Based in Dunedin,
New Zealand.
Specialised in providing care for individuals navigating trauma, including ACC Sensitive Claims.
At Optimum Psychology, we understand that seeking therapy stems from a deep need for support during times of crisis, heartache, and/or overwhelming challenge.
Much of our work as professionals focuses on human suffering. We believe in approaching suffering with compassion and an integrative perspective, offering our clients a path toward healing and growth.
If you are in need of support, please contact us.
Psychology and Counselling
Supporting mental health and trauma recovery
Social Work and Whānau Support
Helping clients build resilience within their families and communities
Tailored Therapeutic Plans
Designed to address your unique needs
We understand that human suffering manifests in three distinct forms.
Unavoidable suffering is intrinsic to being human. Loss, illness, death, and the inherent vulnerabilities of life cannot be eliminated, however, understanding helps foster acceptance and resilience.
Suffering from pain arises from how we relate to unavoidable pain. Avoidance, denial, and paralysis may manifest in response. Therapy can help address these reactions, guiding individuals through processing experiences, easing burdens and cultivating strength.
Self-created suffering stems from patterns of self-rejection and self-criticism — adaptive responses to unmet needs and early life adversities. While deeply engrained, these patterns are reversible. Working with the root of self-created suffering empowers clients to embrace self-compassion and healing.
At Optimum Psychology, our mission is to provide a safe and nurturing environment allowing individuals to overcome suffering to reach their personal optimum through evidence-based approaches.
Olga Pushenko - Founder and Lead Specialist
BPsySc, MAppPsy, PGDipPsychPrac Member of the New Zealand Psychologists Board (NZPB), the New Zealand Psychological Society (MNZPsS), and the American Psychological Association (APA).
Olga has expertise in a wide range of evidence-based approaches, including; Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brain Working Recursive Therapy (BWRT), Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), Somatic Therapy (P. Levin Approach), and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Olga's practice draws on global best practices, including insights from the National Center for PTSD (USA) U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Her skills allow her to support clients navigating complex challenges such as chronic pain, grief, addictions, disabilities, and mental health conditions.
With a focus on cultural sensitivity, Olga incorporates frameworks
such as Te Whare Tapa Whā into her practice, fostering a safe and
inclusive environment for clients of all backgrounds. She has developed
culturally attuned initiatives, including the “Live Stay Alive” programme
for the Ukrainian community in Dunedin, providing tailored care for
those displaced by war. Her understanding of Christian heritage allows her practice to be inclusive and adaptable.
Olga is a registered Service Provider for ACC, Victim Support, and NIB Insurance. She also provides interdisciplinary care alongside dietitians, occupational therapists, chronic pain specialists and addiction specialists. Dedicated to continuous learning, Olga is pursuing PhD research on cultural trauma. Inspired by global leaders in trauma research, her philosophy integrates mind, body, and relational dynamics to help clients overcome trauma.
Join Our Team
We are a team of specialists in mental health. We would like to invite you to join us by using our Contact Form.
In particular, we are looking for Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Counsellors (with Level 6 or higher NZCA-recognised qualifications).
Additionally, we welcome other health professionals, such as: Social Workers, Dietitians,
Physiotherapists, Art Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Therapists, to contact us about joining the team.