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Does this sound familiar?

​Your world has changed.
​Things aren’t what they used to be, they no longer have that sense of familiarity.
You no longer feel you can trust what and who you once trusted.
There’s no going back, the ‘veil has lifted’, and you wonder ‘who am I now?’

Life doesn't have to stay that way
Hi, I'm Joanne Deaker and I can help.
I provide life transition therapy anywhere in NZ or Australia. I specialize in: divorce recovery; being with grief; and a specific pattern of behaviour called 'good girl syndrome'.  I use the 'Reconnect Me' framework (a unique combination of somatic and arts therapy). 
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​My clients walk away with a deeper understanding of who they are, an ability to feel​ safe within themselves and the tools to more readily handle life's many challenges, and best of all, they feel joy in this life again.

How I can help you

I currently offer 1:1 therapy and will soon be offering small group coaching around specific themes beginning with 'the good girl syndrome'.

​I believe the struggle we feel in a life transition is rooted in past experiences where we have been conditioned to suppress our emotions.

When change happens we quickly become overwhelmed because these emotions bubble up to the surface and we can no longer hold them down. In such situations, talking is useful, but often something deeper is needed...
 
In embodied processing we tap into the wisdom of the body to create a safe container in which to feel and allow these emotions to slowly surface and move.  Arts therapy is used to augment this because it is gentle, bypasses the thinking mind and literally helps us to see the ‘bigness’ of the life transition.
How I see the benefits of working with me online (for more see FAQ)...

How it works (for 1:1 therapy)

*** NOTE: ONLY 1 SPOT AVAILABLE For 2024 INTAKE***
1. Check that you are the following…
✅   Willing to have a go at something a bit different (this is not standard counseling or talk therapy).
✅   Have the courage to go deep (I will guide you as gently and carefully as possible)
✅   Not looking to me to ‘fix’ you (I will guide you through your transition but it’s you that has to do the walking)
✅   Not looking for a ‘quick fix’ (lasting change may take more than one session)

2. Make contact 
Reach out and book your free 30 minute intro call. I’ll answer any questions you have and we'll check that we’re a good fit. 

2. Get the support you need  
Join me online for a 60 minute session each week for eight weeks. Together, we’ll develop the tools you need to find joy in your life again. ​ If you would like further sessions beyond the initial eight weeks you can opt to fortnightly or pay-as-you-go sessions - see FAQ.

3. Find joy in life again

How it works (for group coaching)

I am currently running my 8 week, group programme for women to learn how to break free of 'good girl syndrome'. It's called 'Free to Be Me'. If you’d like to be in the next handful of women to be in this, live programme learning together how to break free of being the 'good girl' so you can stop worrying about what everyone else thinks, rediscover your true self and feel good about yourself again, please join my priority list by clicking here and you will be first notified when the doors open to it again.

What others have to say...

Joanne is able to hold a safe space for people to explore their emotions and learn to express themselves in a variety of ways. She allows people to feel comfortable in what can be an uncomfortable space; and is mindful of ensuring the right pace, adapting to what is needed in a session, and is very aware of the needs of each individual. Joanne is able to help people connect with what is important and facilitate a deep understanding of oneself.

Rebecca Scheibmair, Clinical Psychologist, NZ
It has been an incredible experience working with Joanne over our sessions.
 
Looking for new tools to support my journey I really loved the combination of arts therapy and embodied processing (EP). It provided me with such a grounded space to really explore some deeper emotions in such a beautiful gentle way.
 
Joanne held each session in such a gentle, compassionate way and allowed me to explore some really triggering layers that presented. She taught me some amazing resourcing tools that I will definitely keep for future use and loved how these made me feel. I can be quite fearful and reactive at times and this approach really made me feel safe and held and this is a space that I have not always known how to access.
 
I found using arts therapy was a fantastic way to express myself when I felt a lot of resistance using words and using the foundation of EP really allowed me to safely release all that was ready to come through. Using so many different approaches to art appealed to my inner child as did the various resourcing and grounding options that we explored.
 
I am very grateful for the sessions that we shared and feel that I have grown so much in the 6 weeks that we connected. I would recommend Joanne to anyone looking for a gentle approach to therapy that also needs a lot of safety and support from a body perspective.
 
Samantha Hallpike, Australia
Joanne has a beautiful kind and soft nature, I felt safe in her presence. Everything was an invitation and I felt like I could go at my own pace. She invited me to use my resource many times throughout the session and also reminded me to use it outside of sessions.

​Nicci, Queensland, Australia.
Joanne has such a beautiful presence. She held me so safely while she guided me to where I needed to go and helped me process what came up for me. It felt really intuitive and by the end of the session I felt so much more peace about the situation. If you are thinking about working with Joanne please do not hesitate, she really is wonderful.

​Dani, Northland, NZ 

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I had 6 sessions with Joanne and although I was initially apprehensive about the process, the insights and a-ha moments were profound and welcome. What was I apprehensive about? I’m no artist, I’m more the stick figure and “what the hell is that” person so I was unsure about how I would gain anything through arts therapy. The process Joanne led me through was easeful ….I’d like to say painless, but the revelations and healing was not pain-free - but I know I can’t heal without feeling and acknowledging the pain.

I highly recommend Joanne - if you are on the fence and apprehensive like I was, know that the process will help unblock any areas of life you are struggling with.

​​Nikki Moore, Auckland, NZ
Over the last 6 weeks I have been working with Joanne and I highly recommend her.
 
The combination of EP and arts therapy have been invaluable in my healing journey. EP allowed me to connect deeply with my body, unraveling physical tension I have carried for years. Through Joanne’s gentle guidance and exercises, I learned to listen to my body's wisdom and release stored emotions.
 
 Throughout the sessions I explored my thoughts and feelings, often uncovering insights I couldn't access through words alone. Creating art became a powerful tool for processing and healing emotional wounds.
 
I highly recommend working with Joanne to anyone seeking profound transformation and self-discovery.’
 
 Jacinta, NSW, Australia
Past trauma has left me quite disconnected from my body. Joanne allowed me to share some of the story to give context to the difficulty I felt. She skillfully honed in on what to help me unpack and knew exactly how much (although she was brilliant at not assuming anything and I always felt in control).
 
We looked at the wider scope of what has happened to me and this was really important for me. It was extremely valuable to just be seen and heard and to be able to be 'all of me' with someone who was really attuned and I felt her empathy.

​Resourcing and bringing in the trigger and seeing where it led was really helpful. It helped me to understand that my resistance and overwhelm was part of a freeze pattern from a previous trauma. For once, I could actually feel some genuine emotion and there was a sense of depth and authenticity.
 
Joanne offered me a real gift. I felt super safe and overall was beyond grateful for the way she held space for me.
 
G., Auckland, NZ