Olga

Mrs Olga Pushenko

Registered Psychologist

“I specialise in helping individuals recover from complex trauma and its long-term psychological effects. My therapeutic approach aims to transform traumatic adaptations into resilience, supporting clients to integrate difficult experiences and build a more flexible, connected, and fulfilling life. ”

About Me

I have long been fascinated by the ways people adapt to adversity and the remarkable capacity for growth that can emerge through healing. My work as a psychologist is informed by clinical training in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as a personal interest in intergenerational trauma, cultural influences, attachment, and human development. I specialise in complex trauma and its long-term effects, helping individuals understand and integrate experiences that may once have been overwhelming. I believe that many of the patterns people struggle with began as adaptive responses and that, through therapy, these adaptations can be transformed into resilience, greater self-understanding, and a richer engagement with life.

Approach

My approach is grounded in the understanding that many psychological symptoms represent adaptive responses to overwhelming experiences rather than signs of pathology. I work collaboratively with clients to understand these patterns, develop greater awareness of the underlying processes, and support the integration of experiences that may have become disconnected or overwhelming. Drawing on evidence-based trauma therapies, I help clients move beyond survival-based adaptations toward greater resilience, emotional flexibility, self-compassion, and engagement in life. Therapy is tailored to the unique needs, strengths, and goals of each individual, with an emphasis on safety, curiosity, and meaningful change.
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Basic Information

In-person & Online

Services

I provide specialised trauma therapy informed by EMDR, NARM, and somatic approaches. My work focuses on helping individuals integrate the effects of trauma and adversity, recognising that many symptoms represent adaptive responses to overwhelming experiences. Through therapy, these adaptations can be transformed into greater resilience, emotional flexibility, self-awareness, and psychological wellbeing.

Services Offered:

  • Psych & Diagnostic Assessment

    Formal psychological testing to identify conditions, understand cognitive and emotional functioning, and guide treatment planning.

  • Psychometric Testing

    Standardised tests that measure cognitive abilities, personality traits, or emotional functioning, used to support diagnosis and inform treatment.

  • Brain Working Recursive Therapy

    A therapy that works with the brain's natural response patterns to change unwanted reactions before they reach conscious awareness.

  • Trauma Counseling

    Counselling specifically for people affected by traumatic events, focused on processing what happened and reducing symptoms like flashbacks and hypervigilance.

    Learn more about Trauma Counseling
  • Ukraine Aid

    Mental health support specifically for people affected by the conflict in Ukraine, including refugees, displaced families, and those experiencing war trauma.

  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

    Learn more about Online Therapy
  • Neuropsychology

    A specialist field that assesses and addresses cognitive difficulties related to brain conditions, injury, or neurodevelopmental disorders.

  • Schema Therapy

    A therapy that identifies deep, long-standing emotional patterns (schemas) formed in childhood and works to change the ones that cause recurring problems.

    Learn more about Schema Therapy

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Children

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Trauma Therapy

    Therapeutic approaches specifically designed to help people process and recover from traumatic experiences.

    Learn more about Trauma Therapy
  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

    Learn more about Online Therapy

Professional Title:

  • Registered Psychologist

    A psychologist registered with a regulatory body to provide psychological assessment and treatment.

Credentials

Registrations

New Zealand Psychologists Board (NZPB)

Psychologist

Qualifications

Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Practice

Massey University

Year: 2019

Master of Applied Psychology (First Class Honours)

The University of Waikato

Year: 2017

Bachelor of Behavioural Science

The University of Queensland

Year: 2014

Service Areas

Regus Offices

In-person & Online

Central Dunedin

Dunedin, Otago

New Zealand

Central Dunedin, Dunedin, New Zealand