Frequently asked questions

At the beginning of your session, your practitioner will introduce themselves, tell you anything they think would be helpful for you to know, and then invite you to begin sharing what’s alive. You may talk about a current challenge you have in a situation or relationship, you might be seeking clarity around an issue, perhaps you need to mourn something, celebrate something, explore what’s holding you back or maybe you aren’t even sure yet what you’ll bring – you just get the sense you want to be held and seen in some way. Everything and anything is welcomed and how much you wish to share is completely up to you. Your practitioner will listen without judgment, respecting whatever you want to bring into the space and offer subtle guidance to assist you in discovering deeper meaning and understanding of what you are experiencing.

No, the sessions are not recorded. Your privacy and confidentiality are important to us and we take thorough care to honour this.

It’s our preference for you to have your camera on however we value choice and if having your camera on is a barrier to receiving empathy, you have the option to turn it off. Your empathy practitioner will likely turn their camera off too, to keep a sense of mutuality. You will be welcomed to turn your camera on again at any time during the session, and your Practitioner will reciprocate by turning theirs on.

Confidentiality is extremely important to us. Please refer to our Privacy Policy here.

After your session, you will receive a follow-up email with an invitation to give feedback via an easy automated system. You will have the option to provide your name or not and all information will be kept confidential. We appreciate and value all feedback as this will help us to provide the most effective and enriching service.

You are welcome to schedule up to three sessions at one time.

Yes. As long as there is availability, you can schedule weekly sessions.

You will be received and welcomed as you are. If you are struggling to speak, your empathy practitioner may ask if you’d like to hear what’s alive in them, they may ask you if you’d enjoy being held in silence, ask gentle questions that can assist you in self-connection or offer a practice they sense could be supportive in the moment, such a conscious breathing. Each session is different and our intention is to meet you wherever you are, in respect and compassion, and to intuitively assist you in experiencing the most amount of empathic support possible.

You are completely free to leave the session at any time if something isn’t working for you or if you feel like you’ve received what you are seeking. The empathy practitioner will welcome and respect your choice, and you always have the option of scheduling another session through our website booking system.

You are welcomed to schedule another empathy session as soon as you have finished your session and you can do this via our website booking system HERE.

Your first two empathy sessions are completely free, and no donation is required. If you book a third session or beyond, we ask that you make a contribution so that other people can keep accessing our sessions too. There is no set amount and no minimum — you choose what feels right for you. Empathy Angels is a subsidised service that relies on sponsors and donations, so every contribution helps us keep empathy available to everyone in New Zealand.

An empathy practitioner’s goal is for you to feel heard and to experience non-judgemental support for you to find your own inner wisdom. It is not to fix, advise, guide or assess. They listen for what you feel and for what you need, reflecting it back so you can hear it for yourself. A counsellor belongs to a professional body, and follows their rules. They may use set methods to work toward a goal, like less anxiety or a better relationship. They may assess you, and keep clinical notes. They can guide you, ask probing questions, and suggest what to try next. In an Empathy Angels session, you are leading the way – our practitioners are there to simply walk beside you.

Yes. Many of our empathy practitioners are mothers themselves. Book a session to find some clarity around what you are needing in motherhood right now.

Definitely. We see empathy as emotional hygiene. Often people arrive into a session not completely clear on what they want to talk about – it can be a beautiful experience to simply let things unfold naturally. You are welcome to book a session and then discover for yourself what is within you and ready to be heard.

Our service is NOT for those in immediate crisis. If you, or someone else, is in immediate danger of harming yourself/themselves or others, please call 111. For immediate, free & emotional wellbeing support, call or text 1737 anytime to speak with a trained counsellor. If you are NOT in a crisis, you can book here for a free session to talk with one of our trained practitioners about how you are feeling and experiencing.

Absolutely. We deeply understand the importance of feeling free and safe to share what may be causing you pain or bringing up emotion, with trust that you are held in a non-judgemental space. This is absolutely what Empathy Angels is; a non-judgemental, confidential empathetic listening service. Our empathy practitioners are trained to hear your feelings and needs beneath your words, which leaves no space for judgement. You can trust that you will not experience judgement in an Empathy Angels session.

This is something we cannot decide for you, however, our empathy practitioners will absolutely deeply listen while you share what’s on your heart and support you in hearing your own truth and inner guidance.

Yes. During a session, your empathy practitioner will offer guesses around your needs, which can be of great value in supporting a deepened understanding around your needs on a daily basis.

Yes, the first two sessions are free. After that there is an opportunity to make a financial contribution of your choice, to help our service remain free and accessible to those in need. If you do not have the means to contribute, you are welcomed to continue booking your sessions for free.

No. See our privacy policy for more information.

No. This is an active listening service. Our practitioners are trained to provide a confidential listening service.

Empathy Angels is an alternative service to a therapist. Our practitioners are trained in providing empathetic listening. They are simply there for you, so you can feel heard. This practice allows you the space to know what you are feeling and needing.

No. Empathy is for everyone.

Yes. Our empathy practitioners actively listen, reflect back, guess at how you might be feeling, what you are needing, and what they sense might be important to you. They do not offer advice (unless you requested that – they may be open to sharing what’s on their heart at the end of your session). Our practitioners are not therapists – they are caring humans who will listen and hear you with deep presence, and reflecting to you your own power and knowing.

Our sessions are confidential and private. When booking, you provide a name and email of your choice. During the session, if you would prefer to keep your Zoom camera off, you may do so. Your empathy practitioner may choose to keep theirs turned off also, and your session will become an audio Zoom call.

The Empathy Angels service is available to those living in New Zealand and sessions take place online. Our service is free for your first two sessions, and when you book third or subsequent sessions, you will be invited to make a financial contribution of your choice. Empathy Angels is an NZ not-for-profit, registered as an incorporated society. Contributions go straight back into keeping sessions free and accessible.

Anything you like. You could speak about loneliness, parenting, relationships, scams, work, stress, addiction, traumatic experiences, body image, anxiety, bullying, feeling sad, pregnancy, childhood memories, things that are going well in your life. Anything. We are here, because you matter.

Yes. In our empathy sessions, unexpressed emotions often naturally become expressed and processed. Many of our session recipients leave a session feeling lighter and more clear after being heard in a safe, non-judgemental space.

Our empathy practitioners are trained to support you to come to a deeper awareness of what your needs are. This can be a huge support when experiencing overwhelm.

Book a session with one of our trained empathy practitioners. They will hear you, and reflect what they hear, so you can hear yourself and your own inner wisdom.

Yes. We welcome whatever you want to talk about. Many of our clients have found that after an empathy session they have felt much more clarity on big life decisions, through the power of being heard. As well as feeling more connected to life. See our testimonials page to hear more about how empathy has benefited people’s lives.

Yes, you are welcomed exactly as you are. You are listened to with compassion, care and non-judgement and you are invited to speak about anything you wish to.

Yes. Empathy Angels is a free, confidential, private, empathetic, active listening service for New Zealand adults.