about me

When I was at primary school, I remember my mother thanking one of the teachers for helping me to come out of my shell and for changing my life. As a young child I was very shy and cried often. This teacher was gentle, compassionate and had a passion for African drumming and dance. Our whole class learned stories about African instruments, how to drum, and how to keep in unison. I felt connected with my classmates and celebrated for my unique contribution to our group. After that experience, my confidence grew significantly, and I started to love things like public speaking and choreographing dances with friends. While an experience can be brief, I really believe it is those fleeting experiences that can alter the course of our lives. It was that experience with my teacher that opened my world to creativity and confidence.

I grew up on a dairy farm in the Waikato and took pride in being able to stack haybales and back a trailer by myself. When I finished school, I moved to Christchurch to pursue a career in accounting. Fortunately, I hated it, and followed my heart instead. I was inspired by one of my family members who had suffered a traumatic brain injury one year earlier. The experience transformed him into a different person, and I watched him painstakingly relearn skills and find himself, while navigating his new life with a disability. His story inspired me to work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and for several years I worked in respite care with children who had different needs (e.g., autism, Angelman’s syndrome, intellectual disability, and cerebral palsy) as a support worker and then a positive behaviour specialist.

When I began my training as a Child and Family Psychologist, I also began my own personal psychotherapy. In a psychotherapy session, I realised that therapy was about much more than the words we spoke, though they were important. What struck me the most was that in the relationship itself, I felt cared for, seen and heard, especially in the hardest and darkest of places of my own psyche. Through these experiences, I recognised that the authenticity, honesty, and transparency of the therapist had the greatest positive impact on my ability to understand myself, relate to others, and relate with them.

Behind the scenes of my work as a Child and Family Psychologist is a solid foundation of personal and professional knowledge about creating strong relationships. Through developing my skills in couples counselling and having the opportunity to practice them in my own marriage, I have a grounded understanding of the frustrations that can stir in relationships, as well as the strong communication skills, emotional containment, and empathy that is needed to build a strong and positive family environment.  

To find balance with my work life, I love to spend time in the outdoors, create beaded earrings, and paint animals and landscapes. For those that are interested, you can view my art here.

For more information about our services, click here. During sessions, I also offer animal-assisted therapy sessions with my trusty side-kicks, Bailey, and Milo.

Qualifications

Registered Child and Family Psychologist – PGDipChFamPsych (University of Canterbury, Christchurch).

Certified Imago Relationship Therapist (Imago Institute for Relationships, Auckland)

Masters of Science in Child and Family Psychology - First Class Honours (University of Canterbury, Christchurch).

Certified International Rainbow Kids Yoga Teacher

Lee Hooper

Bailey Hooper

Milo Hooper