Kia ora, I’m Viktoria Chamberman and I am a registered counsellor and supervisor. I have a postgraduate qualification in counselling and am a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (MNZAC) since 2008.
Wairarapa Wellness started in 2019 after pulling together 15+ years of human development expertise which in addition to a decade of direct counselling work includes several years of working in international development, research, human rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
I have extensive experience counselling individual women and men, but also many years behind me as family therapist, school counsellor and parent educator.
Not surprising, I am a strong advocate for the use of counselling, be it for long standing mental health struggles that have impacted on a person’s life for decades or for temporary issues where people benefit from bouncing ideas with someone from outside of their immediate circle.
Many of the people I see come with a mental health diagnosis, which is welcome in therapy, but note that you will never be defined by a diagnosis while we work together. People are always more than a label and I am yet to meet a person who hasn’t experienced some struggles in life.
Please be aware that I only operate during weekdays – if you require immediate or after hours support while working with me, I will support you to find the right service for you.
If you have current thoughts of self-harming or suicidal ideation it is really important that you contact 111 (if your life is at risk) or Wairarapa Mental Health Services on 0508 432 432. They will be able to support you to feel safe again. Please check the Urgent Support page for details of other 24/7 helplines.
I practice from a trauma-informed position with the knowledge that many people have experiences of trauma – direct and historical – with consequences that continue to impact their life today. This is something that can be addressed and worked through in therapy.
Most of the people I meet struggle with their mental health and find that counselling help them to get back up on their feet again. While it often takes time for a person to make that first call, people are often more than ready for change when counselling begins.
Being there to support people back up on their feet again, back into the kind of life they want to lead, is increadibly rewarding and what motivates me to continue this work.
My original training was in narrative therapy, however I am trained in a number of modalities including solution focused brief therapy, motivational interviewing, prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), and my work with you will of course be tailored to your needs and preferences.
I am committed to ongoing professional development and I have recently completed a course on treating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD.
Note that I also offer therapy sessions outdoors in a safe natural environment such as in a reserve, by a river or in a park. There is an increasing body of evidence that show how beneficial spending time in nature is for us people and overseas medical practices already prescribe nature to their patients as part of their treatment. Meeting outside have often been described as freeing and soothing by clients and those who can benefit from this type of therapy include those who feel stressed, are affected by depression or anxiety, and for those who feel stuck or affected by rumination of thoughts. Your safety and privacy is paramount and this is factored into the decision of where to host these meetings. If you are curious about therapy in nature or would like to book a session, please contact me directly on 022 426 3161 or via email on talk@wairarapawellness.co.nz. Do not use the online booking system at this point.
I moved over the hill from Wellington in 2017 and live in beautiful Gladstone together with my husband and two young children, a wild garden and an abundance of projects that keep us busy.
