Rach Littley: Counsellor

15/04/2026

mā te wā little homeslices, and see you soon (in june) 🫶🏼
today marks my last day of counselling for a wee while - and honestly the biggest break i’ve had in my entire career (or at least since i was 17 🤔)

i just want to say a big thank you for giving this dusty adult a chance, and letting me sit with you while you worked through all the things that didn’t make sense, that absolutely sucked, that needed to change but couldn’t, that confused you; the things you were excited about, and for sharing the deep & meaningfuls too ✨

if this break is the end of the road for us, i can’t wait for you to see all the cool things life has in store for you. whatever comes your way - just know that you’re pretty cool and definitely capable.

and if things get a bit wobbly, lean on your people. your friends, your whānau - and get support where you need it. whether that's with me or another counsellor.

and to all the corresponding adults in the picture - thank you for the admin, the transport, the support, and for caring enough to make this happen. it doesn’t go unseen.

mā te wā 🤍

13/04/2026

For my late night clients, we have a little ⛈️mood lighting⛈️ situation going because the other alternative in here is to burn your retinas with 2 massive fluorescent lights.

Thankful to find 1/8 light bulbs in this room functionable so we could use this light 😅

30/03/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 #𝟮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹…
After 8 long years, Rach and Ali are heading off on parental leave to expand their whānau 🙌🏼
Rach’s last day of mahi will be the 15th of April (returning in June), with Ali finishing up shortly after on the 20th of April (returning late May).

While these two are away, you’ll still be well looked after by the rest of the Haerenga Hauora team 💚

For those needing shockwave therapy or rehabilitation plans, Michael will be your go-to osteo while Ali is away. And we’re lucky to have Roger stepping in for an extra day each week on Fridays to help support the clinic.

For Counselling support, please check your email that was sent in the beginning of March.

It’s a big and special season for our whānau, and we’re so grateful for the ongoing support from our community as we head into this next chapter.

29/03/2026

A reminder that this is our LAST week at Whau Valley.
We will be moving over Easter weekend, and starting on the 7th April, all in-person appointments will be held at 140 Bank street (across the road diagonally from Maccas & Pizza Hut).
Ample parking in front of the new clinic, as well as parking on the side of the road. Same phone number, same Kaupapa, and a MUCH cooler room to yak in.

24/03/2026

Gayla is on this weekend for local q***r & allied support 🌈
There’ll be stalls, kai, celebrations, and prizes all day Saturday at the Town Basin until 7pm.
Buttttt… if your nervous system just said “absolutely not” to crowds, noise, and people - and you still want to celebrate Pride, here are some chill ways to do that from home 🫶🏼

Got better suggestions? Drop them in the comments or my DMs & share

23/03/2026

Gas prices got you ghosting your appointments? ⛽️

With the cost of living doing its thing again, we get that extra trips into town aren’t always doable.
If that’s the case, you can switch your session to online or phone — just flick us an email and we’ll sort it.

Quick reminder though:
🚫 Missed sessions (no-shows) still incur a fee
📞 Same-day cancellations need to be called through
⚠️ Repeated no-shows may result in losing your spot

Trying to keep things fair for everyone… and yes, a gal’s still gotta eat 😉

22/03/2026

Mirimiri is so great for helping with somatic release, and is one of my go-to support options for those who have unprocessed trauma.
Trauma is a bit misunderstood, in the sense that it isn't defined by the event alone; Two people can experience the same thing and walk away differently, because it comes down to how their brain and body process what happened. And a lot of that can be whittled down to resilience, support, and abilities to cope - and your nervous system going into a sympathetic state (which is basically like an alarm bell).

If you’ve got a frazzled nervous system that’s always switched on, there’s only so much talk therapy can do on its own. The reason why is because your nervous system is a real, physical thing in your body.

So when we’re working with trauma, yes - talking helps, it can help us learn new strategies & ways to cope. But we also need to bring in physical support, because we’re working with a physical system.

That’s where body-based support like myofascial release, Romiromi and/or Mirimiri come in. All of these help with somatic release, which is basically a fancy way of saying that they help the body let go of built-up tension within that nervous system.

Mirimiri is one of the modalities I often recommend as a starting point, as it's the least sore and holds a more holistic approach based on matauranga Māori. You don't have to be Māori to access it, it can still work for you if it feels like a good fit, and your hauora will thank you for it later.

TL;DR: Those with unprocessed trauma should try Mirimiri 😉 ALL trauma has a PHYSICAL component and while talk therapy can help you understand your trauma - your nervous system might still need physical support to actually feel safe again.

16/03/2026

We’re going a little old school with our latest updates/newsletter and breaking our no-paper policy in the name of due diligence 🙌🏼✨

Over the next fortnight, each client will be given one of these to pass along to their corresponding adult, as these updates affect all counselling clients.

Can’t wait until the next session? You’ll find the same updates in the email sent out a few weeks ago.

12/03/2026

Many neurodivergent people naturally have different sleep rhythms. For some young people, the challenge isn’t a lack of melatonin - it’s that their internal clock simply runs a bit differently.

In those cases, focusing on routines, environment, and nervous system regulation is usually the most helpful place to start.

So I thought I’d share a few of my go-to sleep hygiene strategies from years of working as a behavioural therapist with ND and youth (and as someone who’s personally battled insomnia too).

While these can be especially helpful for neurodivergent brains, most of them work just as well for anyone wanting better sleep.

11/03/2026

It's official, Haerenga Hauora is moving at the end of the month to Bank street, and my new room is sickkkkkkkkkkk ✌🏼✨

We will be operating here from April.

140 Bank Street, Whangarei has been Leased!

We are pleased to announce that Haerenga Hauora Osteopaths & more will be moving into this well exposed tenancy with ample car parking on Upper Bank Street.

See Ali, Rachael and the team at Haerenga Hauora to get you back in shape in no-time.

If you are wanting information on Commercial Sales and Leasing contact Paul at NAI Harcourts Whangarei.

11/03/2026

26/02/2026

Boundaries ✨
Are a critical life's skill when it comes to managing your hauora, mental load, and optimising school/life (or work/life) balance! Many people think that boundaries are confrontational, but they're not!

Think of them like social guidelines that others can follow when engaging with you, it protects not only your peace but also encourages others who want to be in your orbit to interact with you in a way that is mutually respectful by letting them know what is, and what is not, okay.