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Associate Professor Pikihuia Pomare staff profile picture

Contact details +6492136104

Associate Professor Pikihuia Pomare DClinPsy

Kaupapa Maori Associate Professor

Doctoral Supervisor
School of Psychology

Current research:

  • Principal Investigator - Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie Postdoctoral Fellowship, Health Research Council New Zealand 'Mauri Tau: Indigenous Psychological and Therapeutic Approaches to Mental Health' (2021-2024) 
  • Associate Investigator - Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Funded project 'Ka Hao te Rangatahi: Fishing with a New Net? Rethinking Responsibility for Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age' (2020-2023) 
  • Asscoiate Investigator - MBIE Biological Heritage National Science Challenge. 'He Taonga Kē Te Ngahere' - Mobilising for Action theme of the Ngā Rākau Taketake investment stream (2020-2023) 
  • Associate Investigator- Interpretation of anomalous experiences: Implications for wāhine Māori
    Health Research Council New Zealand, Explorer Grant (2019-2022)

Prior to my current position at Massey University I worked as a registered Clinical Psychologist at Waitematā District Health Board in a Māori Mental Health Service and worked with children, adolescents and whānau in a specialist Māori clinical team at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service at Counties Manukau District Health Board. I have over 20 years' experience in the education and health sectors and have held a number of clinical, leadership and advisory positions at regional and national levels. I was the Bicultural Co-Director of the New Zealand Psychological Society on the governance executive from 2019-2022. 

In 2015 I completed a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland. I was a Professional Teaching Fellow in the School of Psychology at the University of Auckland from 2007-2010 and lectured in undergraduate and postgraduate courses. I also coordinated the Tuākana Psychology Mentoring Programme and the Māori and Pacific Postgraduate Psychology Research Group.

I am a proud raukura (graduate) of Kōhanga Reo and raukura of Kura Kaupapa Māori (Māori immersion schooling) and have strong links within the Kura Kaupapa Māori Movement.

Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga

Associate Professor and Indigenous Clinical Psychologist. My research focuses on Mātauranga and Indigenous Psychologies; Engagement in Mental Health Services; Māori Mental Health; Child, Youth and Whānau/Family Mental Health; Youth Mental Health Online; Rongoā Māori /Te Taiao (traditional healing modalities, the natural environment) and Wairuatanga/Spirituality. In 2021 I was awarded the Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie Fellowship (Health Research Council New Zealand) for a 3-year research project called 'Mauri Tau: Indigenous Psychological and Therapeutic Approaches to Mental Health'. The research explores mauri tau as a Māori approach to wellbeing and emotion regulation. 

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Professional

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Clinical Psychology - University of Auckland (2015)

Certifications and Registrations

  • Licence, Supervisor, Massey University

Research Expertise

Research Interests

Kaupapa Māori Psychology, Indigenous Psychology, Mātauranga Māori, Clinical Psychology, Engagement in Mental Health Services, Māori Mental Health, Youth Mental Health, Wairuatanga/Spirituality, Qualitative research methodologies – Critical, Indigenous, Mana Wahine

Thematics

21st Century Citizenship, Health and Well-being

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Cultural Studies (200200):
Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology (170106): Kaupapa Maori Psychology (170108):
Languages, Communication And Culture (200000): Maori Cultural Studies (200207):
Psychology (170100): Psychology And Cognitive Sciences (170000): Psychology not elsewhere classified (170199)

Research Projects

Summary of Research Projects

Position Current Completed
Project Leader 2 1

Current Projects

Project Title: Mauri tau: Indigenous psychosocial and therapeutic approaches to mental health

Date Range: 2021 - 2025

Funding Body: Health Research Council of New Zealand

Project Team:

