Hannah Orpin

I am a New Zealand Māori psychologist (Ngāi Tahu iwi, Ngāti Kahungunu hapu). I completed a Masters degree in counselling psychology in Aōtearoa, then moved to Queensland Australia where I worked in an urban indigenous organization, before transitioning into remote private practice at Positive Mind Works in 2021. Currently, I live in Vancouver Canada with my family (including two dogs Buddy and Ollie… they may make an appearance in sessions!). I am experienced in WorkCover/WorkSafe claims, NDIS, and EAP. Because I am located internationally this means I cannot take clients who wish to use Medicare funding.

I believe that providing a therapeutic space that is ethically, culturally, and spiritually safe is paramount. To ensure this safety, I engage in regular supervision with competent and experienced psychologists, as well as extensive and advanced professional development. Importantly, I listen carefully to any feedback my clients give me about how I relate to them.

I am competent and experienced in a range of therapies including; Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Person-Centred/Humanistic Counselling, and Motivational Interviewing. I use these therapies in combination with a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of trauma, personality, somatic/body-based approaches, psychoanalytic theories, and attachment models. In therapy, we will work to consolidate this psychological knowledge into a personalized understanding of your life experiences and current difficulties, and find strategies that are practical and make sense for you.

I can help with:

• trauma
• suicide & self-harm
• borderline & histrionic personality
• addictions
• interpersonal problems
• domestic & intimate partner violence
• issues of personality or identity
• survivors of abuse
• bipolar disorder
• psychological, cultural, and spiritual impacts of colonization
• medically unexplained symptoms or pain