YOU MATTER! Political Depression, The Power of Mattering: Collective Healing and Justice in Aotearoa

Many of my friends know that I have been in a bit of a liberation psychology spin of late, perhaps because of the critical role that bell hooks, Frantz Fanon, and Paulo Freire had on my education.   But also of late, in response to my concern that I may have some form of PTSD from the current legislative and policy programme of the coalition government, the state of global politics and the war in Gaza and on Rainbow/Trans rights. I need to find a way through!

Liberation psychology and mattering offer a radical, humane, and justice-oriented path forward. Tied to these are our tikanga of tika, pono, rangatiratanga and kotahitanga.  They remind us that psychology must not be a tool of adaptation to injustice, but a catalyst for transformation. When people and communities know they matter—and are empowered to create change—they not only heal. They rise.

In the present times of social and political upheaval, many people, particularly those committed to justice, equity, and decolonisation, find themselves grappling with a profound sense of despair. This condition, often referred to as political depression[1], is more than mere burnout or sadness; it is a response to prolonged exposure to systemic injustice, regressive policies, and the erosion of hard-won rights. In Aotearoa, the ongoing undermining of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, rising inequality, and the marginalisation of Indigenous, disabled, and queer communities have contributed to a collective sense of powerlessness and grief. Political depression is not a personal pathology—it is a rational, embodied reaction to the moral and democratic crises of our time.

Linked is the experience of moral injury[2]: the psychological and spiritual harm that occurs when one’s core values are violated by institutions or leaders, particularly when one feels complicit, silenced, or unable to stop it. For many in helping professions, education, or activism, witnessing harmful policies or racist rhetoric, without the power to intervene, can create profound inner conflict. Moral injury fractures our sense of integrity and trust, both in ourselves and in the systems within which we operate.

Addressing these wounds requires more than individual therapy; it demands collective spaces for truth-telling, solidarity, and resistance. Recognising political depression and moral injury is a crucial step in reclaiming both our personal well-being and our collective power to act. 

ActionStation[3], 100,000 cups of tea[4] by Arama Mataira, and Leah Manaema Avene of Co-Culture Communication [5] offer connection, tools, and practices in this work. The five ways to wellbeing were also promoted for communities following the Christchurch earthquakes.[6]

In a world increasingly characterised by inequality, oppression, and alienation, psychology must do more than merely assist individuals in coping; it must become a force for collective healing and liberation. At the intersection of liberation psychology and mattering, as conceptualised by Isaac Prilleltensky[7], is a framework for transforming not only our understanding of mental health but also our pursuit of justice and dignity for all.

For the behavioral sciences to have a strong impact on social, educational, and health policies, there is a need to formulate a clear conception of the common good. Such conception has been lacking…  the common good consists of conditions of justice, experiences of mattering, and outcomes of wellness. [8]

Liberation Psychology? Liberation psychology emerged in Latin America through the work of Ignacio Martín-Baró, a Jesuit priest and psychologist who was assassinated for his political resistance. He contended that psychology had become complicit in perpetuating systems of oppression by individualising suffering and disregarding the structural roots of trauma—poverty, racism, colonialism, and gendered violence.

Liberation psychology challenges mainstream psychology’s neutrality. It insists that to truly promote mental health, we must align ourselves with the oppressed and work to dismantle the social conditions that produce suffering. It’s a psychology of resistance, solidarity, and social transformation.

Mattering? Isaac Prilleltensky builds upon this by grounding liberation and well-being in the principle of mattering—the belief that you are valued and that you contribute value. Mattering is not a trivial concept; it is essential to both individual and collective flourishing. Without it, we suffer not only emotionally but also socially and politically.

Prilleltensky states that mattering must occur in three domains:

1. Personal – people must feel they matter to themselves, able to live with dignity, purpose, and agency.
2. Relational – people must feel they matter to others and have nurturing, respectful relationships.
3. Collective – communities and groups must feel they matter in society; that their culture, voices, and struggles are heard and honoured.

When mattering is systematically denied—through racism, colonisation, classism, ableism, homophobia, or patriarchy—people internalise the message that they are disposable. This is not just a psychological injury; it is political violence.

