Dr Tania Cargo (Ngāti Manu, Ngāti Maru, Ngāpuhi) is a highly regarded consultant Māori Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years of service dedicated to supporting Māori pēpi, tamariki and rangatahi. As the Director of the Clinical Psychology training programme at the University of Auckland, she shapes future psychologists to address diverse cultural needs.

A national leader in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and a member of PCIT International Workforce Taskforce, Dor Cargo has significantly impacted whānau across Aotearoa by providing training, supervision and clinical services that strengthen parent-child connections. Her advocacy for Māori access to culturally safe, evidence based programmes includes a groundbreaking pilot study in 2014 showed the utility of tailored PCIT led by Māori practitioners.

Dr Cargo has authored key literature of culturally safe PCIT practices. Her training in the Pre-school Strange Situation Procedure and the Pre-school Attachment Coding System enhances her assessment and coaching methodologies ensuring effective interactions with whānau.

An engaging educator Dr Cargo has developed innovative Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) models for Māori, including the Waka and Skateboard frameworks which address mental health challenges in a relatable context. This fosters meaningful connections and emphasises the integration of indigenous knowledge into modern therapy. She also serves on the New Zealand Psychologist’s Board, chairing the Accreditation Committee and Tūmaia Kaiārahi a group of Māori Psychology Advisors.

Through this unwavering dedication to seeing psychology as service Dr Cargo continues to inspire a new wave of mental health clinicians.