Lynn Berresford:

M.Ed (Hons), Dip Teaching (Distinction), Registered Psychologist with over 30 years of experience of working with children, teenagers and adults with exceptional needs. Lynn has developed extensive and practical knowledge of these individuals who learn differently.

Lynn has acted as the George Parkyn National Centre for Gifted Education consultant psychologist ever since the establishment of the centre in 1995. She was one of the ‘ask an expert’ on the Ministry of Education TKI website (Gifted and Talented Community – Parent and Whanau).

She is a member of the N.Z. Psychological Society, N.Z. Counsellors Association, N.Z. Gifted Children’s Association and she is a life member of SPELD (N.Z. Federation of Specific Learning Difficulties).
Lynn is a dedicated, experienced and skilled advocate for individuals who have behaviours reflecting Giftedness, Dyslexia, Attention Deficits, Dyspraxia, Aspergers etc.
Lynn has worked in both clinical and educational settings.

Aurelia Escoto-Kemp:

Aurelia is a NZ trained, experienced and registered Educational Psychologist as well as a member of the NZ Psychological Society.

She offers a range of services which include cognitive and educational assessments as well as counselling support. Aurelia also offers professional supervision and performance appraisals for RTLBs (Resource Teachers for Learning and Behaviour).

Aurelia worked at Group Special Education (Ministry of Education) from 2000 prior to setting up her own private practice in January 2005. During that time, Aurelia worked to support students with severe and challenging behavioural difficulties, students with learning difficulties and ORRS-funded students. Aurelia also worked with the Traumatic Incident Team to provide trauma support and risk assessments.
Nicola Dose:

Nicola initially started working with children with special learning needs whilst studying at University, teaching children with autism to develop skills related to language, socialisation, and daily living skills using an intensive 1:1 approach. Nicola studied at the University of Auckland graduating with a BA, MA, and Post Graduate Applied Diploma in Psychology in the area of Learning Disabilities, completing her studies in 1999. Her Masters thesis explored differences in learning pathways for children with Dyslexia.

Having registered as a Psychologist in 1999, Nicola worked with families and individuals with intellectual, physical, and visual disabilities for Spectrum Care (Community Support Team) to address challenging behaviours from 1999 to 2002. After some time exploring the South Island, Nicola began working at AUT for the Research Office, managing and researching projects, lecturing and tutoring in Psychology, and providing student support. Nicola’s motivation to work alongside and assist people to bring about positive changes, drew her back to the clinical field, working for Group Special Education to support children with emotional, learning, and behaviour needs in addition to providing intensive behaviour therapy for individuals affected by autism.

Nicola has worked at the Centre part-time since May 2006, providing Cognitive and Educational assessments for children, adolescents, and adults with specific learning needs, tutoring support for reading, spelling, essay writing, and therapy to address emotional issues such as anger, depression, and anxiety. Nicola also works part-time for the Auckland District Health Board with the Community Neurobehaviour Service providing support for those affected by an acquired a brain-injury. Nicola is currently enrolled in a Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) at Massey University.
Nicola is a member of the New Zealand Psychological Society.

Judy Selvaraj

Registered Educational Psychologist and Registered Secondary Teacher with over 30 years’ experience in education as a psychologist, secondary and middle school teacher, researcher, university tutor, tertiary and adult lecturer, Speld tutor and author and presenter of several conference papers. Graduated from Auckland College of Education and The University of Auckland with B.A., M.A. (Hons) in Psychology and Diploma in Teaching. Qualified Commerce Teacher in Accounting, Economics and Text and Information Management.

Recently employed as an Assessor for the George Parkyn National Centre for Gifted Children to place students in the One Day School Programme and an Assessor for the Gifted Online (GO) programme for students who access gifted programmes in rural centres, via the computer.

Prior to 2003 and for four years, was previously employed as a Special Needs Adviser and Educational Psychologist with Group Special Education (Ministry of Education) working with students who have special learning needs (autistic and ADHD students), those with challenging behaviours and those who required school intervention programmes.

Prakash Grover
Registered Psychologist & Speech Language Therapist

A passionate and strongly motivated registered Psychologist who is a registered Speech Language Therapist too. Prakash with his 24 years of experience brings the expertise of eclectic assessment of differently able students and children. He is a trained professional in positive handling strategies, positive programming and functional assessments.

Masters degree in Psychology, Sociology, counselling and a degree in speech language therapy adds to comprehensiveness of Prakash as a professional. He is a dedicated, experienced and skilled advocate for individuals who have “different” behaviours.

Prakash offers a range of services which include cognitive, educational assessment, functional behaviour assessment, speech and language assessment and parent support programmes.

Prakash with a strong pedagogic framework and an intense desire to make a positive difference to people believes in the power of “simple” and “kindness”.

To find what you seek in the road of life,
the best proverb of all is that which says:
“Leave no stone unturned.”
Edward Bulwer Lytton
Delaine Jones

Cert. C.W. Special ED, Dip Counselling. Qualified Counsellor with over 20 years experience working with adults, children and adolescents over 7yrs. Delaine specialises in Relationship counselling, working with couples and their families as well as individuals who are challenged by life’s issues.

Delaine’s background study began by training in Re-evaluation Counselling (RC) in the mid 80s. Her therapeutic work and intuitive approach to counselling led her to be selected as an RC trainer. She is a natural high energy communicator. Through this work, she has developed a theoretical viewpoint about the changing tides of relationships or what she sees as the
“Relationship Revolution”.

Delaine has written a number of self-development programmes for teenagers
and parents with an emphasis on effective communication. These seminars are practical and dynamic applications for discovering the blocks between parents and their children.

While Delaine has been in private practice in Auckland for more than 20 years, she has travelled extensively with her training work within the relationship field.

The issues she commonly helps with are:

Loneliness and despair
Relationship difficulties/Development
Sexual, Physical and Emotional abuse
Communication skills
Addictions and dependencies or Co-dependency Loss or grief
Depression/suicidal ideation Anger Management Fears Career choices/discover
your authentic self and your passions Regression for past traumas

Delaine’s greatest joy is to work with individuals of all ages to reach
their truest potential, building self-sufficiency, and empowering people
with skills and values that lead to being masters of their own realities.

Fees are: On a Sliding Scale
Beneficiaries $70 per hour
Earning under 100 K $80
Earning over 100K $100
Couples $100

Francis Evans
Francis is a fully certificated Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming to the International NLP Trainers Association standards. NLP is the art and science of using the language of the mind to bring about therapeutic change. He has been in private practice since 1985.

He is also a skilled Astrological Therapist able to pinpoint the critical moments in a person’s life that set up repetitive life challenges, and to use astrology to a certain degree to describe the originating event. Used in conjunction with NLP transformation technology this is a potent combination.

Francis understands the principle that it is beliefs that determine your experiences, and that providing you are motivated, you can exchange a belief for a better one with relative ease.

He is a Licensed Avatar® Master since 1992, and brought the Avatar® course to New Zealand.

Session time 1½ hr Fee $120 (eftpos or credit cards not available)

Leigh Bridgens:

B Ed. Primary teaching, SPELD tutor training. Leigh is the Assessment and Counselling centre’s office manager. She is a mother of two boys who learn differently.