The Māori holistic model of health, te whare tapa whā, reminds you to take care of all the different aspects of your life to support your wellbeing

Physical Health (Taha Tinana) 

Mental Health (Taha Hinengaro)

Taha hinengaro is your mind, heart, conscience, thoughts and feelings. It’s about how you feel, as well as how you communicate and think.

Taking care of taha hinengaro is important for everyone, regardless of whether or not you’ve experienced mental illness or distress. 

​​​​​​​For counselling and support 

Need to talk? Free call or text 1737Talk with a trained counsellor, anytime.

For help with specific challenges

  • Alcohol Drug Helpline 0800 787 797, free text 8681 or online chat at alcoholdrughelp.org.nz - for people dealing with alcohol or other drug challenges. Māori, Pasifika and youth lines available.
  • Vaka Tautua 0800 652 535 (0800 OLA LELEI) - free national Pacific helpline. Mon-Fri 8.30am - 5pm. The team speaks Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and English
  • Anxiety Helpline 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY) - for people with all forms of anxiety and families and friends
  • PlunketLine 0800 933 922 – support for parents, including mothers experiencing post-natal depression
  • EDANZ 0800 233 269 or www.ed.org.nz – for information, support and resources about supporting someone with an eating disorder
  • Asian Family Services 0800 862 342 or help@asianfamilyservices.nz - provides professional, confidential support in multiple languages to Asians living in New Zealand, Monday to Friday 9am – 8pm
  • Yellow Brick Road 0800 732 825 (Northern Region) - 0800 555 434 (Central North Island) - for families and whānau supporting a loved one who has a mental illness

Whanau, Family & Social Health (Taha Whanau)

Taha whānau is about who makes you feel like you belong, who you care about and who you share your life with.

Whānau is about extended relationships – it’s not just your immediate relatives, it’s your friends, hoamahi (colleagues), community and the people you care about. Everyone has a place and a role to fulfil within their whānau, and whānau contributes to your individual wellbeing and identity.

Spending time with whānau, doing things for them and getting involved gives you a feeling of purpose, connection and wellbeing. It benefits you and strengthens your whānau. As a core source of strength, support, security and identity, whānau plays a central role in your wellbeing. 

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Spiritual Health (Taha Wairua)

The way people view wairua can be very different. For some, wairua is the capacity for faith or religious beliefs or having a belief in a higher power. For others, wairua is an internal connection to the universe or the sacred. There is no right or wrong way to think of or experience wairua, but it is an important part of your mental wellbeing. 

Spiritual wellbeing can be expressed through beliefs, values, traditions and practices that support self-awareness and identity. Taha wairua provides a sense of meaning and purpose as well as experiencing a sense of connectedness to self, whānau, community, nature and the sacred.

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