Te Pae Akurangi-Fitzell battled with anxiety and post-natal depression when she became a single mother at a young age.
She saw a counsellor and was encouraged to take medication, but she knew "medication was not the solution". She felt her experience with the mental health system was "a very westernised approach" and she felt there was no connection to her cultural background.
It was that experience that inspired the now 40-year-old to pursue a career in the mental health sector and to understand more about "being well from a Te Ao Māori perspective".
"I wanted to help young Māori like myself feel valued, and connected to who they are."
Her story comes as her workplace, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao, has seen an "obvious increase" in demand for mental health services since the Covid-19 pandemic started.
The kaupapa Māori hauora provider hired another counsellor and two rangatahi navigators to help meet demand, but Akurangi-Fitzell says there is still a "huge need" for Māori counsellors in Rotorua.
"Long wait times and just a lack of kaupapa Māori counsellors is a big barrier for our whānau."
Last week, NZME launched a major editorial project Great Minds which will explore the growing impact of mental health and anxiety on Kiwis and how we can improve our wellbeing.
Akurangi-Fitzell said she was born and raised in Australia, where she felt "very disconnected" from her culture. She moved to Aotearoa to live with her koroua when she was a teenager.
"At a young age, I became a single mother and battled with anxiety and post-natal depression after the birth of my daughter."
She was encouraged to take medication and go to counselling appointments.
"I was diagnosed and within an hour was told I needed to go on medication.
"At the time this didn't feel right to me. I was going through some things I needed support with, including losing my koro, and I knew medication was not the solution.
"That sort of inspired me to want to work in this space to support our whānau ... to understand more about being well from a Te Ao Māori perspective."
She got her degree in social work in 2015 and then started working for Real Youth Services. She now works in Māori suicide prevention at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao.
"I think when you have personal experience of a system that didn't work for you that you're able to draw on that experience and have a lot more empathy for people in your community that you're working with.
"I wanted to help young Māori like myself feel valued, and connected to who they are. I have since been on a journey learning about my whakapapa, who I am and connecting to our marae, hapu, our awa and spending time with my whānau - these are the things that keep me well.
"There is still a lot of work to do to change our mental health system, but there is some great work happening at a grassroots, iwi and community level."
The Ministry of Health was approached for comment.
Akurangi-Fitzell is the Kia Piki te Ora project lead at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao.
She said Covid-19 had a "significant impact" on the hauora of Māori in Rotorua.
Many marae were closed and changes impacted how they could travel and interact, she said.
"We are used to spending time with extended whānau whether that be at our marae, at tangihanga, travelling to support one another, this is all part of our wellbeing."
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao Kia Piki te Ora co-ordinator Mamaeroa Merito said more whānau had been impacted by poverty, homelessness and unemployment during the pandemic which had led to a greater need for mental health services.
To address mental health, basic needs such as housing and employment needed to be met first, Akurangi-Fitzell said.
"It's hard for our whānau to focus on their wellbeing when basic needs can't be met."
"Localised responses" to the mental health needs of Māori communities were also required.
Merito said this included prioritising funding for holistic services which "reflect whānau, hapū, and iwi aspirations" and acknowledge the interconnection of whakapapa, mātauranga Māori healing and treatment options, and resources developed by Māori.
The organisation also wanted a requirement for all mental health, addiction and wellbeing services to be "culturally, spiritually and physically safe" for Māori, acknowledging wairuatanga (spirituality) as a "key contributor" to mental wellbeing.
Merito said although the Government had invested in a $1.9 billion package for mental wellbeing in the 2019 Budget, with $235m set aside for building mental health and addiction facilities, more needed to be done to address the pressure on specialist services.
"We have seen little change in wait times with continued concern around the experiences for rangatahi.
"From our experience, there is definitely a greater need amongst our whānau, which has had a big effect on the mental health of our people."
To improve mental wellbeing, Akurangi-Fitzell said it was delivering Tūramarama ki te Ora ki Te Arawa - projects and events which will enable Māori communities to nurture and support its young and future generations.
It included wananga [seminars], workshops and community presentations.
Some common practices used by whānau to address mental health included kōrero, connecting with others and with taiao (nature).
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
For counselling and support
Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or text 4357 (HELP)
Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
Need to talk? Call or text 1737
Depression helpline: Call 0800 111 757 or text 4202
For children and young people
Youthline: Call 0800 376 633 or text 234
What's Up: Call 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) or webchat (11am to 10.30pm)
The Lowdown: Text 5626 or webchat
For help with specific issues
Alcohol and Drug Helpline: Call 0800 787 797
Anxiety Helpline: Call 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY)
OutLine: Call 0800 688 5463 (0800 OUTLINE) (6pm-9pm)
Safe to talk (sexual harm): Call 0800 044 334 or text 4334
All services are free and available 24/7 unless otherwise specified.
For more information and support, talk to your local doctor, hauora, community mental health team, or counselling service.
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