Our Mission
Our mission is to embrace, educate and empower parents, honouring the vital role they play in bringing through the next generation while eliminating the stigma and shame around maternal mental health. Our vision is for māmā to feel seen, heard and valued, while being recognised as the cornerstone of the family. With this knowledge and support, they can move through their parenting journey with strength, grace, aroha, and joy
Our Methodology
We’re here to embrace, educate, and empower parents to improve their circumstances before issues become entrenched, aligning with research emphasising the need for preventative mental health services.
Our approach is grounded in Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Wha model of wellbeing, which considers spiritual, physical, mental, family and connections to the land and is embedded in a holistic view that respects the individual's goals and expertise. We provide advocacy services if requested and referrals to other community and government agencies.
We also celebrate motherhood and honour the mother acknowledging her importance as a life bringer. This is affirmed within Te Ao Māori where women are called Te Whare Tangata meaning the "house of humanity". They are acknowledged for their crucial role in giving life and nurturing the generations to come, receiving the same reverence as Papatūānuku, the originator of all life (Goodwin, 1996).
Raise Awareness and Remove Stigma
The Blue Stories Project
The pilot blue stories project was conceived by perinatal support Nelson and Karolina Gorton, an illustrator and designer. It started in Richmond in the South island, working with nine women who had a personal experience of finding their way out of perinatal depression. Karolina created a portrait of each woman and included their inspiring stories and encouraging messages as part of an exhibition at local libraries.
After the successful delivery of the blue stories project in the Nelson and Tasman regions, the aim was to expand the project and run it Nationwide across Aotearoa New Zealand. The project creates a safe place where people can share their stories, expressing emotions of empathy and care. It is an inclusive space where people from different social and cultural backgrounds can express a common issue which affects the wider community and gives others an opportunity to connect with people who have experienced it.
The Nelson and Richmond exhibitions proved that it was a valuable and important to bring these stories to their communities. It opened up a dialogue between community members. Allowed more stories to be shared and created along with an understanding as to how common perinatal distress is and what we can do to support people going through it.
In 2023 more stories were collected from around Aotearoa New Zealand, hoping to capture many different perspectives from Māori, Pasifika, Pākehā, teen mothers and those whānau who have lost a child. We also hope to capture the voices of partners male, female, diverse members of the extended family as well as health providers. All stories and illustrations have been published on the project website.
In conjunction with True Colours Honouring the Mother a wananga was held on Sunday, the 21st of August 2023 at the Historic Village. We heard from several māmā about their experiences in Tauranga Moana. These stories were collected, respected, and with permission transformed into posters with the intention of bringing awareness to parenting through mental challenges in Aotearoa.
All stories are intended to start the conversation to remove the stigma or whakama that many experience. These stories were launched at an exhibition in March 2024 at Rangiora Health Hub, Fraser Cove.
