Say Kia Ora to our Presenters

Our network of passionate professionals.
Learn from some of the leading experts and hands-on practitioners across Aotearoa

Abdullah Hussaini

Abdullah is a professionally qualified and experienced Accountant and MYOB, XERO and Payroll Certified Advisor with over 8 years of teaching experience. Graduating with a Business Management Studies degree with accounting major from the University of Waikato, he has successfully trained well over 2500 students in New Zealand.
Abdullah's website

Abdullah delivers workshops and online learning presentations on Certificate in Xero Payroll, Certificate in Xero Accounting, AI Taster Sessions, AI Mastery Certificate

Aly McNicoll

Aly has over 20 years of experience as a trainer, consultant and leadership development practitioner across the business, public and not-for-profit sectors. She was a founding lecturer of the Unitec programme and has a passion for teaching and mentoring. Aly is regularly called upon to present at international conferences in America and Europe to share her expertise in coaching and mentoring.
Aly's website

Aly delivers workshops on Leaders as Coaches, Managing Difficult Personalities & Toxic Behaviours at Work

Andra Moldoveanu

Andra is a certified trauma-sensitive yoga teacher, a trained mindfulness facilitator and practices as a registered social worker and a full member of ANZASW. With over 15 years of diverse experience in various roles and settings in social services, child protection, community mental health, education, family violence and sexual harm, Andra is focused on creating safer spaces for clients.

Andra delivers workshops and online learning presentations on Vicarious Trauma - Help for the Helper

Brooke Trenwith

Brooke Trenwith is a dedicated educator and online facilitator based in the Waikato region. She is the director of Potential to Performance, an educational consultancy that supports leaders, teachers, and whānau through professional learning focused on neurodiversity, strengths-based approaches, and inclusive practice. With teaching experience across early childhood to tertiary levels, Brooke has mentored many neurodivergent learners and brings warmth, deep knowledge, and a practical lens to her facilitation. She has served as President of the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children and represented Aotearoa on the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children.
Brooke's website

Brooke delivers workshops on Neurodiversity 101: Autism, ADHD and beyond, Neurodiversity 201: Autism, ADHD and beyond

Dr Bruce Arroll

Bruce is a Professor of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland, and was a practicing GP in Manurewa in South Auckland for 32 years. He now does regular general practice at the Auckland City Mission and special consultations using Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT), for people who are feeling stuck in their lives by stress, pain or low energy. He does this work with his own patients as well as those referred from his clinic colleagues, and for people outside of the clinic.
Bruce's website

Bruce delivers workshops on NeuroLinguistic Programming, an Introduction, Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT), Focused, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT), part 2

Chris Malcolm

Chris teaches Health and Wellbeing (Applied Practice) and Addiction Studies at the Eastern Institute of Technology, Hawkes Bay. Having spent many years working in mental health, counselling and management, Chris’ interests within this field center on addictions, trauma-informed practice, family-inclusive practice, peer-led recovery, cognitive behavioural approaches, and strengths-based approaches to building resilience. He is a member of DAPAANZ, ANZACBT and ANZTCA.

Chris delivers workshops on Insights into Addiction: For non-addiction practitioners

Damian D'Cruz

Damian has worked as trainer, facilitator, coach, mentor and consultant since 1995. He has been working within the New Zealand Coaching & Mentoring Centre team since 2018 running coaching and mentoring training modules with clients plus co-ordinates and facilitates our leadership development modules. Damian has designed and facilitated a wide range of workshops - he was a finalist in the Vero Business Excellence awards in 2007 for his creative approach.

Damian delivers workshops on Train the Trainer

Diane Clare

Diane is a registered Consultant Clinical Psychologist has worked in mental health and counselling services since 1981 - first as a grief counsellor, then as a psychotherapist, before becoming a registered psychologist. A seasoned presenter, Diane provides a range of workshop options with an emphasis on providing practical solutions for clinical staff. As a Fellow of ISSTD, Diane has been recognised as offering an outstanding contribution to this field and to the work of ISSTD, and is an accredited EMDR-NZ Practitioner.
Diane's website

Diane delivers workshops and online learning presentations on An Introduction to Complex Trauma 101, Complex Trauma & Dissociative Disorders 201, Specialist Cover Assessments 101, Wellbeing Planning 101, Practical Alternatives to Self-Harm, Complex Case Discussions, Early Planning Reports 101

Edmond Otis

Edmond is a licensed psychotherapist and internationally known speaker and performance coach who works with professionals, businesses, public and private organisations, athletes, sport teams, and everyday people. He was a senior lecturer in Health and Sport Science at the Eastern Institute of Technology, and prior, a Senior Lecturer in Humanities, and Director of Martial Arts in Athletics at the University of California, where he was twice recipient of the University Distinguished Teaching Award. His presentations cover a wide range of topics including de-escalation and Building Resilient Teams, Families and Organisations.
Edmond's website

Edmond delivers workshops on Setting Boundaries with Customers, Clients, and Staff, Making Customer Services Safe and Better for Everyone

Dr Eileen Britt

Eileen is a Professor in the School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing at the University of Canterbury, and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), an international collective of MI trainers who promote excellence in the training, research, practice and implementation of MI. As a MINT Certified MI Trainer, Eileen has worked as a Clinical Psychologist in mental health, health, criminal justice and research settings.

