In response to key mental health and addiction workforce development needs, Le Va has created Healing Centred Care for Pasifika – a new training designed to equip workers with knowledge and skills in trauma-informed practice, tailored specifically for Pasifika communities.
Le Va successfully delivered the first four training sessions in November and December 2024, with workforce members expressing deep appreciation for the opportunity to upskill in this essential area.
Nicholas Cao, clinical lead for mental health and addiction at Le Va, highlighted the significance of this initiative: “Our Healing Centred Care training integrates well-known evidence-based practice with cultural knowledge and practices that Pasifika have known for generations. Le Va has been at the forefront of this blending and integration since its inception.
“This work is supporting the Pasifika workforce to do what they already do well, and to upskill in priority areas that will benefit both workforce and community.”
Healing Centred Care for Pasifika was developed on the back of workforce development scoping with Pasifika Access & Choice staff across Aotearoa.
This identified that one of the biggest training needs for those working in Pasifika Primary Mental Health and Addiction roles was learning about trauma-informed practice and what this looks like for Pacific people.
Healing Centred Care for Pasifika training group at Le Va’s office in Manukau.
Dr Elizabeth Mati, general manager at Le Va and a clinical psychologist, highlighted the need for a deeper understanding of how Pasifika communities experience and respond to harmful experiences.
“The term ‘trauma’ is a Western concept and often deficit-based,” she said. “While it’s important to acknowledge harm, we must also focus on supporting our people to reach their full potential. There isn’t yet a widely accepted model that truly reflects Pasifika realities and what ‘trauma’ means for us.
“Through talanoa in these trainings, we are exploring and building a shared understanding within the professional community – one that guides how we support healing in a way that aligns with our cultural values and lived experiences.”
Since 2022, Le Va has been dedicated to supporting the Pasifika Access & Choice workforce, ensuring staff are well-equipped to serve their communities. This latest initiative reinforces that commitment, building on the strengths of the workforce while introducing key skills in healing-centred engagement.
As a newly developed foundational level training for people who work with Pasifika who have experienced adversity and ‘trauma’, there has been a wealth of interest from workforce and community about Healing Centred Care for Pasifika.
Feedback from participants highlighted two major takeaways:
- A deeper understanding of adversity in families, environments, and different types of trauma from a Pasifika perspective.
- Greater awareness of what healing-centred engagement looks like in practice for Pasifika communities.
With strong demand for these trainings, Healing Centred Care for Pasifika is set to continue making an impact in 2025.
To learn more about Healing Centred Care for Pasifika and other workforce development opportunities with Le Va, please visit: Workshops & training.
To find out more about wellbeing support for you and your family, visit the Access & Choice website and click on ‘Pacific-led’ to find out more about Pacific Access & Choice services across Aotearoa.
Le Va is proud to announce the launch of Tu Tonu: Cultural Case Formulation – an innovative new full-day training designed to support health professionals in crafting culturally responsive formulations of mental health and addiction challenges.
About Tu Tonu
The Tu Tonu cultural case formulation tool provides a holistic explanation of the journey for tagata ola, illustrating how mental health and addiction challenges develop and are maintained, while also considering a person’s cultural experiences, strengths and their aspirations.
Tu Tonu enhances the knowledge and skills of health professionals to develop cultural case formulations, nourishing the va between tagata ola and practitioners and increasing their ability to practice safely and effectively.
Le Va held the first Tu Tonu training sessions in October in Manukau, Auckland and in Naenae, Lower Hutt.
One attendee said, “It was so good to have this new Tu Tonu tool. I’ve already used almost everything I got from the training. It was so useful, applicable and it has helped me to work in a strengths-based approach.”
What’s in a name?
‘Mo yaga ka Vinaka vakaniu, e sega ni dua na tikina e biu – Be as useful as the coconut tree, no part of it is wasted.’ – Fijian proverb
The coconut tree is known as the tree of life across the Pacific. It is culturally treasured, sustainable, has many uses and it embodies the resilience of Pasifika people.
The name ‘Tu Tonu’ – a pan-Pacific phrase meaning ‘stand true’ – can translate to reaching potential, growing tall, maintaining strength and, like the resilient coconut tree, standing tall in the face of stormy and severe weather that we sometimes face in life.
“The use of the coconut tree as a tool and model is great, and also the integration of clinical and cultural factors is exciting,” said a Tu Tonu attendee.
Another attendee enjoyed, “Being able to learn another cultural framework to utilise with tagata ola. Engaging with other participants – sharing ideas, insights about cultural case formulation. Trainers are knowledgeable, skilled and have a fun and relaxed way of engaging with the class. Love the Tu Tonu model and looking forward to using it in practice.”
Learn more about our Tu Tonu: Cultural Case Formulation training or email pasifikaprimarymha@leva.co.nz for more information.
In September and October we reached the significant milestones of hosting Le Va’s inaugural ‘Navigating Mental Health’ and ‘Navigating Addiction’ trainings.
Just as Pasifika people have long understood the moana and how to navigate their way to safe shores, we acknowledge that our frontline Pasifika health providers are expert navigators. This is especially true when it comes to making connections, creating a safe space, and engaging in respectful talanoa with tagata ola.
Both interactive workshops aim to further equip the workforce with relevant knowledge and skills that can be applied with clinical and cultural integrity. They focus on the importance of holistic wellbeing and strategies to support Pasifika people who experience common mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and addiction to alcohol and other drugs.
These trainings were developed after consultation with Pasifika services over many talanoa sessions and our hope is that our people working in this space grow in confidence when working alongside Pasifika who experience these challenges. Fa’afetai tele lava to the Pasifika Access & Choice services and their staff who have come to Le Va’s trainings across Aotearoa. The wisdom and experience everyone brought to the workshops enriched our talanoa.
To find out more about Le Va’s involvement in the Pasifika Access & Choice space, visit Access & Choice. To find out more about our workshops, email pasifikaprimarymha@leva.co.nz.
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