Nikita Dow

I am a Pākehā Clinical Psychologist in my 30's who has worked with people struggling with: depressive disorders, various forms of fear / anxiety, ADHD, trauma / PTSD, dissociation / dissociative disorders, recovering after psychosis, navigating the world as a person with Autism, eating disorders and bipolar affective disorder. I mostly work with young and middle aged adults (18 – 55) but have worked with a variety of older adults, children and families. I focus on being open, collaborative, compassionate, and normalising in therapy. I am always happy to answer why I have asked a certain question or used a particular metaphor. I love animals, languages, art, anime, singing, pole dancing, board games, TTRPG's (like Dungeons & Dragons), online gaming and most things nerdy. I like to find hobbies and interests in common with my clients so I can use metaphors and explanations that are meaningful and memorable to them. I do my best to be flexible in my work and adapt to the religious cultural and personal needs of each person I work with – while also ensuring my practice is empirically and scientifically informed. I am an LGBT person and I do my best to create a safe environment, validate and affirm the gender and sexual orientation of all the people I work with (and I don't mind being corrected if I make a mistake). Finally I have ADHD – so I have first-hand experience with navigating the mental health system and struggling with managing ADHD symptoms. I studied psychology for 8 years at the University of Canterbury before graduating in February 2021 with a Postgraduate Diploma of Clinical Psychology and a Master of Science with Distinction. If you think I would be a good fit for you please send me an email.