We are pleased to welcome Dan Jamieson to Four Pillars Counselling. Dan brings a warm, genuine approach, a background in the plumbing industry and an understanding of the everyday pressures of raising a young family.
Finding a counsellor is partly about finding someone you feel comfortable talking to. You may have a clear idea of what you want help with, or you may simply need somewhere to put down what you have been carrying. Dan wants to make room for both.
I believe counselling should be a space where people feel comfortable to be themselves, talk openly about what is happening in their lives and, importantly, feel heard.
That belief sits at the centre of his work. His aim is to listen carefully, understand your experience and help you explore a way forward that makes sense to you. You bring your knowledge of your own life; he brings curiosity, counselling skills and a willingness to work alongside you.
A working life grounded in the trades
Born and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand, Dan grew up around the trades. His father was a plumber, and Dan began an apprenticeship before moving into plumbing sales. His working life has included customer-facing sales, area and territory management, and assistant management.
Those roles involved building relationships, helping people solve problems and balancing practical demands. They also gave him first-hand experience of work pressure, responsibility and the expectations people can carry home at the end of the day. If the trades or a busy working life are part of your world, that background may help a conversation with Dan feel familiar.
Understanding the pressures of family life
Dan is also a father of three young children. He is open about not having all the answers to parenting, while recognising how much a young family can ask of your time, energy and relationships.
That experience has strengthened his belief in the value of having a place to pause, offload and talk without judgement. There is room to speak about the parts of work or family life that feel difficult, even when they sit alongside things you care deeply about.
Strong foundations and a commitment to learning
Dan is a Provisional Member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (PMNZAC) and has completed a Bachelor of Applied Counselling at Manukau Institute of Technology. During his studies, he received Top Student Awards in Introduction to Counselling 1 and Addiction and Mental Health, and achieved 96% in his Development of Counselling Process paper. He also served as a representative for his counselling cohort.
His training included a student counselling placement at Highlands Intermediate in New Plymouth. There, his responsibilities included working with students, communicating with whānau, participating in discussions about client needs, and helping explain the counselling service. He also introduced classes to ways of managing stress and anxiety, including grounding and breathing techniques.
His placement involved organising counselling rosters and helping onboard other student counsellors. These experiences sit alongside the strengths he identifies in his work: attentive listening, empathy, building rapport and keeping the client involved in the counselling process.
His studies also introduced Māori and Pacific models of wellbeing, including Te Whare Tapa Whā, Te Wheke and Fonofale. This gives him a foundation for considering wellbeing in its wider family, cultural and social context, while remaining curious about what those connections mean to each person.
An approach shaped around you
Dan works from a pluralistic perspective. In everyday language, that means recognising that different people find different things helpful, and working together to choose an approach that fits your needs, preferences and goals.
He draws from person-centred, Acceptance and Commitment, Narrative and Gestalt therapies. Rather than expecting you to understand those names before you begin, Dan will explore what matters to you and how you would like counselling to help. Sessions can make space to understand your experience, recognise strengths and consider changes that feel meaningful.
Warmth and collaboration are central to this. Dan wants you to feel able to be yourself, ask questions and say when something does or does not feel helpful. The pace and direction of the work are things to discuss together.
Getting started with Dan
Dan is joining Four Pillars as an independent associate counsellor, with an initial focus on online individual counselling. Standard sessions are 50 minutes and cost NZ$145. If his approach sounds like a possible fit, contact Four Pillars and mention Dan. Jon can help with availability and the next step.
You can also meet the Four Pillars team, including Jon Kirk, who offers individual, couples and youth counselling in Howick and online. Choosing a counsellor is personal, and it is fine to begin with a question.
