Mary grew up in South Westland, went to high school in North Otago, and University in Dunedin. She regards southern Te Wai Pounamu as home. Mary studied child, adolescent and family psychotherapy at the Otago Medical School at a postgraduate level, and has added a lot of specialist training and experience to this fantastic foundation.

Her experience includes providing emotional support for children and whanau with life threatening treatments or illness, and those who have lost a loved one to accidental death or suicide. She has specialist skills working with maternal and infant mental health, including loss and grief through illness or parental separation. I find this work fulfilling, and while often painful, also rich and meaningful.

Mary and her partner have three adult children who live around the world at this point. She considers they have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to raise their family in the wild beauty of Central Otago where Mary still lives and works.