Your support will transform lives!
THERAPY
Identity, Strength & Growth
“It has changed the ways I approached things in my life and I know I have someone to talk to.” - participant
Our Approach
We provide Dirt Bike Therapy, Clinical Counselling, and Group Therapy for young people who may not naturally engage with traditional counselling environments. Through therapeutic activity-based experiences, genuine connection, and safe relationships, we help young people engage more openly in their healing and growth journey.
Our therapy programmes are designed to help young people move from low self-worth toward a stronger sense of identity, confidence, belonging, and wellbeing by:
Increasing self-worth through strengthening mana
More meaningful relationships with whanau through understanding their whakapapa
Engaged in values-based learning (mātauranga) for a healthier connection with self
Developing social skills to grow healthy relationships (hononga)
“Youth Encounter made me feel like I can do something in life because they believed in me.” - participant
Using a trauma informed therapeutic approach, we work alongside young people experiencing challenges such as anxiety, trauma, neurodiversity, emotional dysregulation, school disengagement, and low confidence — barriers that can impact their ability to thrive in life.
Our unique model integrates learning to ride dirt bikes or surf with therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, mentoring, and experiential learning. This creates an engaging, practical, and relational pathway for growth and transformation.
Youth Encounter’s therapy programmes are delivered through the following pathways:
Clinical Counselling: 1-hour counselling sessions tailored to individual needs.
Dirt Bike Therapy: 1-on-1 therapeutic dirt bike sessions, delivered weekly over 8 weeks.
Group Therapy: Small-group dirt bike or surf therapy courses delivered weekly over 8 weeks through challenge, connection, reflection, and shared growth.
“I feel safe here. The people were nice.” - participant
How to engage!
Make a referral (see button below) - we will assess needs and suitability and contact you
We will create a client plan for you to authorise and complete parent/caregiver consent
We will then engage with young person to deliver client plan
and email to airdrie@youthencounter.co.nz
For more information please
email us info@youthencounter.co.nz
or phone on 07 218 2113
“Therapy at Youth Encounter has cleared the tornado in my mind to help me think more clearly.” - Jayden
1on1 Dirt Bike Therapy
At Youth Encounter, our 1on1 Dirt Bike Therapy combines therapeutic support with the challenge, focus, and excitement of learning to ride dirt bikes. Designed for young people who may not naturally engage in traditional counselling environments, this unique approach helps build trust, confidence, resilience, emotional awareness, and healthy life direction through experiential learning and connection.
Our Dirt Bike Therapy was pioneered by Youth Encounter CEO Mary Wanhill (formerly Perkins), a former world-record-holding freestyle motocross rider whose own journey through injury, recovery, counselling, and psychology inspired a new way of supporting young people.
After a career-ending injury shifted her path toward counselling and youth development, Mary began integrating Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and therapeutic facilitation with motocross and experiential learning. The result was a world-first therapeutic model that uses dirt bike riding as a practical and engaging pathway for healing, growth, and transformation.
“I now know I have potential to do anything I want.” - participant
Youth Encounter uses the Mauri Ora Spectrum to guide our therapeutic approach, helping us meet rangatahi where they are at and support growth across physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing. Our goal is to help young people move from disconnection and low self-worth toward greater identity, purpose, hope, and resilience.
Our 1on1 Dirt Bike Therapy programme includes:
Weekly 2-hour sessions
Individualised therapeutic support
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-informed facilitation
Goal setting and reflective learning
Riding skill development and safety coaching
Mentoring and relational support
“I feel like my potential has been unleashed. I am more confident to try new things.” - participant
Make a referral today to enquire about availability and programme costs.
