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Today

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Description

Coliber Group Psychiatry is a New Zealand Telepsychiatry Clinic providing private diagnosis and treatment services for patients and referrers.

We provide convenient and accessible professional telepsychiatry services to help with the following conditions:

OCD
Anxiety Disorders

Bipolar Disorder
Depression

What is Mental Illness?
Mental illness is a clinically significant behaviour or psychological (to do with the mind) disorder that is associated with distress or disability. It is not just the way someone responds to a particular event nor is it limited to the way a person interacts with society.
A mental illness can continuously or intermittently (occasionally) affect our capacity for speech, language, mood, affect, thoughts, perceptions, insight, judgement, cognition (understanding) and volition (ability to make choices). It can limit our ability to function as society would normally expect of us and can put us and others at risk.
Mental illness is therefore, a broad term that covers problems ranging from minor to severe disorders.
A ‘consultant psychiatrist’ is a doctor who, after basic medical qualifications, receives further training and develops the expertise to become a ‘specialist’ in identifying symptoms of, and diagnosing and treating, mental illnesses. You may have been referred to a consultant psychiatrist if your doctor feels you need specialist help.

Consultants

Ages

Adult / Pakeke, Older adult / Kaumātua

How do I access this service?

Referral

Before an appointment can be made with Coliber, we require a referral from your GP, Nurse Practitioner, Psychologist or other Medical Professional.


Referrers: If you would like to refer a patient to Coliber we are available via secure email –

Website / App

Referral Expectations

Once Coliber receives a referral from your GP it is reviewed and when it is accepted, we will make contact with you to book an appointment for an initial consultation.

If we feel that your needs could be better met by other services, we will explain it in the letter to your referrer. You will receive a copy of this letter.

The initial consultation lasts between 60 and 90 minutes.

After the appointment, your referrer will receive a clinical report. You will receive a copy of the report.

Fees and Charges Categorisation

Fees apply

Hours

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Mon – Fri 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Languages Spoken

English, Polish

Common Conditions

Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression

This is a mood disorder in which both depressive (persistent low mood) and manic (elevated or high mood) episodes are experienced. It is usually a recurring (i.e. keeps coming back) disorder that can cause a lot of havoc in all aspects of a person’s life. People with this disorder will experience periods of extreme mood changes but also periods of stable mood during which they may be able to return to everyday routines. These changes of mood can be very extreme and occur for no apparent reason. Different people will experience this disorder in different ways; some may have few episodes, others many, and symptoms may vary from mild to severe. When severely depressed or elevated, a person can become ‘psychotic’ i.e. lose touch with reality. Treatment Usually by medication (antidepressants if depressed and mood stabilisers if depressed and manic) A combination of counselling and psychotherapy (‘talking therapy’) may hasten recovery Hospitalisation may be required for those who are very unwell and are posing a risk to themselves or to others.

This is a mood disorder in which both depressive (persistent low mood) and manic (elevated or high mood) episodes are experienced. It is usually a recurring (i.e. keeps coming back) disorder that can cause a lot of havoc in all aspects of a person’s life. People with this disorder will experience periods of extreme mood changes but also periods of stable mood during which they may be able to return to everyday routines.
 
These changes of mood can be very extreme and occur for no apparent reason. Different people will experience this disorder in different ways; some may have few episodes, others many, and symptoms may vary from mild to severe. When severely depressed or elevated, a person can become ‘psychotic’ i.e. lose touch with reality.
 
Treatment
  • Usually by medication (antidepressants if depressed and mood stabilisers if depressed and manic)
  • A combination of counselling and psychotherapy (‘talking therapy’) may hasten recovery
  • Hospitalisation may be required for those who are very unwell and are posing a risk to themselves or to others.
Depression

Depression is a mood disorder. Emotional states like sadness, ‘feeling blue’ or tearfulness are part of normal human experience. Clinical depression is called Major Depression and is characterised by the presence for at least two weeks of symptoms such as depressed mood, diminished interest and pleasure in most activities, change in appetite and weight (these can be increased or decreased) sleep disturbance, fatigue, bodily symptoms (headache, backache etc) poor concentration, feelings of anxiousness, worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt, and suicidal ideation. Depression is a common disorder and about 10-20 % of the population in New Zealand will suffer from depression during their lifetime. Treatment Once depression has been diagnosed by your GP/Psychiatrist, it can be effectively treated by: Antidepressant medication Psychological interventions e.g. counselling (various types) and psychotherapy (talking therapy which is of various types).

Depression is a mood disorder. Emotional states like sadness, ‘feeling blue’ or tearfulness are part of normal human experience. Clinical depression is called Major Depression and is characterised by the presence for at least two weeks of symptoms such as depressed mood, diminished interest and pleasure in most activities, change in appetite and weight (these can be increased or decreased) sleep disturbance, fatigue, bodily symptoms (headache, backache etc) poor concentration, feelings of anxiousness, worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt, and suicidal ideation.
 
Depression is a common disorder and about 10-20 % of the population in New Zealand will suffer from depression during their lifetime. 
 
Treatment
Once depression has been diagnosed by your GP/Psychiatrist, it can be effectively treated by:
  • Antidepressant medication
  • Psychological interventions e.g. counselling (various types) and psychotherapy (talking therapy which is of various types).
 
Anxiety Disorders

We all feel some anxiety at some time or other. Anxiety may serve as an alerting signal, warning us of external /internal threats and consequently acting as a prompt to take appropriate action. When anxiety is very severe and present even when there is no threat of any kind, then it interferes with our functioning and can become an illness. In this circumstance, anxiety becomes a disorder characterised by an unpleasant emotion with feelings of fear, threat and impending danger and can be associated with numerous bodily symptoms like breathlessness, trembling, tightness in throat, dry mouth, racing heart and nausea/vomiting. There are varieties of anxiety disorders like panic attacks, phobias (unhealthy fear of something), agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), social anxiety, post-traumatic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Anxiety can often be associated with a depressive episode. Anxiety disorders are very common and if unrecognised and untreated, can cause severe disability. Treatment Self help: learning techniques like relaxation, distraction and education Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Medication.

We all feel some anxiety at some time or other. Anxiety may serve as an alerting signal, warning us of external /internal threats and consequently acting as a prompt to take appropriate action.
 
When anxiety is very severe and present even when there is no threat of any kind, then it interferes with our functioning and can become an illness. In this circumstance, anxiety becomes a disorder characterised by an unpleasant emotion with feelings of fear, threat and impending danger and can be associated with numerous bodily symptoms like breathlessness, trembling, tightness in throat, dry mouth, racing heart and nausea/vomiting.
 
There are varieties of anxiety disorders like panic attacks, phobias (unhealthy fear of something), agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), social anxiety, post-traumatic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Anxiety can often be associated with a depressive episode.
 
Anxiety disorders are very common and if unrecognised and untreated, can cause severe disability.
 
Treatment
  • Self help: learning techniques like relaxation, distraction and education
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Medication.

Additional Details

Online / virtual / app, Speak with women / wahine, LGBTQIA+ friendly

Website

Contact Details

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Contact us online here

Postal Address

PO Box 6123
1 Windsor Street
Windsor
Invercargill 9810

This page was last updated at 10:34AM on September 23, 2024. This information is reviewed and edited by Coliber Group Psychiatry.