Tēnā koe. Hello, my name is Morgan Daw and I have spent much of my life living in Tāmaki Makaurau.

My nature is rooted in collaboration and transparency, with you at the centre of everything. Establishing a secure and supportive environment for exploring your challenges is of paramount importance to me. I strive to create a compassionate and non-judgemental space where we can progress at a pace that aligns with your comfort level.

I hold an intrinsic curiosity around a deeper understanding of self, and an equal desire to understand others, their pain, their trauma and their humanness. This curiosity is not academic; it is the foundation of how I show up in every session.

I have been working in the field of mental health for almost 9 years, across a wide range of settings. I have a broad understanding of how every facet of our lives can be impacted by our mental health, and vice versa. Over the past decade, I have continued to widen that understanding and remain committed to doing so.

I predominantly work with individuals aged 16 to 60. A period of life that often carries significant transitions, pressures and questions of identity. Whether you are navigating early adulthood, managing longstanding difficulties, or seeking clarity around how your mind works, I welcome you to this space without assumption or judgement.

Certifications

• Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) Certification
• Assessing & Treating PTSD — Dr. Leah Giarratano
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Certification
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Certification

Education

• Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) — Massey University, 2018
• Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science; Mental Health & Addictions — AUT, 2020

Therapeutic approaches

• Person-Centred & Humanistic Therapy
• Psychodynamic & Relational Approaches
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Compassion-Focused Therapy
• Attachment-Based Therapy

Registration

• Registered Social Worker
• Social Workers Registration Board Aotearoa
• SWRB Practising Certificate holder
• ANZASW Practising Certificate holder

Areas of focus

• Anxiety, depression & mood disorders
• Trauma & PTSD
• Identity, self-esteem & life transitions
• ADHD & autism spectrum conditions
• LGBTTQIA+ affirming practice
• Grief & loss
• Addiction & substance use
• Multicultural & cross-cultural adjustment

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand. As a practitioner working in Aotearoa, I hold a responsibility to understand, respect and actively honour Māori and to carry that commitment into my practice.

This is not a box to be ticked. It is an ongoing, evolving commitment to practice with cultural humility, to continue learning, and to ensure that the space I offer is genuinely accessible and safe for Māori and whānau.

Bicultural practice

Western therapeutic models were not designed with Māori worldviews in mind. I am committed to practicing in a way that makes space for te ao Māori, concepts of wellbeing, identity, whānau and connection to whenua. Rather than imposing a single cultural lens on every client's experience.

This includes being open to integrating tikanga Māori and recognising that healing does not always look the same across different cultural contexts. I do not claim expertise in te ao Māori, but I am committed to ongoing learning and to collaborating and warmly referring to those who hold that knowledge.

If you have specific cultural needs or preferences for how we work together, I encourage you to name them — identity is an incredible asset in our space, not a "complexity" to be navigated around.

He mihi

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangarangatanga maha o te motu — tēnā koutou katoa.

I acknowledge the tangata whenua of Aotearoa, and in particular the mana whenua of Tāmaki Makaurau, upon whose land this practice is grounded. I am grateful for the privilege of living and working here, and I carry that gratitude into everything I do.