Claire Mushrow

Background. I am a Registered Social Worker with 20 years of experience both in New Zealand and the UK. I am a registered with the Social Work Registration Board ( SWRB) and a member of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers ANZASW). My approach is strength based and solution focused. I also use a trauma informed approach. I am interested in people and value hearing a person’s story, their hopes and their goals. My hope is to work in a way, were you reach your own sense of knowing. I will ask courageous and curious questions and help sort through the challenges that get in the way. I want to encourage you, and I will support you to take the right steps. I am originally from the UK, and I understand the migrant story of immigration/ relocating and re-establishing myself. I love the diversity of New Zealand and will always seek to be respectful and honouring of you, your culture, your beliefs and your experiences. I have a personal experience of neurodiversity and would be happy to support those who are exploring their own needs. I always believe there is a space between impossible and possible and I am always willing to try and find it. - Therapeutic Social Work I provide therapeutic social work, to individuals (both adult and children) who find themselves experiencing emotional, mental, financial, spiritual and practical difficulties which impact on wellbeing. My approach uses a trauma informed, strength based solution focused approach allowing people to access or develop their coping and adaptive strategies. My work with children includes a play based approach/bibliotherapy and skills to build emotional awareness and regulation. - Employment Assistance I provide employment assistance for those who may be experiencing stresses/ challenges or needing new perspectives within their work setting of for those whose personal circumstances are impacting on their work. Using a solution focused strength based approach I offer therapeutic listening/ coaching/goal planning. - Supervision I provide cross cultural clinical supervision to people working within a number of disciplines including social work, community work, NGO leadership. This work allows for reflective processing of day to practice, professional development, ethical issues. - Equine Assisted Learning. I provide facilitation as equine mental health specialist in conjunction with an equine therapy service. A face to face or zoom session is required prior to these activities as to attend to an assessment of need/ risk assessment. -Animal Focused Support I also have an interest in providing support to Pet owners, Veterinary Professionals, Rescue volunteers in terms of bereavement, grief and loss/ and burnout Qualifications: June 1997. Certificate in Higher Education in Learning Disabilities. Feb 2001. Diploma in Social Work and Diploma in Professional Studies in Nursing- Learning Disabilities(DPSW/DPSN). April 2014. BSC in Health and Social Care Studies. Nov 2018. Graduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy. Dec 2020 Graduate Certificate in Cross Cultural Supervision. I have also completed papers in Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Counselling skills and Working with Creative Arts within Counselling Settings