PANZ Whakatū Nelson
The PANZ Whakatū Nelson Campus will no longer be operating as of October 31st 2025
Training Information
Enrolment
About training
Training agreement
Training plan
Complaints procedure
Policy manual
The Structure of the Training Process
Training involves attending the year-long programme, other training and personal development workshops, reading, writing, practising with peers, attending supervision and other social activities. Training is open to those who wish to develop their professional abilities without necessarily becoming certificated practitioners in psychodrama.
For some people attending a year or two of training enhances their ability to do the particular work they are focused on. Other people experience a desire to develop a level of sophistication and excellence in working with people using the psychodramatic method. These people work for 5 to 7 years to achieve certification with the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Psychodrama Association (AANZPA) as a Psychodramatist, Sociodramatist, Sociometrist or Role Trainer.
At the end of the training year, each trainee has a 40-minute consultation with members of the training staff to review role development, progress and next steps in their training.
PANZ Whakatū Nelson Training Programme
PANZ Whakatū Nelson Staff
Cher Williscroft
PANZ Whakatū Nelson Director of Training
Cher is a Sociodramatist and Trainer Educator Practitioner (TEP) with PANZ and is Director of Training for the Wakatu/Nelson campus. She currently sits on the Board of Examiners and holds the role of the Practical Assessment Registrar. She has served twice on the AANZPA Executive as Membership Secretary and Secretary.
Cher’s early career was in Community Arts, Community Education, Community Recreation and Community Development, working for Nelson City Council and Nelson Polytechnic.For 8 years she worked in leadership roles at the Sealord Group Ltd as Human Resources Manager and then Organisation Development Manager, where she applied herself as a sociodramatist in the leadership of Maori and Japanese owned commercial seafood organisation.
As Managing Director of her business, Conflict Management Ltd (since 1986), she developed her lifelong interest in conflict resolution working as a mediator, facilitating breakthrough communication in the workplace. In 2004 she developed a successful workshop called
Courageous Conversations running several times each year since 2004 and she continues to teach the conflict resolution methods that she has developed, today in Courageous Conversations Masterclasses. She currently supervises clients in leadership positions.
Cher holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Women’s Studies from Murdoch University in WA
Living in Nelson, by the sea with her partner John, she kayaks, hangs out in nature, and cooks from the garden. She performs in a singing duo, keeps fit, and drafts and constructs her own clothes. Her daughter Maddy and her partner with two mokopuna are the joy of her life.
Training Interview
When your enrolment is received campus trainers will interview you to ensure you have the necessary pre-requisites for training in Psychodrama in Aotearoa New Zealand. Acceptance into training is at the discretion of the trainers in the campus.