying to find expression but ....
• If you keep on getting colds, ‘flu, headaches, rashes or other symptoms and think maybe there’s a connection between these and your feelings or lifestyle
• If you would like to feel more comfortable with your sexuality
• If you think your relationships with your partner, children, friends or work colleagues could be better
• If you cannot find a solution to a nagging, unresolved conflict