Ko wai māua? Who are we?

Matt Deverell

Matt Deverell

He uri ahau nō Ingarangi
Ko St Agnes Beacon te maunga
Ko Trevaunance te moana
Ko te Parish o St Agnes te hāhi
Ko James Ninnis tōku tupuna matua
Ko St Augustine te waka i rere mai ai ki Aotearoa
Otirā, he hononga ā-wairua, ā-ngākau hoki ki Matawaia nō mātou te hōnore
Nō reira, ka mihi atu ahau ki a Hikurangi te maunga
Ko te Raparapa te awa
Ko Matawaia te marae
Ko Ngāti-Hine te hapū
Kei Kirikiriroa ahau e noho ana i ēnei rangi
Ko Matthew Christopher Bolton Deverell tōku ingoa

Tēnā tātou,

For around 10 years I have worked as a youth worker (and counsellor) and at the end of this year (2025) I will complete a Master's in Counselling at Waikato University. I am provisionally registered with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors and uphold the NZAC Code of Ethics.

I have deep whānau connections to Te Ao Māori and in 2022 I completed a Diploma in Te Reo Māori Fluency. I am very grateful for the learnings and experiences and want to continue supporting te hauora o te tangata, otirā ka hāpai ake i te mana o te Tiriti o Waitangi.

If you choose to work with me, to start with we will spend time getting to know each other (whakawhanaungatanga) where I may ask you about what you enjoy, where you grew up, what you do during the day and more. These conversations form a foundation for our work together as all throughout our conversations I hope to see and witness your mana, skills, values, and awesomeness come forth, arā kia puāwai tonu!

However, first and foremost I am a Pāpā to our daughter and love to go for walks, do gardening and have adventures.

Ash

Ash

Nō Ingarani me kōtirana ōku tīpuna
Ki te taha o tōku Pāpā
Ko Prickwillow tōku whenua i Ingarangi
Ko Great Ouse te awa
Ko St Andrews te Hāhi
Ko Taylor tōku hapū
Ko Ingarani tōku iwi

Otirā, ko Aotearoa te āhuru mōwai o ōku tīpuna, ngā reanga e rima.
Nō reira, e mihi ana au ki tēnei whenua ātaahua, whai hoki e mihi ana au ki ngā tāngata whenua o Aotearoa.
I pōwhiri koutou i a mātou i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Nō reira e tū ana au hei tangata tiriti. Nōku te whiwhi, nōku te waimārie. Tēnā koutou.

I tipu ake au ki te Awakairangi.
Ko te Awakairangi e karanga ai ki tōku ngākau.
Ināianei e noho ana au i Kirikiriroa
Ko Ashleigh Renetta Bolton Deverell tōku ingoa

Tēnā tātou

For around 10 years I worked as a youth worker in a variety of settings. Throughout this time I had wonderful supervisors. I see that time as so valuable and such an investment in myself and the work that I did. I hope to create a similar space for you.

I have a bachelors degree in criminology and psychology and a post graduate certificate in professional supervision. I have worked in schools, community trusts, youth 'one-stop-shops', NEET (government funded -Not engaged in Education or Training), alternative education and church settings.

As Tangata Tiriti I have a commitment to uphold Te Ao Māori. I have completed a Diploma in Te Reo Māori Fluency and am always learning. I treasure all that I have learnt and would love to bring this into my practise where appropriate.

Alongside supervising, I work part-time at the University of Waikato and am a Māmā to our daughter. I love nature, creativity, kapa haka and connection over kai.

What we offer

At this point in time, we offer online counselling (Matt), professional supervision (Ash) and couples counselling (both).

We offer sessions at $100 per session but please don't hesitate to contact us if this is undoable. If you would like to work with us, we can send you some more information if you send us an email: puaawaitonu@gmail.com

What is Narrative Therapy?

I (Matt) am trained in Narrative Therapy, an approach that upholds and uplifts your skills, knowledge, mana, culture, values, and beliefs. We will focus on the stories of your life, which are constructed by the social and cultural contexts we live in. Together, we can explore these stories and re-author them in ways that bring forward your values, strengths, skills and hopes which may support any decisions you may want to make for your future.

Supervision

I (Ash) see supervision as an extension of youth work — as you journey with rangatahi, so too do you journey with your supervisor. Supervision is a fluid and flexible space that can be shaped to meet your needs. It's a safe place to reflect on your practice, receive support, and grow in confidence and clarity.

Supervision is a supportive space to pause, reflect, and grow — helping youth workers strengthen their practice and wellbeing, while navigating the ups and downs of the mahi.

I work from a holistic, strength-based approach, grounded in the belief that all areas of our lives impact one another — as reflected in Te Whare Tapa Whā.

The foundation of our supervision is symbolised by the image of a tree, which we build upon together as we move through our sessions — nurturing roots, resilience, values and continued flourishing.

Contact

The best way to contact us is via email:

Please put your name, age, and what you are hoping for (counselling, supervision, or couples counselling). We will then send you some more information about working with us.

Email us at puaawaitonu@gmail.com

Meaning of our name

The name we chose comes from a whakataukī and also a whakatauākī from Sir James Henare that have guided us in our lives. Put together in puāwai tonu, they speak to a value and belief of ours that all people have skills, mana, and values that have already shown themselves or 'blossomed' in their life. In our work alongside you, we want to have kōrero which will see your mana continue to blossom, therefore, the name 'Puāwai Tonu' means to continue blossoming.

Poipoia te kākano, kia puāwai
Nurture the seed and it will blossom

Kua tāwhiti kē tō haerenga mai, kia kore e haere tonu - Sir James Henare
You've come too far, to not go further