Trustees
Diana Linforth-Howden
Diana has worked in the NGO and tertiary mental health sectors for the last 20 years. Her work has been varied, initially with adolescents and their families and then with further training specialising in infant mental health. Diana managed a multi-disciplinary family support NGO before becoming the clinical manager of a public child, adolescent and family mental health service. Diana is one of the few NZ accredited trainers for the Incredible Years Programme (3–7 years) and provides supervision to other professionals beginning this work.
Dr Denise Guy
Dr Denise Guy is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with specialty expertise in infant mental health, the discipline directed to the social and emotional wellbeing of children from birth to the fourth birthday. She has a commitment to education and supervision of clinicians from many disciplines working with young children, their families and the wider systems supporting them. She is President of the New Zealand affiliate of the World Infant Mental Health Association (IMHAANZ) and the Australasian coordinator of training in the Watch, Wait and Wonder® intervention. Her clinical interests are in the impact of adverse childhood events and intervention to promote resilience through improved infant-parent relationships and supporting infants’ social, emotional and cognitive development.
Abi Simmonds
Abi Simmonds was born in London and moved to Wellington several years ago. Abi is a clinical and counselling psychologist. She qualified over ten years ago and has worked in a variety of clinical settings both in the UK and here in Wellington. The majority of Abi’s clinical work has been in the area of child and adolescent psychology – seeing children, young people and their families with a range of difficulties impacting on both home and school life. She has also spent several years working with adults who have experienced trauma and as a result have been suffering from anxiety and depression. Abi has a special interest in providing psychological support and treatment to children in care, their whanau and caregivers.
Team
Jane Dunbier – Administrator
Jane Dunbier is the general administrator for Incredible Families. Jane has a strong interest in community education. She was involved with Playcentre throughout her children’s preschool years. She also works as a producer of educational resources for community and family.
Janice Tomlin – Finance Administrator
Janice Tomlin has been Finance Administrator for Incredible Families for nearly three years. As a mother of 5 and grandmother of eleven, Janice’s motivation in working for Incredible Families has been to be involved with a charity that provides training to parents to ensure the best possible upbringing for children.
Incredible Years Course Facilitators
Diana Linforth-Howden
Diana has been a facilitator of many programmes since 1986. As well as Basic Listening Skills, Adult Conflict Management programmes and Abnormal Psychology programmes, Diana has facilitated parenting programmes. She has been a facilitator of the Incredible Years Parent Programme since 2006 and has trained as a Peer Coach to help other facilitators in their work. She is one of three Mentors in New Zealand and the only Mentor in the NGO sector.