Welcome! My name is Octavia Wilson, and I’m a Clinical Psychologist.
Cost
The 2026 cost of private appointments is $205 including GST, per 50 minute appointment. Please note that cancellations within 24 hours incur the full appointment cost. If clients are unwell (with cold and flu symptoms etc) I am very happy to offer video or phone appointments instead of in-person. I use doxy.me for video appointments.
Therapy
I have a particular interest in working with Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I am also trained in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Family Therapy, and Meta-Cognitive Therapy. I co-facilitate Group EMDR treatment in Christchurch.
Experience
I have a wide range of experience in working with different psychological difficulties, including:
- depression
- anxiety including chronic worry, panic attacks, and social anxiety
- trauma
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- psychosis and bipolar disorder
- work stress
- peri- and post-natal depression and anxiety
- psychological difficulties resulting from chronic health conditions such as renal failure, cancer, endometriosis
- gender issues and gender readiness assessments
- perfectionism
- earthquake anxiety
- phobias such as fear of flying and claustrophobia.
I am an approved ACC Sensitive Claims provider. I am also an ACC Sensitive Claims supplier, through Heathcote River Psychology.
I welcome referrals of all genders as well as from the trans/gender-diverse and wider rainbow community.
Education and Experience
I completed a Bachelors of Arts with First-Class Honours, majoring in Psychology, at the University of Canterbury. I then went on to complete my Masters of Science in Psychology, undertaking an independent research project focused on the experiences of stay-at-home fathers with young children. At the same time I completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology at the University of Canterbury, which included two part-time and one full-time years of supervised clinical practice. I “jumped in the deep end” and started my internship with the Canterbury District Health Board the week after the February 2011 earthquakes, and from 2012 to July 2017 I worked in several roles in the CDHB, often combining two part-time roles to get an even broader range of experience.
I am a full member of the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychology.
Social media policy
As a health care professional I cannot ethically reveal information about my clients, even to the point of neither confirming nor denying whether a person was ever my client. I am always willing to discuss clients’ reactions to our work together with them in person, whether favorable or negative. Confidentiality boundaries ensure that I cannot respond to reviews or comments on social media. For verified testimonials of my work, please refer to non-confidential recommendations on my Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/octavia-wilson