Abstract
EThis chapter discusses interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) in New Zealand. New Zealand has both private and publicly funded health services, with the majority of healthcare accessed through the public sector. The Health and Disability Commission NZ (HDCNZ) reported that 1 in 5 New Zealanders experience mental health issues, increasing to almost 1 in 3 for Maori, with the most prevalent disorders being mood disorders, anxiety, mental distress, eating disorders, addictions, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia. This means there is an ever-increasing need to provide effective and efficient mental health services, including evidenced-based talking therapies. IPT research and training initially developed at the Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand under the leadership of Professor Peter Joyce in the mid-1990s after Professor Chris Fairburn ran a training workshop. Since then, there have been a number of successful studies that have used IPT and adaptations of IPT and interpersonal social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) to inform clinical practice. The chapter then considers a cultural adaptation of IPT for Māori, the indigenous culture of New Zealand.