Hauora hinengāro / Mental health supports and services

Right now, many of us are experiencing manawa pā/triggered thoughts and emotions. You might be experiencing these for the first time or have experienced them before. Many tāngata/people find that having a kōrero or talanoa/conversation with a support person can really help.

If you need to kōrero with someone other than a friend or whānau member, you can:

• Call a counsellor on a range of free helplines. It can seem whakamataku/scary or whakamā/shameful to call someone you don’t know to kōrero about how you’re feeling, but these calls can be really helpful. Here are some services you can contact:
  • Free call or text 1737 at any time to speak with a trained counsellor
  • Call 0800 POUNAMU (768 626) for a Māori-led approach to your kōrero
  • Phone Asian Family Services on 0800 862 342 if you would like to speak with someone from an Asian culture
  • Call Vaka Tautua on 0800 825 282 to have a phone talanoa/conversation about what you’re going through from a Pasifika perspective.
• Join a free peer support group. A peer support group is exactly what it sounds like – a group of people who are each experiencing manawa pā/triggered thoughts and emotions and are tautokohia/supporting one another through. The new app Melon holds regular sessions you can loop into; if you’re under 25 and living in Wellington, you can also access Piki’s counsellors or peer support services over video. If you’re looking to do an activity, attend one of Changing Minds’ new virtual Whakatau Mai sessions where people collectively ako/learn how to practice resilience, sensory modulation and Māori models of wellbeing together.
• See a kaituku haumanu/therapist. If you can afford it, visiting, calling or video-calling a kaituku haumanu can really help you to find a way through. If you’re phoning or video-calling a kaituku haumanu for the first time, make sure you sit somewhere private and comfy and prepare a list of things you want to talk about to make the most of your time. To find a kaituku haumanu, search for ‘counsellor’, ‘therapist’, ‘psychologist’ or ‘psychiatrist’ by your region here. 

Accessing hospital, community hauora hinengāro/mental health or respite services can be invaluable at times. Accessing these services should always start with your agreement first, whether you agree to it at the time or agree in advance by creating your own supported decision-making plan with your whānau or support person.

Some key pātai/questions from our communities are:

• Should I still seek hospital services? Hospital services and wards are still operating at every level, and you will still be allowed to leave when discharged as you normally would be. You can bring a support person with you as usual, too.
• Are respite and community mental health services still open? Most community mental health and respite services are open and running. It’s still a good idea to call your service before you go, to make sure that no other restrictions on visitors or access are in place
• Can I access a kaupapa or rongoā Māori service? Most Māori health providers are open as usual but like most services, it’s best to call, email or even find and message them on Facebook first to see how they are operating. You can find a list of some kaupapa Māori health providers by area here, or a list of government-funded rongoā Māori services at this link.

These sage pieces of advice or mātauranga are from people who’ve “been there, done that” – people who have lived and are successfully managing their way through mental distress and trauma.

“Reach out for help if you need it. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”

“Don’t set any expectations. Go easy on yourself and don’t allow what other people are doing to influence your time.”

“When things are really bad, I just go to sleep and know the next day could be different.”

E tū Kahikātea, hei wakapae uroroa, awhi mai, awhi atu, tātou, tātou e.
Kahikātea trees stand together; their roots intertwine, strengthening each other.