Eileen delivers workshops on Motivational Interviewing, Deepening Motivational Interviewing Skills

Elen Nathan

Elen is a NZ registered Occupational Therapist and a qualified Sensory Integration Practitioner. With 20 years experience in NZ and abroad working with children and adults who have diverse needs, she has specialised in Autism Spectrum Disorder which has led her to work in peak body organisations including Autism New Zealand, The National Autistic Society and Autism Victoria.
Elen's website

Elen delivers workshops on the Therapeutic Use of LEGO®, LEGO-Based Therapy Facilitator Training, Understanding Sensory Needs - Part 1, Understanding Sensory Needs: Interoception & Neuroception, Developing Fine Motor Skills and Gross Motor Skills to Support Handwriting, Play & Learning in Education

Jenny Oliver

Jenny teaches in the field of psychoneuroimmunology. After life changing events in her family, she left fulltime secondary school teaching to train chronically ill and stuck people in the Lightning Process® training (LP). Jenny has a degree in Education, a Masters in Coaching, and NLP and Anatomy Physiology training from the Phil Parker Training Institute in London. She designed the successful children’s Spring® brain, mind, body programme to teach those with special needs and neuro divergence, and one of the things she loves about the Lightning Process® is that it can be applied into a wide range of programmes and applications.
Jenny's website

Jenny delivers online learning presentations on An Introduction to the Lightning Process®

Joanne Lawless

Joanne has extensive experience of autism, both professionally and personally, and is an experienced facilitator in adult learning. Joanne’s two adult sons are both Autistic. She holds a Diploma in Arts and Psychology, and wide experience in both volunteer and paid roles in disability settings and has worked in a disability advisory role for disability training organisations. Joanne is passionate about Enabling Good Lives (EGL) and system transformation as she works to bring about positive change in the lives of disabled people and their families / whānau.

Joanne delivers workshops on Understanding Sensory Processing

John Hendon

John is an international presenter, trainer, author, therapist, and performance coach. Based in the UK, he has a background in psychology, is a qualified counsellor, and is a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). As an internationally sought- after trainer on Brief Therapy Interventions and the Solutions Focused Approach, John delivers a broad portfolio of intensive solution focused brief therapy workshops across the globe that aim to provide attendees with easy-to-learn-and-apply solution focused tools and techniques that can be put into practice immediately.
John's Website

John delivers workshops on A Solution Focused Approach To Severe Trauma & Stress Recovery, Preventing Suicide using the Solution Focused Approach

Marge Pryor

Marge joined Empowerment Trust in 2019 as a facilitator educating youth with ACC’s Mates & Dates, a healthy dating relationships programme, arming rangatahi with information to strengthen their resiliency, raising awareness on the importance of sexual violence prevention. She has also worked as a foster mentor, Youthline counsellor and life coach, and brings years of experience from her time in the corporate sector.
Marge's website

Marge delivers workshops on Having Safe Discussions with Teens around Pornography

Dr Marion Roberts

Marion is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland and honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago, with 19 years’ experience in eating disorders across clinical and academic roles. Her research focuses on neurocognition and translating evidence-based treatment into primary care. Marion serves on the Executive Committee of the Australian & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders and is passionate about sharing evidence-based knowledge to support compassionate, effective care.
Marion's website

Marion delivers workshops on Effectively Supporting those with Eating Disorders

Dr Missy Wolfman

Missy is a registered clinical psychologist specialising in assessment and therapy for neurodivergent clients with ADHD (Aroretini) and autism (Takiwatanga). With experience in various settings, including prisons, child and youth care, protection residences, secondary mental health services at hospitals, and private practice, Missy has also taught at AUT and leads a team of clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, and psychologists at her clinic in Tamaki Makarau/Auckland.
Missy's website

Missy delivers online learning presentations on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for ADHD

Nicky Cooper

Nicky is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and educator with a deep experience in child, adolescent, and parental health. Her background spans population health, family violence, and child protection. Trained in both the parenting and classroom Circle of Security® programs, Nicky's workshops offer a condensed, relationally rich experience designed to help educators understand their vital role as attachment figures in the lives of tamariki and whānau.
Nicky's website