Research Outputs

Journal

Apiti, A., Tassell-Matamua, N., Lindsay, N., Dell, K., Pomare, P., Erueti, B., . . . Te Rangi, M. (2023). Indigenous Maori of Aotearoa (New Zealand): Environmental Identity, Rather Than Maori Identity Per Se, Has Greatest Influence on Environmental Distress. Ecopsychology. 15(2), 119-129
[Journal article]Authored by: Erueti, B., Lindsay, N., Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N.
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Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N., Lindsay, N., Masters-Awatere, B., Dell, K., Erueti, B., . . . Te Rangi, M. (2023). Te Mauri o te Kauri me te Ngahere: Indigenous Knowledge, te Taiao (the Environment) and Wellbeing. Knowledge Cultures. 11(1), 55-83
[Journal article]Authored by: Erueti, B., Lindsay, N., Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N.
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1
Erueti, B., Tassell-Matamua, N., Pomare, P., Masters-Awatere, B., Dell, K., Rangi, MT., . . . Lindsay, N. (2023). ‘Pūrākau o te Ngahere’: Indigenous Māori Interpretations, Expressions and Connection to Taonga Species and Biosecurity Issues. Knowledge Cultures. 11(1), 34-54
[Journal article]Authored by: Erueti, B., Lindsay, N., Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N.
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Dell, K., Komene, TM., Tassell-Matamua, N., Pomare, P., & Masters-Awatere, B. (2022). TE ARA O TE MOA Patua te ngāngara e kai ana i ngā rākau taketake o Aotearoa. MAI Journal. 11(1), 34-39
[Journal article]Authored by: Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N.
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Lindsay, N., Haami, D., Tassell-Matamua, N., Pomare, P., Valentine, H., Pahina, J., . . . Pidduck, P. (2022). The spiritual experiences of contemporary Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health. 24(1), 74-94
[Journal article]Authored by: Lindsay, N., Pahina, J., Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N., Valentine, H.
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Lindsay, N., Tassell-Matamua, N., Haami, D., Ware, F., Valentine, H., & Pomare, P. (2021). Construction of a ‘Beliefs about Exceptional Experiences Scale’ (BEES): Implications of preliminary findings in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal for the Study of Spirituality. 11(2), 145-158
[Journal article]Authored by: Lindsay, N., Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N., Valentine, H.
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Book

Pomare, P., Ioane, J., & Tudor, K. (2021). Racism in New Zealand psychology, or, would Western psychology be a good thing?. In C. Newnes (Ed.) Racism in Psychology. London: Routledge
[Chapter]Authored by: Pomare, P.
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Other

Tassell-Matamua, N., Matamua, N., Lindsay, N., Dell, K., Erueti, B., Pomare, P., . . . Te Rangi, M. (2021, July). He taonga kē te ngahere. Kaumātua perspective of te taiao.. In Te Kōkiri Kaumātua rōpū. Presented at Te Kōkiri Community Centre, Levin.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Erueti, B., Lindsay, N., Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N.
Tassell-Matamua, N., Lindsay, N., Dell, K., Erueti, B., Pomare, P., Masters-Awatere, B., . . . Te Rangi, M. (2021, June). He taonga kē te ngahere. The forest is an extraordinary treasure. In Centre for Science in Society staff and students.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Erueti, B., Lindsay, N., Pomare, P., Tassell-Matamua, N.

Consultancy and Languages

Languages

  • Te Reo Māori
    Last used: Today
    Spoken ability: Excellent
    Written ability: Excellent
  • English
    Last used: Today
    Spoken ability: Excellent
    Written ability: Excellent

Teaching and Supervision

Contact Supervisor

Graduate Supervision Statement

I supervise Kaupapa Māori research projects in a range of areas of psychology and hauora. I am interested in Mātauranga Māori and Indigenous psychologies, particularly the application of Mātauranga in practice.

Current Masters and Honours supervision. (See below for Doctoral Supervision).

  • (2023) Meg Grace -Masters of Arts. Wairuatanga and healing from sexual violence for Māori

Doctoral Supervision

  • Aryan McKay- Māori perspectives on the hauora benefits and therapeutic applications of taonga pūoro.
  • Sharn Manga- Traditional Māori practices: a method for healing the mamae experienced by incarcerated rangatahi Māori.
  • Abigail Cashell – Exploring taonga pūoro as rongoā wairua.
  • Segina Te Ahuahu- Kimihia he ara whakahaumanu: Seeking wellbeing – incorporating Kaupapa Māori approaches in the delivery of residential addiction services.
  • Deanna Hami- Te Pū: A storytelling journey to uncover the seeds of intergenerational trauma and heal the soul wound.
  • Erani Motu- Exploring the cultural safety of assessment processes from the perspective of Rangatahi Māori with offending behaviours.
  • Hermione John- Taonga tuku iho: The kohatu effect.Intergenerational healing strategies for Whānau.
  • Amy Merry- A Kaupapa Māori rangahau into sexual violence.
  • Rayna Phillips- Gathering the Voices of Pasifika Service-Users following Violent Youth Offending Behaviour: A woven talanoa with youth and families using the Fa’afaletui framework.
  • Tom Hadley - A mixed-methods investigation into the positive effects of ecological restoration on mental wellbeing.

