Jessica Morten

I trained in Clinical Psychology at the University of Otago. I graduated with a PhD and Post-graduate diploma in Clinical Psychology. My clinical work has spanned both the hospital and community public sectors. I have worked for youth and adult mental health teams, in forensic settings, and in private practice. I am trained in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Working within a CBT framework involves targeting areas of an individual’s thinking and behaviour that are interfering with them leading the life that they want. I use a range of evidence-based therapies that fall under this framework that I individualise and tailor to the individual I am working with and the issues that they are experiencing. In addition to traditional CBT I am trained in and use acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). When working with a client my goal is to help them to identify and target areas in their life that they would like to manage differently and teach them the skills that can help achieve this. I start my work with a client by clarifying what they want to be different in their life and what they want to gain by working together. After working with a client I anticipate that they will have a better understanding of themselves, their thought processes, and their behaviour. During our work, clients will also learn numerous skills that they can readily apply to challenging situations that they are currently experiencing and may encounter in the future.