Staff Hui: Reflecting on Mental Health Awareness Week

Last Tuesday, our staff hui acknowledged Mental Health Awareness Week in Aotearoa. It was a meaningful opportunity for us to reflect on how we manage stress and the importance of self-care.

Staff were split into groups to discuss key questions: How do you manage stress? Do you know what stresses you out? Are you aware of when you’ve reached your limit? What are your self-care strategies, and do you implement them? If not, why? How do you ensure you prioritize self-care?

After some insightful conversations, teams wrote down their reflections and shared them with the wider group. Common stressors identified included children, teens, toddlers, clients/tangata whaiora, study, reports, time pressures and deadlines, lack of communication, health issues, traffic, dishonesty, conflict, and even politics.

The discussion then shifted to self-care strategies. Some of the ways our staff manage stress include using humor, talking to others, exercise, getting enough sleep, engaging in supervision, spending time with family and friends, eating well, maintaining healthy habits, and practicing mindfulness.

The hui was a powerful reminder for all of us to pause and increase our awareness of what stresses us, identify our limits, and consider how we can better manage stressful situations. To close, staff were asked to take five minutes to walk outside or sit quietly, reflecting on something they were grateful for—a moment to practice mindfulness and gratitude.

We ended the session with a beautiful waiata written and sung by Sarita, leaving us with a sense of peace and reflection as we moved forward with our day. 😊💚

To further support both staff and the tangata whaiora we work with, we encourage you to explore the mental health resources available through the MHAW site as well as services such as 1737, where you can talk or text with a trained counsellor for free. These resources can be invaluable in helping us navigate our own wellbeing and provide support to others.