Nicky delivers workshops on Circle of Security® in the Classroom

Nikki Palamountain

Nikki has over 30+ years of classroom teaching experience during which she witnessed countless students with neurodiverse learning needs or poor mental health being left behind by a system not fully equipped to support them. This lead Nikki to found her own program Dyslexia Unpuzzled specifically designed to meet their unique needs, and offer specialised support and guidance for many learners struggling with reading, writing, and math and ADHD. Her mission is simple: to help every individual overcome their challenges and succeed in a way that works best for them.
Nikki's website

Nikki delivers workshops on Understanding Dyslexia: Beyond the Labels

Poornima Ranchhod

Poornima is a qualified and experienced Play Therapist. As the Founder of Play Sense, Poornima works as a contractor with services such as Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Education and High Complex Needs Services, as well as working in private practice and being a school-based play therapist. She has spent many years working with children and young people with complex psychological issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, attachment disorders) and difficult life experiences (e.g. family stress, divorce, bereavement, family and sexual violence). Trained in child development and attachment, and the use of play as a child’s natural form of expression and communication, Poornima's specialties include working with neurodiverse children.
Poornima's website

Poornima delivers workshops on Understanding Play Therapy Interventions with Children

Dr Ruth Lawson O'Connell

Ruth is a member of the NZ Counselling Assoc and the NZ Psychological Society with nearly 30 years’ experience. Having trained and worked in Scotland and Canada, and NZ, she has an MA (Honours) in Social Anthropology and Psychology (Aberdeen University) and a PhD (Counselling Psychology - Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland). Ruth specialises in attachment and complex developmental trauma both in adults and children, and has specialist training as a neuro-psychotherapy practitioner and a trauma specialist working with partners of sex addicts.
Ruth's website

Ruth delivers workshops and online learning presentations on Applying Attachment Theory to Clinical Practice, Attachment informed approaches to working with depression, Attachment informed approaches to calming anxiety, Attachment informed approaches to calming anxiety in children and youth

Dr Samantha (Sam) Newman

Sam qualified as a GP in 2010 and has been working in NZ since 2015. Her FemaleGP clinic was established in 2016 to improve access to focused healthcare for women, with her specialist area’s being hormonal health across a women’s lifespan, peri-menopause and menopause, and reproductive hormone medicines. Sam regularly meets with specialist health care providers from all over the globe and is a sought after clinician and presenter internationally, as well as here in New Zealand. Sam delivers presentations on all things hormone and wellbeing related, and specialises in neurodiversity and hormones in both women and men.
Sam's website

Sam delivers presentations on the Myths of Menopause and more

Dr Suzanne Henwood

Suzanne is a coach, author, mentor, supervisor and trainer and a nervous system specialist. With over 30+ years’ experience of teaching and training at an advanced level, Suzanne is a multi-Award Winning Neuroscience based Coach and Trainer. She is trained in a range of techniques including: Polyvagal Informed Therapy, Havening, Rapid Results Coaching, Neurocoaching, Trauma Informed Coaching and Refocusing Counselling.
Suzanne's website

Suzanne delivers workshops, online learning presentations and group supervision on Coaching Skills: Body Intelligence and Wisdom, The Art of Giving and Receiving Feedback, An Introduction to Polyvagal Theory, Polyvagal Theory in Practice- Part 2, Developing an Embodied Gratitude Practice, Embodied Decision Making, Understanding Bullying for Positive Change, Managing Stress and Anxiety, Group Supervision
for Coaches, Counsellors, Social Workers & Helping Professionals

Tipene Pickett

Tipene holds a P Grad Cert in Health Sciences, BA Soc Sci and is a Member of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). A practitioner of Motivational Interviewing (MI) for the past 17 years, Tipene has also been a trainer of trainers for the past 6 years, nationally and internationally. A significant part of his training involves training health professionals in various organisations in health, employment and justice settings with an emphasis on embedding MI training within organisations by creating sustainable MI learning communities to ensure their health practitioners maintain proficiency.
Tipene's website

Tipene delivers workshops on Motivational Interviewing and Puurakau with Youth

Dr Wilmé Steenekamp

Wilmé grew up in South Africa. The first 30 years of her career she was a medical practitioner. She was drawn to patients’ emotional experience of their physical condition or treatments thereof from early on and decided to study Clinical Psychology. She came to NZ in 2016, worked in the DHB Adult Mental Health and then in her private practice in Hamilton or online. She is quite a neuro-nerd and loves learning about our nervous system, human behaviour and how to resolve trauma and grow. Her skills include Somatic Experiencing; EMDR (especially Attachment and Internal family Systems Informed-EMDR); group EMDR (ASAP, G-TEP, R-TEP, G-REP); ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy); Developmental Model Couples therapy. She has obtained her training from numerous different countries in the world. She also loves sharing knowledge through presenting talks and workshops. She has authored book chapters, numerous magazine articles, co-authored research articles.
Wilme's website

Wilmé delivers workshops on Online Group EMDR + Mindfulness Self Compassion for Healthcare Practitioners