about us
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Sunflower Wellness for Children was founded by Sian Williams and Dr. Kirsty Furness, who collectively bring over 40 years of experience in their respective fields. As parents themselves, they deeply appreciate and understand their clients and the children they work with, ensuring a caring and safe environment.
Our founders adhere to professional boards of registration and are committed to ongoing professional development in their areas of expertise. With the support of external clinical supervisors, they ensure that all codes of conduct are upheld, maintaining the highest standards of professional practice. This dedication to excellence and continuous improvement underscores our commitment to providing the best possible support for children and their families.
Sian Williams Director
BEd(Tchg), Educational Support Specialist Postgrad Dip Inclusive Education (ongoing)Animal Assisted Therapist Veterinary Nurse Certified
Sian trained as a primary school teacher at the University of Auckland and has a passion for ensuring all children experience constant "light bulb" moments on their learning journey. She has extensive experience working with neurodiverse children and those with greater learning needs, collaborating with parents and teachers to establish the best educational support and outcomes both inside and outside the classroom. She loves to bring many different learning approaches to her lessons, developing programs to suit students on how they best learn. Sian continues to dive deeper with her knowledge on Inclusive Education through Massey University, with up-to-date information to advocate for and implement strategies that can make a meaningful difference in the classroom.
Before her teaching career, Sian worked for many years in the health and veterinary fields across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. Recently, she has added to her training portfolio by becoming an Animal Assisted Therapist, merging her passions for animals and their therapeutic potential with her teaching and therapy sessions. Additionally, Sian has been a business owner in the sustainable electricity industry, which presented her with various challenges and rewards.
Her diverse experiences in education and business have enhanced her professional knowledge, growth, and development. As a founder of Sunflower Wellness for Children, Sian combines all her skills and passions to create a unique and holistic approach to wellness and education.
Before her teaching career, Sian worked for many years in the health and veterinary fields across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. Recently, she has added to her training portfolio by becoming an Animal Assisted Therapist, merging her passions for animals and their therapeutic potential with her teaching and therapy sessions. Additionally, Sian has been a business owner in the sustainable electricity industry, which presented her with various challenges and rewards.
Her diverse experiences in education and business have enhanced her professional knowledge, growth, and development. As a founder of Sunflower Wellness for Children, Sian combines all her skills and passions to create a unique and holistic approach to wellness and education.
Dr Kirsty Furness Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist Equine Therapist
Kirsty is a co-founder of Sunflower Wellness for Children. She is a Clinical Psychologist andan EAGALA registered Equine Therapist with over a decade of experience. She has studied and lived on the North Shore since immigrating from South Africa and holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Massey University. She has worked in clinical rolesacross District Health Boards (DHBs), universities, and private practice.
In her clinical work Kirsty’s approach draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Solutions focused approaches. She provides compassionate and non-judgmental evidence-based psychotherapy for individuals and groups. She is passionate about animal-assisted therapy, particularly Equine Assisted Therapy andhow this gives a unique and holistic approach to her practice.
In addition to therapy, Kirsty offers coaching, wellness checks, learning and thinking assessments, autism and and ADHD diagnosis (for both childrenand adults),
angela van der watt Occupational Therapist
BSC (HONS) Occupational TherapySensory Integration CertifiedOTBNZ Registered
Angela, a consultant at Sunflower Wellness for Children holds a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy from the University of Cape Town and has completed postgraduate certifications in Sensory Integration (SAISI) and Personality Disorders (University of Leeds). With over two decades of professional experience, she has contributed her expertise in a variety of settings, including private practices, hospitals, community organizations, and educational institutions across the UK, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Angela has played a key role as part of multidisciplinary teams, conducting assessments and offering consultative support to professionals working with pediatric clients. Her experience spans across health and education sectors, where she has provided valuable insights into supporting children with special needs, including facilitating the successful integration of children with ASD into mainstream education.
In addition to her clinical and consultative roles, Angela is committed to fostering collaboration among caregivers, educators, and healthcare professionals. She focuses on equipping teams with a deeper understanding of sensory processing and its impact on children’s behavior, learning, and development as well as helping others to implement strategies that support child development in various environments. Her work emphasizes the importance of team-based approaches to ensure the best outcomes for children across a range of care and educational settings.
Angela has played a key role as part of multidisciplinary teams, conducting assessments and offering consultative support to professionals working with pediatric clients. Her experience spans across health and education sectors, where she has provided valuable insights into supporting children with special needs, including facilitating the successful integration of children with ASD into mainstream education.
In addition to her clinical and consultative roles, Angela is committed to fostering collaboration among caregivers, educators, and healthcare professionals. She focuses on equipping teams with a deeper understanding of sensory processing and its impact on children’s behavior, learning, and development as well as helping others to implement strategies that support child development in various environments. Her work emphasizes the importance of team-based approaches to ensure the best outcomes for children across a range of care and educational settings.
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