Who we are and what we do
About Us
Our Vision and Purpose
Our Vision is to see every Kiwi mum empowered to create a bright future for herself and her whānau and we exist to disrupt intergenerational trauma within whānau affected by intimate partner violence by supporting the mental health of mums.
Our Mission
We achieve our vision through partnering with family violence and refuge organisations to fund 12 months of flexible, quality therapy for Kiwi mums, with their choice of provider.
Our Values
Tino rangatiratanga: We believe women are the leaders of their own wellbeing and should have choice and control over the support they access to support their hauora.
Manaakitanga: We operate and communicate in a way that lifts women up and respects their mana. We are welcoming and kind to interact with - always.
Kaitiakitanga: We provide a safe, private and confidential space for women to be connected with mental health and wellbeing support. The relationship is between them and their chosen counsellor or psychologist; we are simply a supportive vehicle for access.
Accessibility: We make the process of accessing mental health and wellbeing support easy and fast to ensure women can receive support when they need it most.
Kotahitanga: We collaborate with other organisations in the mental health and family violence space to provide wrap-around support and aroha for women that leads to real change.
Our Team
Kat McKay
FOUNDER & TRUSTEE
Mental Health Therapies NZ was born from Kat’s desire to help relieve the mental and emotional suffering she has experienced herself and that she sees in others every day - on social media, TV and in our news stories.
Our mental illness and suicide statistics are heartbreaking and so many people are falling through the gaps who need professional therapy, are crying out for it but are unable to access it due to the cost and because, for whatever reason, they do not qualify for government funded support.
People are dying and many more are barely functioning from day to day and Kat knows that’s no way to live.
Kat has a background in law and still works as a senior legal executive and trust account manager for a law firm in Auckland.
Lineé van der Meer
FOUNDER & TRUSTEE
Lineé is a clinical psychologist specialising in maternal mental health and perinatal issues. Her psychotherapy practice, Mamas in Mind, is based in Auckland and dedicated to helping mums and mums-to-be navigate and overcome the challenges and mental health difficulties that often present themselves during the early motherhood years.
Having worked as a therapist in both the private and public sectors, Lineé has seen first-hand how easy it is for people who struggle with mental health issues and who are desperate for help, to fall through the cracks and not get the help they need due to barriers such as funding.
Lineé believes that mental health services like counselling and psychotherapy should be accessible to everyone who needs it, which is the reason why Mental Health Therapies NZ Charitable Trust is so close to her heart.