Comfort in counselling | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Adjusting to life in a new culture is not easy, especially when language presents a barrier.

Softly-spoken Min Kyeong Kwon (Julia) is eager to help Korean women feel supported and confident in New Zealand.

Mrs Kwon started work at North Shore Women's Centre in May last year and is pleased that word of the service seems to be getting out.

"Culturally, Koreans are not familiar with professional counselling, but now women are starting to see the benefit of it," she says. "Korean people find it hard to explore their emotions in English so providing Korean language counselling helps them feel more secure."

Mrs Kwon has around seven clients at any one time and each woman has between five and 10 sessions. "Korean women often feel loneliness here because they are separated from family and friends, and they have language problems as well. Many of the issues they come in with are related to depression. The counselling lets them deal with their loneliness and emotions and helps them to adjust to life [here]."

She says many Korean families move to New Zealand for their children's education and for a more relaxed lifestyle.

"The women sacrifice their own needs for the sake of their family or community. This can lead to feelings of depression and they may not know what services New Zealand can provide."

North Shore Women's Centre manager Kaira Marsh is pleased to have Mrs Kwon on board. "The last census stats I saw showed the Korean population on the North Shore was about 10 per cent, so this service is a good match."

She says clients have been pleasantly surprised to find how non-threatening and confidential the counselling is. "I can imagine that a new culture can be quite isolating and this is about getting social supports for women."

Mrs Kwon feels an important goal during the sessions is for clients to develop their self-esteem. "When they are getting to change and grow as a person it helps them to have more positive thinking towards their life in New Zealand."

She says sessions often end with clients saying they feel more supported in their life here. "They feel they can live here happily because there is someone who can read and understand them. Some of the clients I have now say they would like to send their children along for counselling."

Most of the women Mrs Kwon sees are in their 40s and 50s, but she would like to see younger women take advantage of the service.

Keeping counsel

Counselling offered by North Shore Women's Centre is subsidised in part by Child, Youth and Family. Clients are charged according to their income. The most someone can expect to pay for a session is $60.