Grounded in an Indigenous Psychologies framework, the research was the first of it’s kind to be conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The research investigated how anomalous phenomena, which I have now come to understand are simply ‘exceptional experiences of consciousness,’ are interpreted.

We did a couple of things!

Firstly, we explored how a range of exceptional experiences were interpreted by members of the general population across Aotearoa New Zealand and whether professional help would be sought for such phenomena if they ever experienced them.

Secondly, using a case vignette approach, we explored how mental health workers interpreted and diagnosed specific cases of exceptional experiences.

A study of this kind had never been conducted before, so it was the first!

More importantly, I had theorised that the way exceptional experiences are interpreted may influence whether such experiences are considered as useful or not, and that the interpretation may be determined by cultural context.

The study explored these ideas and the findings suggested support for them. The findings also challenged current conceptualisations of what mental well-being means, and imply education about exceptional experiences is required to ensure such experiences are not pathologised.

The team comprised researchers with many talents and skillsets, including researchers with expertise in exceptional experiences of consciousness, hauora Māori, and occupational psychology, as well as several clinical psychologists:

• Simon Bennett

• Nicole Lindsay

• John Pahina

• Paris Pidduck

• Pikihuia Pomare

• Lisa Stewart

• Dr Natasha Tassell-Matamua (PI)

• Hukarere Valentine

• Felicity Ware

Journal Articles

Lindsay, N., Tassell-Matamua, N., Haami, D., Ware, F., Valentine, H., & Pomare, P. (2021). Construction of a ‘Beliefs about Exceptional Experiences Scale’ (BEES): Implications of preliminary findings in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal for the Study of Spirituality. 11(2), 145-158.

Lindsay, N., Haami, D., Tassell-Matamua, N., Pomare, P., Valentine, H., Pahina, J., . . . Pidduck, P. (2020). The spiritual experiences of contemporary Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand: A qualitative analysis.. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health.

Presentations

Tassell-Matamua, N. A. (2021, 6 August). Bringing the ‘psyche’ back to psychology. Why wairuatanga matters for Māori well-being [Oral presentation]. Religious Studies Program Seminar Series, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Tassell-Matamua, N. A. (2021, 24 September). Bringing the ‘psyche’ back to psychology. Why wairuatanga matters for counselling psychology [Oral presentation]. Counselling Psychology Program Seminar, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.

Tassell-Matamua, N. A. (2021, 25 November). From niche to necessity. Implications of near-death experiences [Oral presentation]. Oncology Social Work Australia New Zealand Association, Online.

With gratitude, the research team received funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, through an Explorer Grant.