Paula Turner
Counsellor, Crossroads Psychology
Bachelor of Health Science in Counselling
When Paula Turner decided to retrain for her next chapter, little did she know how life-changing taking on a counselling degree would be for her.
“Having worked in IT in the corporate world for over thirty years, I decided to change my direction and retrain. I set out to do a Master of Psychotherapy at AUT, but as it was oversubscribed, the very helpful Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences advisors encouraged me to begin a Bachelor of Health Science in Counselling instead. At first, I felt as if it was a consolation prize, but as soon as I began the first semester of counselling classes, I was hooked and began to realise that this was right where I was meant to be.
“So many of the counselling and psychotherapy lecturers are very special people, but I have to single out Dr Maria Haenga-Collins, Dr Joanne Blackett and Mark McGoram, all of whom had a huge impact upon me, by supporting me to challenge myself to grow into the space created by this mid-life change of career.”
She was surprised by how much she came to love the degree’s group therapy sessions.
“Before I began the degree, I had heard tales of the counselling group therapy classes, and how it was often the ‘circle of sharing and crying’. As a buttoned-up English person, I found the very thought of this horrifying – and yet these classes, run by the magnificent Dr Maria Haenga-Collins, became the absolute highlight of my time at AUT. I loved the bonds that we built within our cohort in that close-knit, caring space.”
Making a difference
After graduating from AUT at the end of 2025, Paula now loves working as a counsellor.
“I’m now a provisional member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors, have my annual practising certificate and am working as a counsellor in private practice, in a ‘collective’ of psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors. I’m working with adults with difficulties, including relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression and other issues.”
In her counselling practice now she often draws on the personal growth and the skills she developed at AUT to support the personal journeys of her clients.
“The years I spent at AUT on the counselling degree have been absolutely life-changing – it’s simply not possible to go all the way through that course and not be changed for the better by the journey. After studying and being on placement for so long, working towards those all-important qualifying 200 counselling placement hours, it’s wonderful to be finally qualified and working as part of a collective of inspiring mental health professionals; knowing that I’m ‘making a difference’.”
Advice for other students
Paula has some great advice for other students who are only at the start of their own university journey.
“Be courageous in your choices – you may underestimate how much you can achieve and juggle, with the right support behind you. I’m so proud of getting through the course – the first two years full-time and the last part-time over two years, including placement – while also working pretty much full-time in my IT job and also looking after my family.”
Make the most of the support available, she adds.
“Don’t underestimate the amount of help that is available to you at uni – from free on-site counselling to sausage sizzles, to everything that the students’ association, AUTSA, can offer – reach out and grab it!”