Completed supervision

  • 2022 - Deanne King – Masters of Science. Wāhine Māori perspectives on social media use during pregnancy
  • 2022 - Meg Grace -Honours dissertation. Pathways of healing from sexual violence for Māori
  • 2022 - Erani Motu- Honours dissertation. Exploratory analysis of risk assessment for Rangatahi Māori and Pasifika Talavou with offending behaviours. 
  • 2022 - Agnes Jenkins. Masters of Arts. Haere mai ki te kapu tī: Come and have a cup of tea. Developing therapeutic relationships (based in the Far North, Kaitaia and Te Hiku o Te Ika)
  • 2021- Amber McAllister. Doctor of Clinical Psychology. The whānau experience of suicide loss: what contributes to resilience and wellbeing. (Nominated for the Dean’s list of Exceptional theses).
  • 2021- Abigail Cashell. Masters of Science. “Taonga pūoro is more for the wairua and less for your ears”: Māori Perspectives of Taonga Pūoro and its Potential as Rongoā.
  • 2021- Agnes Allen. 60-point Masters research project. Developing Therapeutic Relationship. Can I make you a cup of tea?
  • 2021- Amy Merry. Honours dissertation. A Mātauranga Māori conceptualisation of harmful sexual behaviour
  • 2021- Sharn Manga. Honours dissertation. Ā Tātou Rangatahi, Ā Tātou Anamata - Our Rangatahi, Our Future. Breaking the Cycle of Rangatahi Māori Offending
  • 2020 - Aryan McKay. Honours dissertation. Māori Perspectives of the Hauora Benefits of Poi
  • 2020- Joanna Gemmell. Masters of Science. Kaupapa Māori practitioner's whakaaro (thoughts) of traditional practices (rongoā, rāranga, mirimiri and pūrākau) assisting rangatahi Māori (Māori youth) with suicidal behaviours
  • 2020- Monika Lovelock. Masters of Science. Te Ara Whakamana: Mana Enhancement Framework in the mahi of New Zealand Psychologists’

Associate Professor Pikihuia Pomare is available for Masters supervision, but not available for Doctoral supervision.

Summary of Doctoral Supervision

Position Current Completed
Main Supervisor 7 1
Co-supervisor 3 1

Current Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

  • Erani Motu - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    Wairuatanga: Exploring the understanding and implementation of wairua-informed practice with rangatahi Māori in a youth forensic setting.
  • Sharn Manga - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    Traditional Māori practices: a method for healing the mamae experienced by incarcerated rangatahi Māori
  • Abigail Cashell - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    Exploring taonga pūoro as rongoā wairua.
  • Rayna Phillips - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    Healing pathways for Pasifika youth and families following violent offending: A woven talanoa using Multiple Perspective Interviews (MPI)
  • Segina Te Ahuahu - Doctor of Philosophy
    Kimihia he ara whakahaumanu: seeking wellbeing - incorporating Kaupapa Maori approaches in the delivery of Residential Addiction Services.
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  • Aryan McKay - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    Māori perspectives on the hauora benefits and therapeutic applications of toanga pūoro.
  • Deanna Haami - Doctor of Philosophy
    Te Pū: Tracing the origins of intergenerational trauma in whānau and whakapapa to heal the soul wound
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Co-supervisor of:

  • Tom Hadley - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    A mixed-methods investigation into the positive effects of ecological restoration on mental wellbeing.
  • Amy Merry - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    Haere ki te huri – Journey to change: An examination of desistance from harmful sexual behaviour and the healing journey of Māori tāne
  • Hermione Mathews-John - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    Taonga tuku iho: The kohatu effect.

Completed Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

  • 2022 - Amber McAllister - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    The whanau experience of suicide loss: what contributes to resilience and wellbeing

Co-supervisor of:

  • 2023 - Donnella De Silva - Doctor of Clinical Psychology
    The Relationships Between Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Emotion Dysregulation, Self-Esteem, and Self-Compassion among Young Adults in Aotearoa New Zealand

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Last updated on Monday 27 February 2023