Nikki Coleman

MHSc, PG Dip CBT, MANZASW, MACT
Registered Social Worker

Nikki graduated in Social Work from Massey University in 1992 and completed her Masters in Health Science (Hons) at University of Auckland and Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at Massey University.  She has worked in a range of settings predominantly with children, adolescents and their family/whānau in general and mental health inpatient and community agencies.  Throughout Nikki's clinical work with adolescents she has worked individually with consumers, supported parents and provided consultation to allied agencies with the focus on preventing suicide.  She has had a specialty focus working with youths who deliberately self harmed and has delivered workshops to school guidance counsellors, youth workers, and prison staff and at conferences on the area.  Currently she is working on Toward Well Being Suicide Consultation and Monitoring Programme providing support and specialist knowledge around identification, assessment and management of youths identified as being at high risk of suicide within Child Youth and Family Service.

Nikki has provided a range of training and workshops to professionals and agencies associated with mental health predominantly on the subjects associated with child and adolescent mental health. She has done many conference presentations and provided supervision to social workers, nurses, youth workers and school guidance counsellors. Nikki's counselling experience with trauma and bereavement stems from work in paediatric cardiology (parents of children who died), cystic fibrosis (young adults with terminal illness and family/whānau) and pregnancy loss (women with second trimester terminations). Additionally she has provided therapy to young woman presenting with post traumatic stress predominantly due to sexual assault. Having a social work background has provided Nikki with the experience and ability to work at community agency level as well as larger government based organizations. Establishing and maintaining links with these organizations is integral to her practice as is her commitment to considering the specific needs of consumers from other cultures.

Nikki is a Clinical Advisor for both the Toward Well Being programme and the Community Postvention Response Service.