Registered Arts Therapist |
Psychotherapeutic services
Kia ora, I'm Dan
I support people to navigate life’s challenges by providing a compassionate space where talk therapy, creativity, and body awareness meet.
"Healing is not a destination, but a process of returning to yourself. It is the act of reclaiming the parts of your experience that you had to disconnect from to survive." - Dr Gabor Maté
How I work
I work in partnership with clients using person-centered, humanistic frameworks, recognising that you hold the wisdom about your own life. My role is to walk alongside you, honour your pace, and support your insights.
As a Registered Clinical Arts Therapist (AThR), I specialize in mindful body-based approaches, helping you tune into your body, offer invitations to express, release stored stress, and anchor in the present. I draw on conversation, body-focused tools, and collaborate with arts materials and processes as needed (no artistic skill required).
Who I work with
I provide a grounded, collaborative space for people navigating moments of stuckness, life transitions, or emotional challenges.
Specialist Areas & Niche Focus
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Neurodivergent Individuals: Tailored, sensory-aware support for autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults navigating burnout, unmasking, and nervous system regulation.
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LGBTQIA+ & Rainbow Community: Gender, sexuality, and relationship-affirming care centered on identity, self-acceptance, and safe processing.
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Men’s Mental Health: Supporting men to move past emotional suppression, process stress, and explore vulnerability in a practical, body-centered way.
Common Themes
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Anxiety, stress, & nervous system overload
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Identity shifts, life transitions, & burnout
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Emotional integration, grief, & body awareness
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Spirituality and meaning-making
No artistic skill is ever required, materials and creative processes are optional tools to help when words fall short.
About
I'm Dan Cunningham, a registered arts therapist, artist, and animal lover. Born in South Africa of Irish descent, I arrived in Aotearoa from London in 2020. As Tauiwi, I hold a deep commitment to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi, bringing respect for indigenous wisdom, diverse stories, and the unique journeys of everyone I meet.
My background in embodied theatre, voicework, and yoga shapes how I weave body awareness with psychotherapeutic methods.
Outside of being a therapist, my world is rooted in things that keep me creative: nature, dance, music, arts-making, and a deep love for animals (including my Macaw parrot and a Cavoodle therapy dog). I bring therapeutic rigor alongside a warm, heart-centered practice
Qualifications & Registrations
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Master of Arts in Arts Therapy (Clinical) — First Class Honours (MACAT)
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Registered Arts Therapist (AThR) — ANZACATA
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Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Therapy (PGDIP)
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Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in European Theatre Arts (BA)
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500-hr Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher
Let’s Kōrero (Free 20-Minute Initial Meet)
Finding the right therapeutic fit is essential. I offer a complimentary 20-minute initial consultation, online or over the phone, to talk through what brings you here, answer any questions, and see how working together aligns with what you're looking for.