Dr Elle Brittain MA, DPsych

Contact details

• Location: 7C 54, Block 7
  Campus: Pukeahu - Wellington

Qualifications

• Master of Arts with Distinction in Psychology - Massey University (2016)
• Doctor of Clinical Psychology - Massey University (2023)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Arts with Merit in Psychology - Massey University (2016)

Research Interests

Elle is interested in Māori experiences as related broadly to psychology, including Māori wellbeing, wairua, spirituality, culturally safe and relevant psychological interventions, equity in mental health, as well as racism and anti-racism. In her work she seeks to enhance understandings of sites of crisis as well as sites of resistance and strength for Māori, with the broader aims to initiate action and contribute meaningfully to communities. As a colleague of the Centre for Indigenous Psychologies, she appreciates Indigenous psychologies and is open to research in these areas. From a methodological perspective, she is enthusiastic about qualitative approaches that focus on meaning-making, namely narrative inquiry, narrative psychology, and discourse analysis. 

Thematics

Health and Well-being

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology (170106): Kaupapa Maori Psychology (170108): Psychology (170100): Psychology And Cognitive Sciences (170000)

Keywords

Māori; wellbeing; wairua; spirituality; Indigenous psychologies; racism. 

Languages

• Te Reo Māori
  Last used: Today
  Spoken ability: Average
  Written ability: Average

Teaching Statement

Elle teaches undergraduate courses in Indigenous psychologies and clinical psychology. She also has input to the postgraduate clinical psychology training programme on the Pukeahu, Wellington campus. 

Graduate Supervision Statement

Elle values collaboration and approaches research supervision with a focus on relationships. Integral to her background is a passion for engaging with and working alongside people. As an early-career scholar, she views supervision as an opportunity for mutual learning and development. 

She is open to supervising projects that align with her research interests and expertise in topics related to Māori wellbeing, wairua, spirituality, Indigenous psychologies, culturally safe and relevant psychological interventions, equity in mental health, as well as racism and anti-racism. She is well-suited to projects that use qualitative approaches and has a particular interest in Kaupapa Māori and narrative methodologies. 

Current Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

• Carly Owen - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
  What environments make clients accessing mental health care in Aotearoa feel safe and affirmed?

Co-supervisor of:

• Aorangi Kora - Doctor of Philosophy
  Te Mana o te Wahine: A Mana Wāhine Analysis of Online Misogyny, Wāhine Māori Resistance, and the Power of Collective Radical Imaginaries
• Erani Motu - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
  Wairuatanga: Exploring the understanding and implementation of wairua-informed practice with rangatahi Māori in a youth forensic setting.

Other Links

• Centre for Indigenous Psychologies - The Centre for Indigenous Psychologies is a space where Māori and Indigenous psychologies are embraced, experienced, understood, and developed. Dr Elle Brittain is Co-Director.
• Spiritual Care in Healthcare Research - Dr Elle Brittain is part of an inter-disciplinary, multi-university research project that will seek to identify and nurture wairuatanga and spirituality in Aotearoa, New Zealand’s health system.
• 100 Māori Leaders - The 100 Māori Leaders campaign recognises contributions, service, vision, dedication, and expertise towards constructive change and improvement to Māori health.
• Dr Elle Brittain awarded HRC Emerging Researcher First Grant
• Māori worldview needed for psychological healing and recovery