Cultural safety training for psychiatrists in Aotearoa: A haerenga of growth and best practice development

Cultural safety is fundamental to effective psychiatric practice with all patients in Aotearoa, and especially critical to honouring Māori as tāngata whenua. At its heart, cultural safety is determined by tāngata whai ora and their whānau—they are the ones who decide whether our care feels safe. 

As a profession, we have obligations to provide care where people can bring their whole selves without fear of judgment, discrimination, or cultural harm. This requires ongoing reflexive practice—continuously examining our own cultural positioning, staying curious about our impact on tāngata whai ora, and adapting in response to feedback. 

Start your journey

Begin with this podcast from the 2025 RANZCP NZ Conference, featuring Dr. Mark Lawrence, Sam Farr and others discussing what cultural safety looks like in practice.

Listen: What cultural safety looks like in practice 

Key learning areas

Quality cultural safety training covers four key areas. The real work happens in how you apply this learning—reflecting on your cultural positioning, staying curious about your impact, and being responsive to feedback about whether tāngata whaiora experience your care as safe.

1. Te Tiriti o Waitangi foundation

Understanding Te Tiriti shapes how we partner with Māori tāngata whai ora and whānau, how we understand power dynamics in healthcare, and how we address health inequities. Quality trainings are delivered by kaupapa Māori providers, covers both historical context and contemporary application and creates space for reflection on what Te Tiriti partnership means in your daily practice.

A question to ask yourself: How do Māori tāngata whai ora and whānau experience my enactment of Te Tiriti principles in their care?

2. Racism and discrimination awareness

Building awareness of how structural racism, colonisation, and oppression affect mental health—and how they show up in psychiatric practice and healthcare systems. This includes recognising implicit bias, understanding intersectionality, and developing practical strategies for interrupting discrimination. But awareness alone isn't enough: we need to actively create opportunities for tāngata whai ora to share with us if they've experienced racism or discrimination in our care.

A question to ask yourself: Do I create genuine opportunities for tāngata whai ora to tell me if they've experienced racism in my care? When they offer this feedback, do I receive it as taonga—a precious gift for my growth—and honour it as such?

3. Cultural consultation and partnership

Learning when and how to engage in cultural consultation, building genuine relationships with Māori health providers and community, working effectively with whānau, and recognising the limits of your own cultural knowledge. The key is being truly open to changing your approach based on what you learn through consultation, rather than seeking validation for decisions already made.

A question to ask yourself: Am I truly open to changing my approach based on cultural consultation, or am I seeking confirmation of what I already planned to do?

4. Ongoing development and practice integration

Cultural safety is an ongoing practice of reflection, learning, and adaptation. The true measure is whether tāngata whai ora consistently experience our care as culturally safe—and that requires us to keep asking, keep listening, and keep adapting. This includes regular supervision with cultural safety reflection, participation in communities of practice, engaging with   advanced training, staying current with research, and learning directly from Māori and community experts.

A question to ask yourself: How do I actively invite feedback from tāngata whai ora about their experience of safety in my care? When that feedback is uncomfortable or challenging, do I receive it as taonga and allow it to transform my practice?

Recommended training programmes

Tū Te Akaaka Roa conducted a multi-source stocktake that identified 48 cultural training programmes across District Health Boards and specialist providers. Programmes were evaluated using a comprehensive framework assessing cultural safety principles (self-reflection, power dynamics, transformative action), legislative requirements (HPCAA, Code of Rights, Te Tiriti o Waitangi), and applicability to psychiatric practice (Māori models of wellness, tikanga Māori, working with whānau).

Programmes were evaluated across five key areas.

Four programmes demonstrated excellence across all evaluation criteria.

All four programmes were accredited in December 2025 by Tū Te Akaaka Roa as being suitable for NZ psychiatrists and trainees wishing to improve their cultural safety.  

All programmes are eligible for CPD hours.

Takarangi Competency Framework  

Steeped in mātauranga Māori, focusing on reflexive practice and demonstrated competency. Contains 14 competencies covering the fusion of cultural and clinical elements in practice.

Providers: Whaea Moe Milne and Mātua Tukaha Milne

Format: Two-day wānanga

Contact: RANZCP NZ office at nzoffice@ranzcp.org for group bookings

Level: All levels

MIHI 501 - Hauora Māori in Clinical Practice

Introduces the Hui Process and Meihana Model—proven frameworks for working with Māori patients and whānau. Includes simulated patient sessions and practice reflection.

Provider: University of Otago, Christchurch (MIHI)

Format: Online only ($500) or blended with one-day Christchurch workshop ($800-$1,500). 22-28 hours total.

Contact: mihi.uoc@otago.ac.nz or otago.ac.nz/continuingeducation

Level: Foundation

Mahi a Atua Programmes

Māori wellbeing framework based on pūrākau (storytelling), designed to foster transformation and indigenise practice. Dr Di Kopua's advocacy sparked RANZCP's anti-racism work.

Provider: Te Kurahuna - Dr Diana Kopua (RANZCP Fellow) and Mark Kopua

Option A - Rangi Matauru: 16-week self-paced online. $1,200. Rolling enrolment.
Option B - Rangi Parauri: 5-day in-person wānanga (Gisborne) plus online. $4,900. Contact for dates.

Funding: May be available via Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand 

Contact: tauira@tekurahuna.com or mahiaatua.com

Level: Intermediate to advanced

Kaitiaki Ahurea

NZQA Level 2 micro-credential covering factors affecting Māori health, Māori worldview, unconscious bias, and effective health promotion activities.

Provider: Te Rau Ora

Format: Two-day wānanga plus half-day online assessment. 50 hours total.

Contact: 0800 AKONGA (0800 256 6642) or akonga@teraumatatau.com 

Level: Foundation

Dates and bookings

Contact providers directly to inquire about available dates, group bookings, current pricing, and funding options.

RANZCP NZ office can assist with group bookings and facilitate access to these programmes. Contact nzoffice@ranzcp.org for support.

He waka eke noa – we're all in this together.