About Ri...
Ko wai au?
Tū rangatira tōku maunga Whitcliffe I te Ao I te pō
Rere kau ana te awa ko nga awa e rima
Rauika mai ki te marae Carnew I roto I te riu
o Avoka
Te whare whakaruruhau mo te hapu Airihi
Te mana te ihi o te iwi Cousins
Hoea mai tōku waka Lady Jocelyn
Heoi ana, I whānau mai ahau ki Mōrenawhira
ki Waikato
Ka tapa ōku tūpuna te ingoa Ri Griffiths
No reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou tēnā koutou katoa.
My ancestors originated from Scotland and Ireland with Danish thrown in for good measure. I was born in Morrinsville and raised in the Waikato. It was while living in Hastings raising my children and working with youth that I developed a love for the Māori culture . I found that Māori culture carried similar values to my own and their values of whanaungatanga and whakapapa grounded me and strengthened my own sense of identity and belonging. I am so grateful to my Māori whānau who have walked alongside me while I have discovered my own sense of connection with Aotearoa, te whenua,
te reo and tikanga and all the while strengthened my own whakapapa as NZ pākehā. These values have informed my practice.
Counseling ....
I am a fully registered counsellor with NZCCA and also am an approved Supervisor for DAPAANZ. As an approved Counsellor with ACC, I am qualified to work with those who have suffered from sensitive trauma, for example, sexual abuse, rape, incest, in partnership with Male Support, Wellmind Counselling, and Contented Mind. As required by NZCCA, I have regular supervision to maintain an ethical and safe practice.
My counselling toolbox has an eclectic approach. My aim is to draw from a range of modalities to meet you where you are at and provide tools which will help you to move forward on your journey of health and wellbeing. This might include approaches which draw from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Narrative, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Sand tray, Art and Sensory Modulation. I work very much from a wholistic approach, focussing on Mind (Hinengaro), Spirit (Wairua), Body (Tinana) and Community (Whanau).
Registrations and Professional Memberships
Bachelor of Counselling
Diploma of Intercultural Studies
Member of NZ Christian Counsellors Association
Accredited Supervior with Drug and Alcohol Practitioners Association of NZ
ACC Registered Counsellor
Photography by Teodora Motateanu.Manu Bay, HuntlyNZ