Jock Matthews
Clinical Director
Cognitive Behavioural / Psychological Therapist
Jock Matthews (M.A.) is a psychological/cognitive behavioural therapist who specializes in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression / mood disorders, occupational stress and relationship problems secondary to these presenting problems.
He is involved in assessing and helping people understand and cope with: panic attacks, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive symptoms, generalised anxiety, specific phobias and other stress related difficulties. His area of particular interest is in the treatment of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive disorder), ADHD and group therapies.
He is involved in providing psychological assistance to a range of staff in a number of health settings and large organizations. He has worked in community mental health services and anxiety disorder clinics since moving to Auckland in 1992 from the south island of New Zealand.
Jock has been in his current role of Clinical Director since 1997, where he works with our multi-disciplinary team, assisting in managing psychiatric and psychological treatments across the clinicians within the team.
Dr Zubeida Mahomedy
Registered Psychiatrist
Dr Zubeida Mahomedy qualified in South Africa as a psychiatrist in 2005 with affiliate membership of the RANZCP and vocational registration with the MCNZ since 2017. She has almost 20 years of experience working in the field of mental health and is an Adult Psychiatrist working with individuals aged 16 years and older. She has additional training and qualifications in ADHD and Addiction with special interests in Eating Disorders, Anxiety and Mood Disorders, Perinatal Mental Health and Psychopharmacology.
Since her qualification as a psychiatrist Dr Mahomedy has taken an active role in training and supervision of colleagues, registrars and students. With her immigration to New Zealand this has continued with a close relationship with the University of Auckland. In South Africa she has worked in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatry and was the Consultant Psychiatrist to the flagship Bariatric Centre of Excellence and the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Centre at a large psychiatric facility in Johannesburg.
In New Zealand Dr Mahomedy has worked in community adult psychiatry teams, maternal mental health, acute services, integrated locality care and was the Clinical Head (Acute and Inpatient Mental Health Services) at Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau before moving into full time private practice. She is passionate about mental health and destigmatisation of mental illness and has promoted this with movie festivals and theatre productions over the years.
To relax and destress she loves to cook for her family or try out the latest restaurants. She and her family have a deep love for and appreciation of their new country and have made New Zealand their home.
Lindie Vermaas
Registered Clinical Psychologist
Lindie is an experienced psychologist and has extensive training in different modalities of therapy including CBT, REBT, DBT and ACT. Lindie values a collaborative therapeutic relationship with her clients and strive to work towards clear assessment, treatment planning and a therapeutic approach most suited to her client’s needs.
Clients tend to respond to her warmth, approachability and skilfulness in dealing with difficult themes in a validating and direct way.
Lindie has special interest in working with most psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, ADHD, mood dysregulation, maternal mental health, substance use disorders, diagnostic clarification, work and relational stress as well as trauma and complicated grief.
Lindie ran a very successful practice for 20 years in South Africa and has felt renewed energy to serve the people of New Zealand in her full time role at Rojolie clinic.
Diana O'Hara
Registered Occupational Therapist
Diana is a NZ registered Occupational Therapist with 20 years’ experience working in the mental health field. Diana has worked in both inpatient and community settings for a number of different district health boards, and most recently has spent the last 5 years working in a specialist eating disorder service. Diana is a specialist in treating adolescents and adults with mild to moderate eating disorders and recognising and treating co-existing conditions that go alongside eating disorders such as depression, anxiety and OCD.
Diana draws on a range of occupational therapy and psychological models to inform her practice as well as specific treatment models for eating disorders such as SSCM, CBT and APT. Diana prides herself on treating each person as an individual, taking into consideration their personal values, cultural and religious beliefs. She has a great passion for working alongside people to achieve their goals and to live well in the presence or absence of mental illness.
As well as her expertise in eating disorders Diana is an excellent group facilitator. The focus of her individual and group sessions can include: overcoming social anxiety, living with a cognitive impairment, goal setting, motivation, structure and routine planning, self-esteem, assertiveness, communication skills, and developing a coping kete. Diana also specialises in teaching sensory modulation skills and strategies for emotion regulation and managing anxiety.
Catherine Verhaaren
Registered Occupational Therapist
Dip OT UK/NZROT Dip Counselling UK
Catherine has 30 years of experience within mental health settings, which she feels has given her a deep understanding of the multiple difficulties people face. With a background as an occupational therapist, she has developed a blend of practical and psychological skills to equip her with greater understanding of the impact of life experiences.
