Carien Lubbe-De Beer | Psychologist

Psychologist Tauranga

My name is Carien Lubbe-De Beer. I have been working as a psychologist since 2000.

As a psychologist I am excited by the possibility that therapy can foster hope, promote inner healing and enable a sense of enhanced well-being.

Big words which basically means that when life gets too much, or you’re concerned about your child, or a whanau member that you love, then therapy might be an option.

It gives me great joy to work from a solution focused perspective, where the focus is on strengths and resources to support new options and strategies. 

Types of issues I can help with include anger management, anxiety, depression, grief, phobia, relationship problems, stress and trauma.

Some of my specialisations are:

• Child centred practices/play based approaches
• Trauma (through somatic approaches such as Somatic Experiencing - Peter Levine, Creative Expressive Art therapy & Sandplay - Dora Kalff)
• Sexuality and Gender

A safe, supportive and nurturing space

The aim of therapy for me is to create a safe, supportive and nurturing space where individuals can heal, connect with their inner selves and ultimately live more optimal and meaningful lives.

I have been practising psychology for 18 years and mainly work with children and adolescents, as well as young adults, who experience difficulties in their emotional, social and behavioural development. I enjoy sand play therapy and child centered play therapy, as well as attachment-based work with young kids and their parents (Theraplay). 

With adult clients and adolescents, I incorporate various modalities as it suits the client and context (e.g. person centered, gestalt, transactional analysis, cognitive behaviour therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, mindfulness, somatic experiencing and so forth.

I hold a PhD in Educational Psychology and was a professor at the University of Pretoria before moving to New Zealand. I am a registered psychologist with the New Zealand Board for Psychologists.

Registrations

• New Zealand Board for Psychology: NZPB Reg no 90-06379 
• The New Zealand Psychological Society Member no 10409 

Education / Qualifications

• 2005        Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, University of Pretoria, South Africa 
• 1999        Master in Educational Psychology (MEd), University of Pretoria, South Africa
• 1997        Bachelor in Psychology (BEd), University of Pretoria, South Africa (cum laude)
• 1993        Bachelor of Arts (BA Ed School guidance), University of Pretoria, South Africa (cum laude)

Other workshops and trainings

• 2018: Solution Focused Brief Therapy
• 2018: Lego Based Therapy approaches
• 2018: Occupational coaching

• 2018: Solution Focused Brief Therapy: 101 questions (5 modules)

• 2017: Positive Psychology Practitioners Toolkit (3 modules)
• 2017: The learning brain

• 2017: Wellbeing and Resilience:  Positive Psychology & Positive Education
• 2017: Resistant & Reluctant clients (10 modules)

• 2016: Attachment & Interactional Analysis
• 2015: Psychotherapy Summit 2.0 Somatic Experiencing (15 modules)
• 2015: Theraplay Level -One Training and Marschak Interaction Method Skills Development
• 2015: Fundamental Intensive Training in Medical Hypnoanalysis
• 2015: Stark Griffin Dyslexia Accreditation training
• 2015: Somatic Experiencing for Trauma Level I/II

• 2014: Trauma the brain and Sandplay
• 2014: Career construction counselling for life designing
• 2013: Creative Expressive Art Therapy: Symposium
• 2012: Explore your Creative Self Workshop

• 2011-2012: Tow Year Intensive Sandplay Training: Dora Kalff tradition

• 2011: Expressive Advance Play Therapy

• 2011: Sandplay Work
• 2009: Fundamentals of Energy Psychology, with E Kaufmann-Thomassen
• 2009: Short Term Therapy Techniques with Oppositional and Defiant Children & Adolescents 
• 2008: Play Therapy

Sexuality and gender issues

I am an expert on sexuality and gender issues, specifically lesbian/ gay parent families.

The latter comes from my research focus as I have been a faculty member of the University of Pretoria, South Africa from 2002 – 2015.

I completed my PhD in 2005 on the Experiences of Children Growing up in Same-gendered Families and subsequently published in this field.

As professor I served on the Board of Psychology for the Health Professionals Council of South Africa, chaired the Gender and Sexuality Division of the Psychological Society of South Africa, and represented the society on the International Psychology Network for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Issues. 

Work experience

• 4 July 2016 – to date: Psychologist -  Ministry of Education, Auckland (4.7.2016 – 5.3.2018) / Tauranga (7.3.2018 – current)

• 2001 – current: Educational Psychologist – Private practice

• Jan – June 2016: Professor - University of South Africa (UNISA), Department of Psychology of Education, School of Educational Studies, College of Education, Pretoria

• 2013 – 2015: Associate Professor - University of Pretoria, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Pretoria 

• 2009 – 2012: Senior Lecturer - University of Pretoria, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Pretoria 

• 2003 – 2008: Permanent Full-time Lecturer - University of Pretoria, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Pretoria

• 2002: Temporary Full-time Lecturer - University of Pretoria, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, Pretoria 

• 2000: Intern Educational Psychologist (Child Guidance Clinic, University of Pretoria)

• 1994 – 1999 Teacher - Die Wilgers High school, Pretoria, Gauteng, Department of Education