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Addiction Leadership Day: “To treat addictions, treat trauma”

Saveatama Eroni Clarke and Apollo Taito attended the National Addictions Leadership Day, hosted by New Zealand’s national centre for addiction workforce development Matua Raki, and the National Committee for Addiction Treatment (NCAT). The Leadership Day facilitates professional networking and keeps leaders in the addictions workforce up-to-date with significant changes for, and in, the sector. 

For Saveatama, it was also an opportunity to catch up with colleagues and connections within the addictions sector. Whereas, Apollo became immersed in a new realm of addictions, using the opportunity to make new connections.

There were strong themes that resonated with the June Auckland GPS session:

  • The realisation that we cannot work in silos. For the best outcomes for our families and community, services need to think outside of their sector and organisations, and practice #CollaborAction
  • The importance of building and sustaining family as a foundation for recovery
  • Providing the right tools for families, as the natural supports – they are vital in facilitating the recovery of their loved ones
  • Resiliency as individuals, families, and communities
  • A focus on prevention strategies e.g. looking at vulnerable children or health literacy in schools 
  • Trauma informed care: Trauma is multi-dimensional and has a large intergenerational impact.

Again, the power of narrative stories came to the forefront, powerful chronicles of human experience:

“I am so glad that my grandchildren won’t ever see me like that again”

“I thought I was the only one going through this, till I heard someone sharing their story”

“The child may not remember the trauma, but the body remembers”

I am mindful of how organic and intrinsic Talanoa is in our cultural heritage. Food for thought, as we continue (collectively) to review, adapt and innovate ideas of healthcare and wellbeing for Pasifika.

Thank you Matua Raki and NCAT for allowing Le Va to be a part of the Addictions Leadership fono.

  

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Covid-19 Update

Face-to-face workshops will not continue while New Zealand is at Level 4. We will be in contact with all participants soon.