Gisela Theunissen

Gisela is a warm, friendly and playful psychotherapist-in-training, currently in her final year of the Master of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy at AUT, completing her studies in November 2026. She brings over 10 years of experience working and studying in the mental health field. She is also a passionate teacher at AUT. 

At the heart of Gisela’s work is a belief that sometimes all it takes to make a difference in a child’s life is one person who truly listens. Having experienced the importance of that kind of connection in her own childhood, Gisela feels privileged to now offer children and young people a space where they can feel heard and accepted for who they are.

Gisela uses a non-directive therapeutic approach and recognises that play is the natural language of children and toys are their words. With adolescents, she offers a more talk-based approach alongside creative forms of expression, such as sand tray and art, adapting her work to each young person’s developmental needs and preferences.

She creates a warm and safe space where young people can express themselves freely, make sense of their experiences and develop a stronger sense of self. Gisela works relationally, with connection, curiosity and trust at the heart of the therapeutic relationship.

Gisela is especially passionate about working with neurodivergent tamariki and takes a neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based approach. She enjoys supporting young people with emotional regulation, anxiety, identity development, trauma, and the many challenges that can arise as they grow and navigate their world. She also recognises the important role of caregivers and works alongside parents and whānau to support each child’s wellbeing.

Outside the therapy room, Gisela loves anything creative, getting outdoors for a hike, getting lost in a good book, or spending far too much time building Lego!

What can child psychotherapy support with?

Sometimes a child’s behaviour is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle and understanding what lies beneath can take time and curiosity. Gisela supports children and whānau in exploring these underlying emotions and experiences to help parents gain a deeper understanding of their child’s inner world while strengthening their connection and relationship.

Child psychotherapy can support children and young people experiencing a wide range of challenges, including trauma, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, school refusal, self-esteem difficulties, peer and social challenges, emotion regulation difficulties, attachment disruptions, family transitions, parent-child relationship difficulties and neurodevelopmental differences.