Dr Judith Treadwell, a well-known Wellington psychiatrist, sadly passed away in Wanaka on 18 January 2020, in the company of her family.

Judith had recently retired, so she and her husband Dr Blair Treadwell took that opportunity to leave their home in Days Bay, Eastbourne to be near family in Wanaka. It was a successful move for them all, but Judith’s health problems increasingly impacted her over the last year.

In 2016 Judith received a formal retirement tribute from colleagues to acknowledge her long and considerable service to Wellington and New Zealand psychiatry. Her career was distinguished by many highlights, not least her advocacy for the mental and obstetric health of women and their families, and women’s professional standing in medicine. This orientation originated from her early years in England, where she was born and educated.

Her academic abilities and personal aspirations led her into medicine, and from 1954 she attended London’s Royal Free Medical School, the only London Hospital allowing women to study medicine. Her experiences there strongly influenced the course of her later career.

After qualifying in 1959, Judith continued at the Royal Free and was increasingly drawn to a career in obstetrics and gynaecology. In 1964 she met and then married Blair who was completing his rheumatology post-graduate training in London. On return to Wellington, Judith realised it was not possible for her to complete obstetrics and gynaecology training in New Zealand while raising their four children, and so she undertook part-time medical work as a general practitioner. Between 1964 and 1976 Judith worked at Wellington’s Victoria University Student Health Service. Her interest in obstetrics and gynaecology and families continued nevertheless, and informed all her general practice and later psychiatric work.

1976 proved to be an important and defining year, in which she left general practice and entered psychiatry training. She was particularly influenced by the psychosocial aspects of her general practice work, as well as the recent establishment of an academic Department of Psychological Medicine in Otago University’s Wellington Medical School. This was under the leadership of Professor John Roberts, an English psychiatrist with strong interests in social and community psychiatry and psychotherapy. Judith found John to be a stimulating and inspiring teacher and he proved to be a perfect mentor for her at this stage of her career.

Judith had a deep interest in understanding the experience of being human. Her distinctive personality, characterised by her intelligence, her sensitivity and a wish to support the underdog found a natural expression in psychiatry. Psychiatry also allowed expression of her natural inclination to explore herself and her personal motivations. Accordingly she undertook personal analytic therapy, joined the local Jungian Interest Group and studied Eastern religions, especially Buddhism, all of which she integrated into her own psychotherapy and psychodynamic understanding.

In the late 1970s she trained in family therapy with Australian therapist Margaret Topham and a group of Wellington colleagues—this experience continued to strongly influence her holistic and systemic view of patients’ problems.

After completing her RANZCP Membership in 1982, with local fellow trainees Dr Enid Slim and Dr T Fernando, she became a consultant in the psychiatric in-patient ward in Wellington Hospital. She also undertook some private practice, which included consultant sessions at Te Omanga Hospice in Lower Hutt.

In 1986 Judith decided to commit to full-time private practice, which she did successfully up to 2015 when she retired. She shared rooms with Blair in Glenmore Street, Wellington, and then in Eastbourne when they moved to Days Bay in 2002.

Her clinical work involved seeing patients for acute treatment and long-term therapy, as well as many ACC sexual trauma assessment and treatment cases. She engaged in a wide range of medico-legal work, especially Family Court assessments.

Judith’s dedication to her patients, and her willingness to provide acute support were widely praised aspects of her clinical care, as was her professionalism, clinical skills and wisdom and high ethical standards.

Her professional standing led to her being asked to be the psychiatric member of the New Zealand Medical Council, where she served for 10 years. She provided a much valued psychiatric voice to General Council matters, while also providing specialist expertise to the Council Health committee concerning the assessment and treatment of doctors who presented with mental health and behavioural problems.

Judith was an active member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and her local Peer review group. Her keen and penetrating intellect, plus her direct, clear clinical approach garnered considerable respect from her medical and psychiatric peers, and she was often sought for opinions. She was also a very good listener and demonstrated considerable understanding, compassion and empathy for her patients and colleagues.

Judith’s health conditions limited aspects of her physical capacity in recent years but she continued to work, see patients and provide much valued professional supervision. She continued to have frequent contact with many friends in her local community, and in the profession.

Judith’s passing is the end point of a long, significant and pioneering medical and psychiatric career. She is already much missed by her family and her colleagues and friends.

