New CEO for The Phobic Trust

[Media release]

[28/8/14]

Fresh start for the upper North Island’s only non-profit specialist in the treatment of Anxiety Disorders

Registered Charitable Trust and non-profit specialist in the treatment of Anxiety Disorders, The Phobic Trust, is proud to announce the formal appointment of its new CEO, Vivienne Euini.

Vivienne not only brings with her decades’ of experience in the sharebroking and banking sectors, having previously served as BNZ’s Area Manager for West Auckland, among other roles, but also has personal ties to Trust and its vital work in the community.

“I became passionate about the work that The Phobic Trust does when a close family member started suffering panic attacks,” she says. “As a result of that, I became interested in the services that the Trust offers and became a volunteer – I’ve been on and off the Board for 20 years.”

One in four New Zealanders suffer from some sort of Anxiety Disorder and Vivienne hopes that her business acumen will allow the Trust to reach those who need its services the most. Her long-term goals include revitalising the Trust’s brand and expanding its reach nation-wide.

“I’d love to see us with clinics throughout the country,” says Vivienne. “I guess it’s a case of really managing it as a business, with growth in mind and then having strategies based around that.”

Despite the fact that the Trust has been active for over three decades, Vivienne says there’s still plenty of work to do when it comes to educating New Zealanders about Anxiety Disorders.

“We work with a lot of people whose lives have been severely impacted – and it’s not just the one in four people that are suffering; it’s their families, their loved ones that are close to them. Having gone through it myself, it is equally as traumatic for those that are close to the person.

“I think there’s still very much a stigma attached to Anxiety Disorders. People often automatically think ‘oh, you must be crazy’. To be honest, when my family member started to have panic attacks, I was ignorant – I had no idea. I certainly didn’t think they were crazy, but I knew something was seriously wrong and I think that if we can create better understanding and better support to those that are suffering – and their families – by way of educating, it will really help.”

Vivienne and members of the clinical team at The Phobic Trust are available for media comment and are always happy to provide insights on issues pertaining to Anxiety Disorders and those living with them. To discuss clinical matters or to receive information on specific disorders, please ask for Clinical Services Manager Emma Barker MSc Couns Psychol. For all other enquiries, ask to speak with Vivienne Euini or Practice Manager Sarah Woollard. All three can be contacted at: (09) 846 9776, or via email at clinic@phobic.org.nz

ENDS

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