Auckland Counselling Ltd.   

Helping you to…

Make positive change in your life

You may be feeling overwhelmed, alone, frustrated, angry, helpless…

Talking with a professional counsellor may help you understand and manage overwhelming feelings, thoughts, and issues in your life, and find new ways forward. This is always done within a safe and confidential relationship with your therapist.

You may be needing help with…

  • Grief & Loss
  • Anxiety
  • Anger
  • Stress
  • Depression
  • Relationships
  • Self-esteem
  • Trauma
  • Addiction (substances, obsessions)
  • Sexual Issues
  • Life Change
  • Cultural Conflict
What you should know before you start
…Johann explains to his clients that coming to a counselling session is like carrying in a heavy backpack that can be safely unpacked and re-packed in a way that makes the backpack lighter and easier to carry…

Personal issues may affect a variety of different areas of your life, and you may consider starting counselling to improve the quality of life in these areas. These may include: your physical world (for example sleep, body image, exercise, sexuality amongst others); your social world (the way you relate to those close to you); your thoughts and feelings (how these may be overwhelming or uncontrollable); and your sense of how you connect or not, to the broader world or universe (this may be as simple as listening to music, walking in nature, meditating or spiritual expression).

About your first counselling session

The first counselling session helps Johann gain an understanding of what it is that is troubling you and what your goal is in therapy. He will then establish and agree on a framework of how many sessions may be appropriate for you. For some people this may be two or three sessions over a period of weeks. For others, it may be weekly sessions over several months, or longer.

Auckland Counselling Ltd.   

About Johann…

Johann van den Berg
Johann van den Berg

BA(Hons)PGDipEd(Couns)MEd(Couns)(Hons) MACBS, MNZAC, Registered with NZAC

Johann was born and lived in Africa until moving to New Zealand over sixteen years ago. He completed post-graduate studies in South Africa and New Zealand including a Masters degree in Education specialising in counselling. He is an experienced counsellor and clinical supervisor in private practice and worked as a counsellor in one of Auckland's leading universities. He uses a person-centred, psychodynamic and pluralistic approach in counselling, embracing mindfulness and respect for the inherent strength within the individual.

Johann believes that counselling needs be a respectful, safe, compassionate and supportive experience. He is a full member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) and practices in accordance with their code of ethics.

Like all professional therapists, Johann regularly consults with his professional supervisor.

As a consequence of his own personal experiences, Johann is equipped to work with people from many cultures around the world. He has a keen interest in researching and working with clients with cultural differences and marginalization and working with complex issues that sometimes stop one from reaching one's full potential, in whatever form that may be.

Auckland Counselling Ltd.   

Therapy…

…you will never be judged no matter who you are — together, you will explore ways to help you fulfil your desire and capacity for personal change and growth.

Research-evidence shows that the relationship and rapport between client and counsellor is of utmost importance. Your journey is done empathetically and without judgement in a safe and confidential space. Johann won't tell you or advise you what to do. Everybody is unique and individual having different values and pathways. Counselling helps clarify what your values are and explores answers and solutions that enhance your life experiences, leading to a more meaningful life.

Johann is a professionally trained, person-centred and psychodynamic counsellor and includes evidence-based clinical modalities such as Mindfulness, ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy), Existential Therapy and TA (Transactional Analysis). Compassion is a core aspect of your work. Compassion is defined as a basic kindness, with a deep awareness of the suffering of oneself and of other living things, coupled with the wish and effort to relieve it. Being compassionate to oneself and to others is a step toward positive wellbeing.

Mindfulness — compassionate, specific awareness in the present moment

Mindfulness is a way of being. It may allow for experiencing the world with greater clarity and inner strength and thereby being more able to engage with challenges as they present themselves from day to day. For many of us, we spend much of our lives processing past events, experiences and memories, into future possibilities. In the process we may forget to simply be in the present. The future is unknown, the present is known. This modality allows for people to transform themselves and acknowledge the choices they have in life. It allows for finding inner strengths, and moving toward self-acceptance, and making one's own decisions thus leading to greater clarity, effectiveness and rewards in day to day life.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — to accept what is beyond your personal control - commit to action in line with your values - improve and enrich your life

Sometimes we lose track of our values and goals and may seem lost. ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is about accepting what is out of your personal control, and committing to action in line with your values, thereby improving and enriching your life. It may help you with thoughts about your values and goals, and possibly finding new ones. This in itself may create the basis of a commitment for change.

The purpose of ACT is to maximise your human potential in order to reach a meaningful and full life. It uses a mindfulness approach in teaching skills to manage painful thoughts and feelings more effectively as opposed to being dragged into them or running away from them. It helps you clarify what is important to you and your values, and thereby motivate and guide you to make positive changes in your life.

Existential Therapy — operates on the belief that the conflict within you is due to your confrontation with the givens of existence

Existential therapy is based on the notion that we experience conflict due to our interaction with certain conditions of human existence. These conditions are the likes of death, isolation, meaninglessness and also freedom and responsibility. In this therapy we are guided to accept our fears and given skills to overcome them through action, allowing us to grow and embrace our lives.

Auckland Counselling Ltd.   

Where to go…

Within easy reach, just 5km radius from Auckland City Centre

Consulting Rooms

Situated close to Onewa Road, Birkenhead, North Shore, Auckland.

Five minutes drive across the harbour bridge from downtown Auckland, or a five minute walk from Birkenhead Ferry Terminal. The practice is situated on major bus routes.

Auckland Counselling Ltd.   

Booking…

Each session is 60 minutes long at a cost of $140-00.

Card and cash payments are accepted on the day.

Please enquire about possible WINZ support for your counselling sessions.

Sessions cancelled less than 24 hours before incur full cost.

Use the [   contact ] facility at the bottom of this page for all enquiries. Feel free to call Johann on +64-21-65-5599.

Auckland Sunrise
New Zealand Sunrise
Auckland Counselling Ltd.   

Information…

Links and references

Useful Links

ACT Mindfully

Existential Psychotherapy

LifeLine Aotearoa

Depression Helpline

Outline

RainbowYOUTH

New Zealand Association of Counsellors

Association for Contextual Behavioral Science

Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand

Useful References

Brown, B. (2010), The Gifts of Imperfection. Minnesota. HAZELDEN

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005), Wherever you go there you are. New York: HYPERION

Harris, R. (2007), The Happiness Trap. EXISLE

Harris, R. (2011), The Reality Slap. EXISLE

Gilbert, P. (2013). The Compassionate Mind. London. CONSTABLE

Kirwan, J. (2010). All Blacks Don't Cry. London, PENGUIN BOOKS

Ellverton, P. (2008). Taming the Black Dog. Oxford, How to Books Ltd.