Catherine works with adults to find a path through their mental health issues. She draws on inspiration from working with people to regain their health and confidence, celebrating steps on their journey to recovery. Coming from a place of empathy, Catherine’s approach is to build effective therapeutic relationships with people, understanding their interests, relationships and goals for work or study. Her philosophy includes ‘what matters to you’, rather than ‘what’s the matter with you’, exploring each person’s strengths and finding coping strategies that help them overcome daily challenges.
Evidence-based therapies are the cornerstone of her practice and ongoing training and experience enable Catherine to offer a range of therapies and tools. She has undertaken extensive training in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) and finds strategies and skills help people to understand and manage emotional distress and their interactions with others. Strategies from sensory modulation can assist people to find unique ways of managing anxiety and bring harmony to their lives. Catherine is a qualified EMDR therapist. As part of the team at Rojolie Clinic, Catherine works alongside colleagues to deliver a holistic and collaborative approach, allowing people to move on from their difficulties and reconnect with their lives.
Anitha Gangaram
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Anitha Gangaram qualified as a psychiatrist in 2003. She has extensive experience in working with children, adolescents and adults, having worked at numerous busy clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa. During this time she was also involved in academic endeavours, training of mental health clinicians, and management of services.
Thereafter, she started her own private practice where she continued providing mental health services to clients across the age spectrum - children, adolescents and adults. This included both outpatient and inpatient care.
In October 2020, Dr Gangaram relocated with her family to Auckland, and joined the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services of Counties Manukau, Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand, as consultant psychiatrist.
Since then she has gained significant experience in working with children and adolescents in New Zealand.
Dr Gangaram has wide range of interests including ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder in children, adolescents and adults.
Ana Gil
Registered Psychotherapist
Ana Gil is a psychotherapist who has specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression, with a special interest in the treatment of OCD and group therapies. She follows a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach to treatment of anxiety disorders, but has also trained in different therapy practice modes such as: Family Systems Therapy, solution-focused (brief) therapy, Gestalt psychology.
She graduated with a PhD in clinical psychology in Argentina in 2009 and moved to Auckland to become part of the Rojolie Clinic team. She worked at the Remuera clinic for 5 years, after which time she moved out of Auckland but continued working the Rojolie clients via online e-therapy consultations and overseas in her private practice.
Ana has experience working with teenagers and adults and has also specialized in coaching parents of children who experience ADHD and or behavioural issues. Ana is also fluent in Spanish.
Alexandra Held
Registered Psychologist
Alexandra Held is a NZ trained and Registered Psychologist and a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). She is experience in working with a variety of behaviours across adults, adolescents, and children in a range of settings, providing high level of behavioural assessments and interventions. She is experienced in implementing intensive Behaviour Support Services, based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis. She works from a non-aversive framework to increase positive behaviour, increase positive interactions, develop skills and decrease the occurrence of challenging behaviours. Following a rigorous assessment, she implements function-based interventions that are individually tailored and can work with families to achieve this in the case of children/adolescents.
Alexander also works alongside clients in structured therapy sessions to identify what is contributing to their presenting problem and to collaboratively develop practical strategies in order to create meaningful change.
Tom McIvor (EdD)
Registered Educational Psychologist
Cognitive Behavioural Therapist
Is an educational psychologist and CBT therapist. Coming from Ireland Tom has lived in NZ for the last 20 years. He has taught English, worked with people Dyslexia, psychologist role with the Ministry of Education working with schools, families as well as training teachers, and working with children and adolescents.
My particular areas of interest: include anxiety, depression, dyslexia, ADHD and other learning difficulties. I have a keen interest in neuro-psycotherapy and schema therapy. I can work with both child and adult clients to create therapeutic environment where clients' stories can be told with clients secure in the knowledge that their information is protected by strict confidentiality.
Ginni Gulati
Registered Clinical Psychologist
Ginni has worked with people of all age groups belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds in India and in New Zealand. Ginni has worked with clients experiencing a wide range of mental health problems including depression, mood disorders, stress-related problems, anxiety issues, sexual dysfunctions, personality disorders, learning difficulties, sleep problems, teenage issues, eating disorders, emotional trauma, and sexual assault.
Ginni has strengths in building a therapeutic alliance with the client, identifying the problem and its severity, and working collaboratively with people while using appropriate treatment interventions targeting their symptoms.
Ginni is a highly empathetic professional and her primary motivation is to help and support people to enjoy an enhanced quality of life and meet their goals.