Liberation must include mattering, and vice versa. Healing is not only about personal resilience or therapy—it is about transforming the oppressive structures that produce suffering in the first place. Liberation psychology becomes a dual process:

• It involves healing internalised oppression and trauma, restoring a sense of mattering to the self.
• It also involves collective action—fighting for economic justice, decolonisation, climate justice, and gender equity—restoring mattering to communities.

Prilleltensky on well-being, power, and justice notes, “Well-being without justice is privilege. Justice without well-being is martyrdom. We need both.”

In Aotearoa New Zealand, this can mean supporting community and Māori models of healing and knowledge like tikanga, matauranga, whānau ora or rongoā acknowledging the centrality of tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) and collective belonging in psychological well-being.

How do we apply the principles of liberation psychology and mattering in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly in ways that honour tangata whenua and support justice-oriented wellbeing?

From Woundedness to Collective Power: To move through political depression and moral injury, we must resist the pressure to internalise harm as personal failure. Instead, we are called to organise, collectivise, and act. This means creating spaces where we can name our pain, affirm our values, and channel our grief into collective resistance and renewal. We must support grassroots movements, uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all sectors and domains, and demand leadership that centres justice, not convenience.

If you’re a professional, community worker, or educator, transform your practice to include mattering in your work. Advocate for policies that value planet, people and communities over profit. If you're feeling exhausted or disillusioned, know that healing is not only possible—it’s political. Connect with others. Build mutual care networks. Join movements that align with your values. Liberation psychology reminds us that while systems wound us, solidarity can restore us. The path forward isn’t easy, but we don’t walk it alone.

In Practice? We can draw on this framework to:

• Design community-based mental health approaches that honour cultural knowledge and collective care.
• Challenge institutional policies that marginalise and devalue certain groups.
• Create spaces where people can tell their stories, feel affirmed, and work together toward liberation.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Tino Rangatiratanga Mattering begins with being seen and valued. Structural recognition of Māori authority and rights affirms collective dignity and self-determination.

• Ensure that all wellbeing initiatives explicitly recognise and honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Support Māori-led solutions and uphold tino rangatiratanga in health, education, and social services.

Services that reflect people’s identities and values reinforce that they are important and that their voices shape the system.

• Co-create mental health and social support services with Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.
• Incorporate local cultural frameworks (e.g. Te Whare Tapa Whā, Fonofale) and ensure services affirm identity, agency, and collective belonging.

Practitioners need tools to move from individualistic models to approaches that empower whānau, hapū, and communities. We need to create a workforce for liberation.

• Develop and deliver training in liberation psychology and mattering for practitioners, educators, and community leaders.
• Include content on structural oppression, power, and healing justice.

When people contribute to shaping society, they experience collective mattering and reclaim power.  Civic and collective engagement is important. Fund and support spaces where marginalised communities can engage in participatory democracy, policy advocacy, and social movements. Encourage youth leadership and intergenerational organising.

Accountability systems must track not just service delivery but whether people and communities feel and are valued.

• Community wellbeing indicators must include measures of mattering, dignity, cultural safety, and structural inclusion.
• Participatory evaluation methods are necessary to gather direct input from affected communities.

For Aotearoa, this is not merely about providing better services—it's about fostering a just society. When all people, especially tangata whenua and those most marginalised, are empowered to thrive and shape the future, together we lay the foundation for genuine collective healing and transformation. I hope that some of these links help us all in liberation! Mauri ora

[1] https://hope-hard-pills.simplecast.com/episodes/the-one-about-political-depression-hKChN1Sx podcast Hope and Hard Pills – The one about Political Depression, S5, E17, March 4, 2024

[2] https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/moral_injury.asp

[3] https://actionstation.org.nz/

[4] Insights on connection, resilience, and finding common ground amidst division.

[5] https://www.coculturecommunication.com/

[6] https://mentalhealth.org.nz/five-ways-to-wellbeing

[7] https://www.professorisaac.com/

[8] Prilleltensky, I., Scarpa, M., Ness, O., Di Martino, S. (2023). Mattering, wellness, and fairness: Psychosocial goods for the common good. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 93(3), 198-210. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2023-61304-001.html