Arna Mitchell

Citation

Thesis Title
E kore au e ngaro, he kakano ahau: Whakapapa sharing in the context of therapy

Read article at Massey Research Online:

The adaptation of therapeutic approaches to allow for more culturally appropriate work with Maori is common. One such adaptation is the sharing of whakapapa (genealogy) between therapist and client. Ms Mitchell explored the client''sexperience of whakapapa sharing in therapy with Maori women. She found that regardless of the participant''slevel of knowledge about their own whakapapa, Maori women reported whakapapa sharing was a positive experience. The women''sreports of their experiences revealed five main themes and these themes were theoretically linked to the power imbalance inherent between therapist and client. The whakapapa sharing process promoted engagement, was perceived as important for Maori, allowed the establishment of connections, provided the clients with information to form opinions about the therapist and was an equitable experience. Ms Mitchell''sfindings inform clinicians about the potential benefits of sharing whakapapa with Maori clients in therapy.

Supervisors
Emeritus Professor Ian Evans
Dr Averil Herbert
Dr Simon Bennett