Working in Corrections & Forensic Services

Sarah Christofferson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Canterbury, and a Registered Clinical Psychologist. Her research interests include the therapeutic and systemic prevention of sexual abuse, assessment and treatment approaches for people who have sexually offended, strategies for measuring therapeutic change, and the valid integration of change into risk evaluations.

Alyshia is the Assistant Manager Psychological Services at Mātāpuna Special Treatment. She completed her Clinical Psychology training at the University of Canterbury. Since graduating, Alyshia has been employed within Ara Poutama and has experience working with a diverse range of clients, including people who have offended violently and sexually, across a range of settings including prison, community, individual and group treatment. Alyshia is experienced in group treatment facilitation, completing risk assessments for Probation, Prison, the New Zealand Parole Board and Courts, being an expert witness, provision of supervision to students, intern psychologists, and registered psychologists, and the provision of advice to stakeholders.

Siobhan is a Senior Psychologist based at Mātāpuna Special Treatment Unit. Siobhan graduated from the Canterbury Clinical Programme in 2017, initially working at Explore Specialist Advice before joining Ara Poutama in September 2017. Her first role was setting up a new group treatment programme for high risk youth offenders. Since then she has had the opportunity to work across the Area Group, Kia Marama and Mātāpuna offices delivering both group and individual treatment as well as completing assessments and providing supervision. She has supervised clinical students since 2019 and is passionate about supporting the growth and development of her supervisees. 

Charlene is a Senior Clinical Psychologist within Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections) at Kia Marama Special Treatment Unit and has worked within this role for the past 13 years. Charlene graduated from the Post-Graduate Diploma of Clinical Psychology in 2012 (University of Canterbury).  Charlene’s clinical work and experience includes: Assessment, formulation and provision of group treatment with individuals who have sexually offended, completing reports provided to New Zealand Parole Board for a number of offence types, preparing Health Assessment reports in relation to consideration of Extended Supervision Orders, being a subject matter expert on the Violence Risk Scale – Sexual Offense Version (VRS:SO), provision of supervision for clinical psychology students, intern psychologists and registered psychologists and the provision of training to staff within Ara Poutama, including custodial officers, probation staff and psychologists. Charlene is a mother of two and likes to bake and read in her spare time.  

Megan is a Senior Clinical Psychologist at Ara Poutama Aotearoa.  Megan’s primary role is delivering high-intensity treatment group treatment programmes at Kia Marama Special Treatment Unit. She also completes risk assessments for a range of purposes including to determine treatment pathways, to inform the New Zealand Parole Board regarding eligibility for parole, and to inform the Courts. Megan has additional roles training psychologists in the use of dynamic risk assessment tools and providing consultation and advice in this area. She also experience in health promotion and policy research, and in programme evaluation within Ara Poutama. Originally from the UK, Megan loves to travel and a recent highlight was presenting at the ATSA conference in LA about assessment of risk and protective factors and the world class group treatment work we do at Kia Marama.

Rachael is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked at Ara Poutama Aotearoa since 2016, mostly at Kia Marama Special Treatment Unit. Her primary role at Kia Marama is facilitation of high intensity treatment for individuals who present a high risk of sexual recidivism. Her other roles include assessments (pre-treatment, to the Parole Board, and to the Court), individual treatment, providing supervision, managing the waitlist, and being a subject matter expert on the VRS:SO and internet-based sexual offending. She has a clinical interest in interpersonal trauma and its relationship to offending behaviour. Outside of work she is a busy mother of two young children and a dog, and her happy place is anywhere in or near the water.