Dr. Daniel Moerken

Counselling Psychologist & Writer

Hi, I’m Daniel. I’m a counselling psychologist, psychotherapist and writer based in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.

Alongside my own clinical work, I’m a Director of Talking Cure NZ, a group practice providing counselling, psychotherapy and psychology services across Hawke’s Bay and Northland. I’m the Clinical Director of our Havelock North branch.

I’m not currently able to take on new therapy clients personally. However, we have an excellent team of counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists at Talking Cure, with availability for both private and ACC-funded therapy.

Find a therapist at Talking Cure NZ →

Writing

One of my passions is making psychological ideas accessible beyond the therapy room. I love thinking and writing about why we become who we are, why we do the things we do, and how understanding ourselves and each other can help us live differently.

My current writing project, Everyone Makes Sense, grew out of a simple idea that has increasingly shaped the way I work and think: even behaviour that appears irrational, contradictory or self-defeating begins to make sense when we understand enough about the person behind it.

I publish essays as Dr Daniel Mørken at Everyone Makes Sense.

Read my work →

About me

I grew up in Norway, trained as a counselling psychologist in London, and have worked clinically in Norway, the UK and New Zealand. My work is primarily relational and psychodynamic, drawing particularly on attachment theory, developmental psychology and person-centred therapy.

More than anything, I’m interested in understanding people: how our histories shape us, how our relationships affect who we become, and how greater understanding can create the possibility of change.

More about me →