About Me
Welcome! I’m Teressa Hoon, a registered psychotherapist. Looking at starting therapy can feel scary, you’re right to want to gather more information first. This website is here to help you do just that. Here, you’ll find a bit about who I am and how I approach mental health, and I’m glad you’re here.
To change, we first need to understand. Meaningful change often begins when we start looking more closely at ourselves and meet what we find with compassion.
I practise relational psychodynamic therapy, exploring how your past and present experiences shape your life today. This approach helps you grow self-awareness by looking at both the conscious and unconscious aspects of your mind. With more self-awareness, you’ll gain greater freedom from your past, see more possibilities for the future, and feel more fulfilled in the present.
My approach is shaped by my training and my lived experience. I draw from Eastern and Western ways of understanding mental health, with an appreciation for both the mind and the body, as well as the individual and their wider world. I pay attention to your inner life but also to how your culture, relationships, and environment all connect and shape how you experience the world. I believe healing doesn’t just happen in the mind but through the whole self. Our work will be guided by who you are, where you’ve come from, and what matters most to you.
To me, therapy is a collaborative journey. I’ll support you in finding clarity and confidence as you face life’s challenges. I aim to help you build a more positive, compassionate connection with yourself and your story. This way, you can move toward healing in a way that feels true to you and carry that growth with you beyond therapy.
My Approach
I’m originally from Malaysia and have been living in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2012. Having lived in different countries and navigated several major life transitions, these experiences have shaped my interest and empathy as a psychotherapist.
In addition to English, I also speak Chinese (Cantonese, Hakka, and some Mandarin) and Malay. While I offer psychotherapy mainly in English, it may be helpful to know that I can understand the cultural and linguistic nuances of your first language where relevant.
Qualifications
Master of Psychotherapy (AUT), First Class Honours
Graduate Diploma in Health Science: Psychotherapy Studies Pathway (AUT)
Bachelor of Health Science (Psychology) (AUT)
Registration
The Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand (PBANZ)