Dr Judith Treadwell, a well-known Wellington psychiatrist, sadly passed away in Wanaka on 18 January 2020, in the company of her family.

Judith had recently retired, so she and her husband Dr Blair Treadwell took that opportunity to leave their home in Days Bay, Eastbourne to be near family in Wanaka. It was a successful move for them all, but Judith’s health problems increasingly impacted her over the last year.

In 2016 Judith received a formal retirement tribute from colleagues to acknowledge her long and considerable service to Wellington and New Zealand psychiatry. Her career was distinguished by many highlights, not least her advocacy for the mental and obstetric health of women and their families, and women’s professional standing in medicine. This orientation originated from her early years in England, where she was born and educated.

Her academic abilities and personal aspirations led her into medicine, and from 1954 she attended London’s Royal Free Medical School, the only London Hospital allowing women to study medicine. Her experiences there strongly influenced the course of her later career.

After qualifying in 1959, Judith continued at the Royal Free and was increasingly drawn to a career in obstetrics and gynaecology. In 1964 she met and then married Blair who was completing his rheumatology post-graduate training in London. On return to Wellington, Judith realised it was not possible for her to complete obstetrics and gynaecology training in New Zealand while raising their four children, and so she undertook part-time medical work as a general practitioner. Between 1964 and 1976 Judith worked at Wellington’s Victoria University Student Health Service. Her interest in obstetrics and gynaecology and families continued nevertheless, and informed all her general practice and later psychiatric work.

1976 proved to be an important and defining year, in which she left general practice and entered psychiatry training. She was particularly influenced by the psychosocial aspects of her general practice work, as well as the recent establishment of an academic Department of Psychological Medicine in Otago University’s Wellington Medical School. This was under the leadership of Professor John Roberts, an English psychiatrist with strong interests in social and community psychiatry and psychotherapy. Judith found John to be a stimulating and inspiring teacher and he proved to be a perfect mentor for her at this stage of her career.

Judith had a deep interest in understanding the experience of being human. Her distinctive personality, characterised by her intelligence, her sensitivity and a wish to support the underdog found a natural expression in psychiatry. Psychiatry also allowed expression of her natural inclination to explore herself and her personal motivations. Accordingly she undertook personal analytic therapy, joined the local Jungian Interest Group and studied Eastern religions, especially Buddhism, all of which she integrated into her own psychotherapy and psychodynamic understanding.

In the late 1970s she trained in family therapy with Australian therapist Margaret Topham and a group of Wellington colleagues—this experience continued to strongly influence her holistic and systemic view of patients’ problems.

After completing her RANZCP Membership in 1982, with local fellow trainees Dr Enid Slim and Dr T Fernando, she became a consultant in the psychiatric in-patient ward in Wellington Hospital. She also undertook some private practice, which included consultant sessions at Te Omanga Hospice in Lower Hutt.

In 1986 Judith decided to commit to full-time private practice, which she did successfully up to 2015 when she retired. She shared rooms with Blair in Glenmore Street, Wellington, and then in Eastbourne when they moved to Days Bay in 2002.

Her clinical work involved seeing patients for acute treatment and long-term therapy, as well as many ACC sexual trauma assessment and treatment cases. She engaged in a wide range of medico-legal work, especially Family Court assessments.

Judith’s dedication to her patients, and her willingness to provide acute support were widely praised aspects of her clinical care, as was her professionalism, clinical skills and wisdom and high ethical standards.

Her professional standing led to her being asked to be the psychiatric member of the New Zealand Medical Council, where she served for 10 years. She provided a much valued psychiatric voice to General Council matters, while also providing specialist expertise to the Council Health committee concerning the assessment and treatment of doctors who presented with mental health and behavioural problems.

Judith was an active member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and her local Peer review group. Her keen and penetrating intellect, plus her direct, clear clinical approach garnered considerable respect from her medical and psychiatric peers, and she was often sought for opinions. She was also a very good listener and demonstrated considerable understanding, compassion and empathy for her patients and colleagues.

Judith’s health conditions limited aspects of her physical capacity in recent years but she continued to work, see patients and provide much valued professional supervision. She continued to have frequent contact with many friends in her local community, and in the profession.

Judith’s passing is the end point of a long, significant and pioneering medical and psychiatric career. She is already much missed by her family and her colleagues and friends.