Dialectical Behaviour Therapist

• Te Kuuwaha o te Waiora 135C Silverdale Road (Gate 10, University of Waikato), Hillcrest
• 16 hours per week
• Permanent

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the Role

We are looking for Registered Health Professionals with a current annual practicing certificate, who would like to join the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Service.

As the successful candidate you will be part of the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Service contributing to:

• DBT adherent clinical contact with tāngata whai ora and their whanau; providing assessment, individual therapy and consultation.
• Co-facilitation of DBT Skills Groups (psychoeducation specific) for tāngata whai ora of the DBT service.
• Liaison, advice and consultation with other multi-disciplinary teams, inpatient teams (medical and psychiatric) and primary health providers.
• Providing consultation, training and education programmes to kaimahi and tāngata whaiora, their whanau and wider community.

Along with the support of a welcoming and passionate team, meaningful contribution to the psychological needs of tāngata whaiora within DBT, as well as liaison for those not within the programme, the successful candidate will receive ongoing professional development opportunities such as:

• Undertaking further specialist DBT Training as required (if DBT Foundational Training has not previously been completed this will be the first priority training).
• Undertake training relative to your area of practice and interests such as trauma treatment, supervision, adult learning/teaching courses
• Contribute to service development projects as well as hold opportunities to partake in ‘projects of passion’ relative to the role.

About the Team

We in the Waikato DBT Service, established over 20 years ago, are a small multi-disciplinary team with a wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to grow new members of the team.

The Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Service (DBT) provides DBT for tāngata whaiora who meet criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder and usually present with complex trauma experiences. The majority of our tāngata whaiora are young women. DBT is a principle driven therapy and these principles are integral to how the team operates with each other as well as how it provides therapy to tāngata whaiora.

About you

• Competency with te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori or a commitment to starting your journey and taking ownership of your learning and growth
• Experience in upholding Te Tiriti principals and frameworks, and the application of Mātauranga Māori and Kaupapa Māori approaches, particularly as they apply in healthcare settings
• Bring experience in working with tāngata whaiora with Borderline Personality Disorder
• Demonstrates advanced clinical care, utilizing evidence based best practice
• Holds a robust understanding of risk factors and is open to positive risk taking
• Has experience in working with tāngata whaiora with complex trauma history
• Is a team player and can work collaboratively with a range of disciplines
• Is compassionate, passionate and committed to this field of work
• Has at least 5 years’ experience as a Registered Health Professional
• An understanding of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy would be of benefit.

The work with this tāngata whaiora population can be challenging and frustrating (as well as very rewarding). Clinicians need to be able to sit with anxieties and be aware of potential boundary violations / issues, and transference / counter-transference issues. Clinicians should have the maturity and insight to recognise the limitation of their own knowledge and willingness to develop that where possible.

Working for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Equity Work Programme at Health NZ focuses on helping everyone in the health system think about equity when they do their work. It also promotes the cultural change needed for the whole system to reach equity in health outcomes.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

• We want to see the real you in your application and welcome the real you on board if you come and work with us. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just in formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the ad, but the experience was gained through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.
• We particularly welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

To view the position description for Registered Nurse click here, Occupational Therapist click here, Social Worker click here or Clinical Psychologist click here.

How to Apply

Please click ‘Apply online’ or apply via our Waikato Careers Website by clicking here All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59pm on 21 March 2025. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Robyn Payne at Robyn.Payne@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz