Breaking down the stigmas associated with mental health and addressing wider sociological issues is critical to raising awareness and making a difference for those who affected, as asserted in the following statement by Psychologist Dr. Pikihuia. She says;
"It's bringing awareness to the importance of mental health for everyone. It's not just for some people it's for all of us, we all have to keep on top of it, we all have to ensure we are doing things to look after our wellbeing, the wellbeing of our whānau."
"We need to address social issues, because it is things like poverty, those sorts of things that cause people to be stressful, it is stressful not having money." She claims.
"And then how does that impacts upon our parenting and our relationships...It's the broader things like education, health and housing as well as the issue of disconnection which is huge for Māori."
She maintains that we need to adopt holistic methods of dealing with mental health. Central to this philosophy is Sir Mason Durie's Whare Tapawhā model, which draws on Māori ideologies to promote wellness.
"Ka titiro ki te wairuatanga, te whānau, te oranga tinana me te oranga hinengaro hoki."
"Mena ka rongo rātou i te pōuritanga, i te mamae, i ngā nawe, e pai ana tērā. Me kaha ake tā tātau whakamōhio atu ki ngā tāngata katoa...me rapu i te āwhina tika kia pai ai tō hoki ki te oranga tonutanga".