​Art Therapists

Jordan Monaghan

Clinical Creative Art Therapist

​(NZ reg.)

As a Creative Arts Therapist and Sandtray Practitioner, Jordan has worked alongside a variety of neuro-typical and neuro-divergent children, teenagers, and young adult. She has experience working in both community mental health spaces and schools.

Jordan uses Art Therapy to help support those facing a variety of challenges including: 

· Self - expression and communication

· Health and Well-being 

· Grief and loss

· Trauma

· ASD

· ADHD

Jordan has a gentle nature and is highly valued for her bubbly and genuine disposition. Compassion and playfulness sit at the core of her creative and therapeutic practice. She offers a person-centred and trauma informed approach, led by creativity and curiosity. Jordan offers a non-judgmental presence as she helps her clients explore their inner and outer worlding through the creative arts and within the sandtray. 

Jordan's gentle and compassionate nature, combined with her growing training and knowledge, in Creative Art Therapies and Sandtray Therapy , make her an exceptional therapist who is deeply committed to helping her clients heal and grow.

Jordan has more than nine years of rich work experience in different social, cultural and creative environments. She has completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts and a Masters in Creative Arts Therapy with first class honours. Jordan is a registered member of ANZACATA (The Australian, New Zealand, and Asian Creative Art Therapies Association).

Qualification:

MACAT(First class honours) PGDipCAT, BVA

Availability:

Jordan is available to see clients on Thursdays and Fridays

Sasha Iyengar

 Art Therapist (NZ reg.)

 Sasha is an Art Therapist who began working creatively with children and adolescents in 2011, through her role as an art and design educator in schools. As an Art Therapist, Sasha has worked in a variety of settings in Australia and New Zealand, including special developmental schools, community mental health settings, palliative care, pediatric and rehabilitation hospitals and women’s health centers.

Sasha is passionate about using creativity to work towards health and wellbeing. She maintains an inclusive, person-centered practice, adopting a range of therapeutic interventions to best suit the needs of her clients. Sasha meets young people where they are at, with empathy and a holistic approach.

Sasha can help support your whanau with:

• Communication and self-expression
• Behavioural challenges
• Learning difficulties
• Resilience building
• Anxiety and depression
• Trauma and grief
• Building healthy relationships
• ASD
• ADHD
• Self-esteem and body image
• Wellbeing – promoting strategies for self-care

Qaulification:

MA ATh, GradDipPsyc, BArtEd, AThR

Availability:

Sasha is available during school hours on Tuesdays and Wednesday.

Maggie van den Heuvel

Clinical Art Therapist (NZ reg.)

Meet Maggie, a therapist specialising in attachment and trauma work with children, teens, and young adults. Maggie embraces a holistic approach grounded in mindfulness and body-centred practices and utilises a toolbox of expressive therapeuric modalities such as art, movement, sensory play, and sandtray to support clients navigate trauma and attachment-related struggle.

With over 15 years of clinical experience Maggie has worked across diverse settings including closed clinics, prisons, schools, private practices, and ambulant care. She holds a degree in Art Therapy and is an active member of ANZCATA (The Australian, New Zealand, and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association) and STANZA (Associate Member (Sandplay Therapy and Association of New Zealand and Australia). Maggie is commitment to professional development attending recent courses focusing on trauma and attachment-based work.

Maggie's approach fosters resilience, self-esteem, and emotional regulation, aiding clients in overcoming anxiety, trauma, social skills, and more. Dedicated to empowering her clients, Maggie provides compassionate support for their healing journey.

Maggie works with children, teens and young adults in both individual and group settings. She offers close-fit Art Therapy help her clients face a variety of challenges including:

• Anxiety, self-esteem and body positivity
• Trauma
• Attachment issues
• Anxiety
• Emotional regulation
• Social skills
• Resilience training
• Anger issues
• ASD: autism spectrum disorder
• ADHD
• Developmental disorder
• Personality disorder
• Behavioural disorder
• Palliative care
• Stroke survivors

Availability:

Maggie is available for appointments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Julia Hanna

Art Therapist ​(NZ reg.)

Julia has been practicing Art Therapy with children and adolescents since 2016.

She has led art therapy groups for children with anxiety and has worked extensively with children on the autistic spectrum through DTNZ (Dance Therapy New Zealand). Her previous experience includes work for Glowkids Conductive Education and Carlson School for Cerebral Palsy.

Currently, Julia works in private practice using a range of creative modalities, with a key focus on visual art and sand tray therapy. Julia uses art to establish a rapport with your child and then works closely with you to best meet their needs. Her sessions are predominantly child-lead which gives children power of their own process in a fun, safe and dynamic space. 

Julia has experience with a range of challenges including:

• Anxiety issues
• Impulse control
• Parent separation/family difficulties
• Sensory issues
• ASD
• ADHD
• Behavioural problems
• Special needs
• Social skills
• Self-esteem

​Julia is a registered Arts Therapist with ANZACATA (The Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association).

Availability:

Julia is available for appointments on Mondays and Thursdays..

Joanne Sykes

Art Psychotherapist ​(NZ reg.)

Joanne is an Art Psychotherapist who trained and worked in Scotland before moving to New Zealand in 2023. She has specialised in working in schools and community settings providing therapeutic support for children and their families.

Prior to becoming an art therapist Joanne has many years experience in both creative expression and care work, through her work as an intellectual disability nurse and her own creative art practice. She has found these two worlds of care and creativity are an intrinsic part to our individual well being and are often entwined into our sense of belonging and connection with the world around us.

Joanne uses all strands of her knowledge and experience to inform her therapeutic practice and strives to provide holistic, client led support. She primarily works in a non directive way and offers client's the opportunity to explore their emotions and express themselves through creativity. Joanne believes that the relationship between client and therapist is the essence of the therapeutic process, she works in a non judgemental and empathetic way, creating a supportive and trusting environment for the client to feel open to inner reflections at their own pace.

Joanne has experience with a range of challenges including:

• Family Trauma
• Anxiety issues
• Impulse control
• Parent separation/family difficulties
• Sensory issues
• ASD
• ADHD
• Behavioural problems
• Special needs
• Social skills
• Self-esteem
• Children affected by substance abuse
  

Qualifications:

MSc Art Psychotherapy, BN Learning Disability Nursing, BA(Hons) Tapestry.

ANZACATA member BAAT overseas member.

Availability:

Joanne is available for appointments on Saturdays.