The Australia and New Zealand Association of Psychotherapy Ltd (ANZAP) is a nonprofit training organization dedicated to the development and growth of psychotherapists who specialize in complex mental health presentations. Established formally in 2005 and with roots tracing back to a psychotherapy program developed at Westmead Hospital in 1983, ANZAP provides advanced clinical training, supervision, and professional development for mental health and related professionals across Australia and New Zealand[3][4][5].

Mission and Focus

ANZAP’s core mission centers on training professionals in the Conversational Model of Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, a therapeutic approach designed to address patients with complex trauma, personality disorders, and other treatment-resistant conditions. This model originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s through the work of psychiatrist Robert Hobson and Australian psychiatrist Russell Meares. It focuses on therapeutic conversations that explore the client’s inner world and life narrative, emphasizing the importance of connection, relationship, and neurobiological impacts of developmental history in the healing process[1][2].

Training Programs

The organization offers rigorous training programs, including a one-year advanced course followed by a two-year part-time course, conducted in small groups. These programs are tailored for mental health professionals such as psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, general practitioners, psychiatrists, and registrars who seek to enhance their skills in working with clients experiencing complex trauma and personality-related conditions. ANZAP’s training emphasizes an immersive, experiential learning process that goes beyond conventional pharmaceutical and cognitive interventions to address deep-seated psychological pain through psychodynamic psychotherapy[1][2][5].

Professional Development and Community Engagement

ANZAP regularly hosts professional development events including conferences, seminars, and workshops aimed at fostering ongoing learning and collaboration within the psychotherapy community. These events cover topics such as ethics, boundaries in therapy, and specific therapeutic challenges like traumatic dissociation. The organization also engages with other psychotherapy bodies, such as the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), to create frameworks for collaboration that support the advancement of the psychotherapy profession[1][5].

Organizational Status

ANZAP operates as an Australian public company with charitable status, registered under ABN 29 113 922 713. It is recognized for its commitment to high standards in psychotherapy training and its role in providing specialized education and supervision for practitioners working within both publicly funded and private mental health sectors across Australia and New Zealand[3][4][5].

[1] https://www.anzap.com.au [2] https://www.anzap.com.au/about [3] https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/dd22a2f9-39af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d [4] https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View/29113922713 [5] https://pacfa.org.au/portal/portal/News-and-Advocacy/news/2024/PACFA-meets-ANZAP.aspx