Politics, Psychotherapy, and the 1907 Tohunga Suppression Act

Abstract

Schmid's (2012/2014) reflection on the relationship between psychotherapy and politics challenges psychotherapists to engage as political (human) beings, reconnecting divisions promoted by reductionist thinking. If the human being is a political being then psychotherapy is undeniably a political venture. As an Indigenous emerging therapist practising in Aotearoa New Zealand, I strongly resonate with Schmid's propositions. His movement towards social justice and emancipation call to me, mirroring the Indigenous voices which have influenced and informed my personal and professional development. In the spirit of a discussant paper, this article responds to Schmid's argument by exploring his ideas from an Indigenous, Māori perspective – at least an Indigenous position specific to me. The article challenges and redefines his analysis to reflect an Indigenous reality of practising psychotherapy in Aotearoa New Zealand.