Halfway through my Masters Degree, in early 2025, I wanted a name that represented me and the therapeutic work that I was aspiring to do.

In the Greek language, my name and the psyche both mean butterfly. Psyche translates to the human soul, mind or spirit.  Creative Arts Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creativity to access a client's inner world, their sense of self or their psyche.  

Pūrerehua is the te reo Māori kupu (word) for butterfly. By itself, the pūrerehua (butterfly) can be interpreted as a symbol of transformation. I originally painted a tiny native blue butterfly. The pūrerehua symbol followed me into my research, and I finally made a digital design using an app on my phone. The wings of the pūrerehua began to represent feelings of joy, freedom, and self-empowerment