Dr. Joan Chappell-Mathias
1921 - 2013
Joan was born in Liverpool in September 1921 and was an only child. She became a doctor, and prior to emigrating to New Zealand in 1970, she was a member of the British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing and the Family Planning Association. After making her home in New Zealand, Joan worked as a forensic consultant at Christchurch’s Sunnyside Hospital and also Christchurch Women’s Prison. She had a special interest in psychodrama, and she was a board member of the Australian and NZ Psychodrama Association, a life member of the NZ Association of Psychotherapists, and she ran professional development groups for community and mental health workers.
After moving to Tauranga in 1992, Joan continued to supervise and mentor trainees in psychotherapy.
Joan survived two wonderful husbands and enjoyed playing the piano and playing tennis. She was interested in the arts and in native bush. Joan believed it was vital to never stop learning, and in her 70s, she embraced tennis, ballroom dancing, ice-skating and horse riding.
In 2006, Joan was awarded the Queen’s Service order for her contribution to psychiatry and for her decades of voluntary community service.
