Gisela Theunissen

Gisela (she/her) is currently pursuing her Master’s in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy at AUT which is deepening her understanding and skills to better support and guide young people navigating life's challenges. She understands that emotions can sometimes feel overwhelming and difficult to express, especially for young people. With a warm and empathetic approach, she aims to create a safe and supportive environment where every child and young person feels that they are heard and valued for who they are. 

Recognising that play is a child’s natural form of communication and that toys can serve as their words; she primarily uses play based approaches with younger children to help them process their inner experiences. With adolescents, she combines play and talk therapy to provide a space for both creative expression and meaningful conversations to process their experiences. 

Gisela believes that no child exists in isolation and offers regular collaborative whānau feedback meetings to support parents throughout their child’s therapeutic journey. These sessions are a vital part of the process, helping caregivers understand their child’s emotional language and better respond to their needs.

Gisela is particularly passionate about working with neurodivergent tamariki. 

How might psychotherapy help your child/adolescent? 

• Child psychotherapy is an evidence-based, deeply reflective approach that aims to strengthen caregiver-child relationships and other external relationships. 

• It helps children and adolescents identify, name,  and express their feelings which helps in building resilience and a strong sense of identity. 

• Therapy offers a dedicated space for the young person to explore their inner world and work through internal conflicts. 

Child psychotherapy may be helpful for children and adolescents presenting with:

• Anxiety 

• Low mood or depression

• Emotional regulation and outbursts

• Difficulties with identity or self-esteem

• Relationship or attachment difficulties

• Trauma or loss

• School-related issues (e.g. refusal, bullying, performance anxiety)

• Behavioural challenges

• Neurodivergence 

• Gender and sexuality 

Outside of her work, Gisela enjoys reading, painting, building Lego, and finding the best dessert places around town!