Jill has practised therapeutic and conciliation/mediation counselling for over 25 years and has developed a strong reputation for her work with families, children, couples and individuals across the age span. She works with a range of problems including communication difficulties, depression, anger and grief.

As co-director of The Family Matters Centre, situated in both Westmere and Ponsonby, Jill Goldson specialises in researching and working with the family in transition, during and after separation and contributes to conferences and seminars and published on this work. She has conducted a pilot study of working with parents and children during separation ("Hello, I’m a voice let me speak. Child inclusive mediation in family separation." (2006).

Significantly, the responses of families themselves are clear:

“It helps mum and dad to borrow us from each other and I like that the counsellor knows us all.” (Kim, 10)

“I feel more comfortable inside and more happy inside." (Kevin, 7)

“We are very satisfied customers, it’s sort of obvious really that this is the way to go, isn’t it?” (Separated father of three)

“This has really helped me and my ex partner...my mum’s still venomous about my father and that’s the last thing I want for my kids.” (Separated mother of two)

The Family Matters Centre, based in Auckland, has been established as a Centre of Excellence with its practice predicated on leading edge research. Couple counselling, child inclusive counselling, children’s and adults’ groups, as well as specialist training for professionals are run from this context. Jill contracts with the Family Court for counselling work along with her private practice.

An Expert Witness for the Crown in counselling, a senior lecturer in counselling and social work, Jill has received scholarships and awards to advance her work. In 2008 she was made a Churchill Fellow and was granted funds to undertake research in the UK on child inclusive practice following separation. Details of publications, awards and funding are available on this website.

Support and backing for her innovative work comes from Family Court professionals from the New Zealand Family Court, including Judge Peter Boshier, Principal Family Court Judge, NZ.