PBANZ Accreditation

PBANZ Accreditation

Psychodrama Training is recognised by the Psychotherapy Board of Aotearoa New Zealand (PBANZ) as a pathway towards registration as a Psychotherapist. Once qualified as a Psychodramatist a person can apply to PBANZ for registration. Trainees wishing to become registered psychotherapists work with campus trainers to establish adequate supervision, client work and any additional training/tasks that might be required given the trainee’s particular circumstances.

Psychodrama Psychotherapist Pathway

PANZ’s primary purpose is to provide training that will lead to certification as a practitioner in psychodrama in one of four specialties: as a Role Trainer, Sociometrist, Sociodramatist or Psychodramatist.  A trainee must first become certificated in one of these specialty areas before they can apply for certification as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist.

PANZ is an authorised training institute of the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Inc. (AANZPA). The Board of Examiners of AANZPA approves PANZ as a training institute, governs the curriculum and standards, conducts the assessment of theses and practical assessments and certificates practitioners in each of the four specialties.

The programme for completing training varies from person to person depending on their circumstances but generally takes 5-7 years. The curriculum and abilities to be developed for each specialty are specified in the AANZPA Training and Standards Manual.  To be registered as a psychotherapist with PBANZ a person must demonstrate that they have achieved the core competencies specified by PBANZ. These competencies are integral to psychodrama training however there are two additional requirements (the frequency and duration of supervision and therapy) that will ideally be undertaken whilst training so in order to achieve them concurrent with their psychodrama training a person must indicate their intention to become a psychotherapist when they first enrol with PANZ.

Once certificated by AANZPA as a practitioner a person may then submit their application to PANZ for assessment as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist. This comprises a presentation of two written statements:

  1. A statement of no more than two typed pages, written by the applicant, that clearly presents a verified log of work done and the nature of the work undertaken that demonstrates all PBANZ core clinical, cultural competencies and ethical standards in the specified scope of practice have been met including verified documentation of the frequency and duration of supervision and therapy.
  2. A statement written by the applicant’s supervisor/trainer endorsing the request for application.
  3. A copy of their AANZPA Practitioner’s Certificate.

An invoice for the application fee of $500 + GST will be issued on receipt of the application. Once paid in full the application will be processed. Two PANZ staff members will check that the application satisfies PBANZ requirements using PBANZ documentation of core clinical, cultural competencies and ethical standards in the specified scope of practice. If the assessors determine that further information/further work is required they may initiate a meeting with the applicant. The assessors prepare a report summarising their decision and submit the report to the PANZ Psychodrama Psychotherapy Committee. Once the applicant has satisfied all requirements they will be certificated by PANZ as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist. After receiving their certificate a person may then apply to PBANZ for registration as a psychotherapist.

Only PANZ trainees receiving the Psychodrama Psychotherapist certificate will be eligible for registration with PBANZ as a Psychotherapist. 

Flow chart

  1. Person enters PANZ training.
  2. A trainee wishing to achieve the Psychodrama Psychotherapist certificate indicates as early as possible their desire/intention to be registered by PBANZ as a Psychotherapist.
  3. The trainee’s supervisor/trainer (PANZ staff member) clarifies PBANZ requirements with the trainee and expectations for attending to those additional to PANZ training.
  4. The trainee develops a written schedule/plan for achieving PBANZ requirements that are additional to PANZ training. This schedule/plan is included as part of the trainee’s training plan and agreed with the campus. Specifically including personal development/therapy sessions and clinical supervision, and access to supervision with a Psychotherapist.
  5. The trainee’s training plan is held on file and used as a reference point for supervision, training interviews and reviews. Any party can initiate a meeting to address issues arising from the training plan.
  6. The trainee participates in all regular PANZ training and additional activities necessary to demonstrate competencies specified in PBANZ documentation.
  7. The trainee and supervisor keep a log/record of what has been done to meet PBANZ requirements that are extra to AANZPA’s requirements and provides ongoing guidance to the trainee. The log/record is kept on file.
  8. The trainee applies for and completes assessment as a Practitioner with AANZPA as per AANZPA’s process.
  9. The AANZPA Board of Examiners notifies applicant of the outcome of the AANZPA assessment process.
  10. The new AANZPA Practitioner applies to PANZ for certification as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist. The applicant applies in writing to the PANZ Administrator for assessment as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist. Two written statements accompany this plus a copy of the AANZPA Practitioners Certificate:
    1. A statement of no more than two typed pages, written by the applicant, that clearly presents a log of work done and the nature of the work undertaken that demonstrates all PBANZ core clinical, cultural competencies and ethical standards in the specified scope of practice have been met including verified documentation of the frequency and duration of supervision and therapy.
    2. A statement written by the applicant’s supervisor/trainer endorsing the request for application.
    3. A copy of the AANZPA Practitioner’s Certificate. The PANZ Administrator acknowledges receipt of and files application documents and issues an invoice for the application fee of $500 + GST.
  11. The applicant pays application fee.
  12. The PANZ Administrator acknowledges receipt of application fee and notifies the PANZ Psychodrama Psychotherapy Committee of the application.
  13. The Psychodrama Psychotherapy Committee appoints a two PANZ staff members as assessors to check that the application satisfies PBANZ requirements using PBANZ documentation of core clinical, cultural competencies and ethical standards in the specified scope of practice.
  14. The assessors determine whether the applicant has satisfied all criteria or whether further information/further work is required. They may initiate a meeting with the applicant in order to gain further information.
  15. The assessors prepare a brief report summarising their decision and submit their report to the PANZ Psychodrama Psychotherapy Committee.
  16. The PANZ Psychodrama Psychotherapy Committee signs the certificate and authorises the PANZ Administrator to issue the certificate along with the assessment report.
  17. PANZ Administrator sends Psychodrama Psychotherapist certificate and report to successful applicant.
  18. The PANZ Administrator updates records of the assessment process and outcome is kept on file.
  19. The applicant receives PANZ certificate as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist and then applies to PBANZ for registration as a Psychotherapist.