AOD Counsellor

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Taranaki; Taranaki; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Alcohol & Other Drug (AOD) Counsellor at Taranaki Base Hospital, New Plymouth, is a fixed term full‑time role (1.0 FTE) covering maternity leave from November 2026 to July 2027. It requires current APC/DAPAANZ registration and enables work in Mental Health and Addiction services.

You will perform clinical assessments and provide evidence‑based treatments, including Motivational Interviewing, CBT, DBT and Solution Focused Therapy, while supporting whai ora and their whānau in a

Qualifications

• Registered counsellor with current APC.
• Counselling practice aligned with professional standards.
• Excellent clinical knowledge and ability to provide psychoeducation and talking therapies.
• Willingness to travel across the Taranaki rohe to meet community needs.
• Ability to work under pressure and be a strong team player.

Responsibilities

• Conduct clinical assessments and provide treatment using evidence-based approaches.
• Deliver group programmes and psychoeducation for whai ora.
• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to deliver timely services across the region.
• Provide supported referrals to addiction and mental health services as required.

Skills

Counselling skills

Motivational Interviewing

CBT

DBT

Psychoeducation

Team collaboration

Education

Registered counsellor with APC

Job description

AOD Counsellor

Located at Taranaki Base Hospital, New Plymouth

Fixed Term (maternity cover November 2026 to July 2027)

Full time role (1.0 FTE. 80 hours per fortnight)

Must be a Health Practitioner with current APC / DAPAANZ registration.

Scope of practice to enable working in Mental Health and Addiction services

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

The Alcohol & Other Drug (AOD) Counsellor is responsible for clinical assessment and treatment of consumers with moderate to serious alcohol and drug problems, at times in combination with co-existing mental health issues. A bio-psychosocial framework is utilised to foster hope and recovery in partnership with consumers and their families/whanau. The role also includes the facilitation of group programmes.

We will offer the successful candidate the opportunity to:

• Utilise clinical and counselling skills with whai ora and provide engagement and support from a best practice and recovery centred approach.
• Undertake clinical assessments and interventions using evidence based treatment models to provide minimal, brief and comprehensive interventions; e.g. Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy.
• Provide specialist advice to whai ora, their whānau and relevant stakeholders caring and/or providing services for people with opioid addiction.
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to deliver timely and cohesive service locally and from satellite services across the region.
• Provide supported referrals to other addiction and mental health services as required.

Please click here to view the position description

About the Team/Service/ Location

Our Counselling Team sits within our Alcohol and Drug Service that also includes the Opioid Substitution Programme. As a whole the AOD team provides counselling and group programmes and walks alongside the person through their journey of recovery and regaining wellbeing. For OST this means supporting people from the point of programme induction and initiation of treatment until the person has achieved their goals for opioid addiction recovery journey.

For more information on living and working in Taranaki click here

About you

Successful candidates:

• A registered counsellor with a current APC.
• Provision of counselling practice consistent with professional standards of practice.
• Excellent clinical knowledge base and adept ability to provide psychoeducation and talking therapies for whai ora.
• Ability to work under pressure, be a good team player, demonstrate leadership skills and positively contribute to service delivery.
• Be prepared to travel across the Taranaki rohe to meet the needs of our people and have a willing, 'can do' attitude.

We can offer you a welcoming and supportive environment with a team that is committed to ensuring you are successful in your role. We will also provide a comprehensive orientation process when you start so that you become familiar not only with our service but also the wider mental health sector in Taranaki.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.