"Through Youth Encounter’s therapy, my maturity and humility has grown. My attitude has changed and I am more tolerant, showing more respect. It made me notice what I have to do to get to my goal and its made me be a better person." - Tinaya | Participant
"Encounter Therapy has made me look at life and my decisions from a different point of view. I can now see that I can make choices, I don’t have to follow the expectations of my family. I see that it is my choices which have lead me to here and I can see where I want to be and I now want to make the choices to get there!" - Summer | Participant
Our 1on1 clinical counselling sessions are designed to empower young people by facilitating personal growth and strengthening their sense of identity (mauri). Our counsellors use evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Narrative Therapy to support youth through their trauma, anxiety, an other issues to facilitate a healing journey. Our counsellors help enhance self-worth by reinforcing mana, guiding youth to develop more meaningful relationships with their whānau through a deeper understanding of whakapapa. We also focus on values-based learning (mātauranga) to help young people build a healthier connection with themselves and develop essential social skills (hononga) for developing healthy, supportive relationships.
Whether it’s a single session or ongoing support, our service is tailored to the unique needs of each individual.
Investment: $110 per 1-hour session.
Bookings: To schedule a session, please make an online referral here, and we will be in touch with available appointment times.
"I have gained more confidence to achieve things. Not only on the bike, but in the normal life of living." - participant
"The direction that I am headed has changed for the better. I feel more positive at times." - participant
In our group therapy sessions, we harness the power of outdoor activities like surfing or dirt biking to create a dynamic and engaging therapeutic environment. These adrenaline-fueled experiences serve as more than just recreational activities—they become the backdrop for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions. As participants ride the waves or navigate muddy tracks, they are guided by skilled facilitators who integrate CBT and group development techniques, helping them to recognize and reframe negative thought patterns in real time. The challenges of these activities provide a natural platform for addressing fears, building resilience, and strengthening their sense of identity, all within a supportive group setting. Through this unique blend of action and therapy, individuals can break through mental barriers and gain the tools needed for long-term positive change.
Youth Encounter’s group therapy delivery utilizes the "Live Life Wide Open" process, which is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, with a person centered approach. The eight learning modules are designed to help participants shift their mindsets, embrace their potential, and achieve transformative changes. Aligned with the Te Whare Tapa Wha Māori health model, the modules focus on spiritual, mental, physical, and community well-being. This holistic approach empowers individuals to explore personal responsibility, direction, growth, and ultimately, celebrate their journey towards living life wide open.
Contact us for more information about this eight week group therapy journey - info@youthencounter.co.nz or 07 218 2113
"I've never been this calm before, I'm used to being angry all the time at people and things. The dirt bike riding helped because it gets me out of the house and doing something positive" - Phynn
Module one: Connection
Creating safety & belonging through meeting each person where they are at with acceptance.
Tūhonotanga understands the relationships we are connected to in our world. To whakapapa, whānau and whenua.
Module two: Responsibility
Uncovering the incredible potential each person is created with and are responsible for unleashing.
Takohanga recognizes the individual and collective roles and responsibilities. it requires courage, openness and a willingness to challenge.
Module three: Direction
Inquiring and exploring the direction a person’s life is headed.
Arotahi carries the meaning of a focus in one direction, looking above the horizon while having a common focus that unites us.
Module four: Superposition
Empowering a growth mind-set towards a person’s potential.
Kihirua means to change one‘s mind. The process that we go through when we learn, grow and develop.
Module five:
Focus
Letting go of the past and focusing forward to step into future possibilities of growth.
Ngahunga is being aware of the priorities that exist in our worlds and pursuing them to be our focal points
Module six: Choices
Choosing the opportunities and a pathway that will create a better future.
Rangatira-tanga is having one’s voice heard and having opportunities for developing knowledge so that choice-making can be strengthened
Module seven: Freedom
Experiencing freedom in the journey of potential unleashed.
Te Aranga encompasses restoration, revitalization and regenerating. New life and freedom from the old.
Module eight: Celebration
Validating the growth process and effort to Live Life Wide Open.
Puāwai means to blossom or come to fruition. A time to celebrate and tautoko transformation.
