Since our establishment in 2005, we have developed into a vibrant and growing group with members from many disciplines. We are proud to have service user organisations and families / whānau as active members within our organisation.
Our Mission
The International Society for Psychological and Social approaches to Psychosis - NZ (ISPS-NZ) is an affiliation of ISPS International. ISPS is an international organization promoting psychotherapy and psychological treatments for persons with psychosis. We are committed to advancing education, training and knowledge of mental health professionals in the treatment and prevention of psychotic mental disorders. We seek to achieve the best possible outcomes for service users by engaging in meaningful partnership with health professionals, service users and families.
Our Vision
ISPS-NZ aspires to shift public and clinical opinion to a more informed view based on sound up-to-date research and grounded by evidence based practices. It is our endeavour to galvanise all stakeholders. For clinicians to feel enthusiastic about their practice, and optimistic of good outcomes for their clients. For service-users to feel energised and proactive in their own recovery and family/whānau to feel confident in supporting recovery and listened to by the services.
ISPS-NZ believes through dialogue and active engagement with others who are concerned about the issue of psychosis we have the opportunity to raise the profile of humane, multi-faceted, sensitive and sensible approaches to psychosis which will result in an autonomous future for service-users, and a greater satisfaction for clinicians and family/whānau.
ISPS-NZ invites debate on the multiple areas impacted by psychosis, the possible causes and the negative attitudes those who experience psychosis experience. ISPS-NZ is committed to advocating and being vocal in the need to ensure that service users and their family/whānau have access to the most effective and advanced practices possible.
Our Members
ISPS-NZ has attracted people from a number of mental health disciplines including Doctors, Nurses, Psychologists, Occupational therapists, Social workers, and other allied health professionals. ISPS-NZ is particularly proud of the fact that service user organizations and family/whānau are very active members of the organization. The committee is a broad representation of the mental health environment in New Zealand, with Governmental, non governmental agencies and cultural groups represented. This adds richness to our group’s knowledge base and perspective on psychosis and mental health issues in general.
Our Dedication to Culture
New Zealand is bi-cultural and ISPS-NZ aims to support and promote cultural constructions of psychosis, particularly Māori perspectives. As an extension of this, ISPS-NZ are invested in the development of a culturally competent workforce.
Working Worldwide
ISPS-NZ is an affiliate of ISPS international, which has branches in such diverse countries as Russia, USA, England, India, Poland and Finland. All these countries share the same interest in how to work effectively with people who experience psychosis and each brings its own unique perspective to how psychosis can be approached and understood. ISPS international is extremely fortunate to count as some of its members a number who are considered world leaders in this area
“Mā te rongo, ka mōhio; Mā te mōhio, ka mārama; Mā te mārama, ka mātau; Mā te mātau, ka ora. ”
Our Goals and Aims
Promotion & Advocacy
Promoting the appropriate use of psychotherapy, psychosocial and cultural treatments for persons with psychosis in all phases of psychosis including early onset and in longer lasting psychoses.
Promoting the integration of psychological and cultural treatments in treatment plans and comprehensive treatments of all persons with psychosis.
Supporting treatments that include individual, family, group, psychosocial, and cultural approaches and treatment methods that are derived from psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioural, systemic, psychoeducational and cultural approaches.
Facilitating communication amongst mental health professionals, administrators and legislators, by means of publications, newsletters, journals, scientific conferences, meetings and e-mail discussion groups.
Education and Consultation
Promoting research into individual, group and family psychological therapies, preventative measures, cultural understandings and other psychosocial programmes for those experiencing psychosis.
Advancing education, training, and knowledge of mental health professionals in the psychological therapies, cultural and psychosocial interventions in the treatment psychotic experiences.
Making available to the general public knowledge of such therapies and interventions and to bring to the public’s attention the availability of such therapies and interventions.
Creating a central institution for the collection, provision, maintenance and spread of information and knowledge of the psychological therapies, cultural and psychosocial interventions relevant to psychosis.