Creating a mental health talanoa to promote a collaborative approach to wellbeing across Pacific peoples.

Abstract

Objective: Promoting holistic health and wellbeing is a shared conversation, or talanoa, requiring collaboration between individuals, their families and wider communities. This paper will explore various community-based initiatives privileging Pacific epistemologies and ontologies that promote and provide accessible resources improving mental health literacies.

Method: Three specific initiatives are discussed in this paper; Mental Health Talanoa (MHT), Open Worksheet and Wellbeing Talanoa. These provide a platform to understand practical ways to support Pacific peoples in various contexts.

Results: The MHT project offers a nuanced understanding of symptomatology related to common mental disorders amongst Pacific peoples, a nuanced understanding of the barriers and enablers to health literacies and help seeking behaviour, and a series of infographics, including the Pacific Mental Health Lexicons (PIMHL). The Open Worksheet is a dynamic tool underpinned by a dialogical and relationally driven way to understanding individual and familial narratives. The Wellbeing Talanoa supports a communally orientated opportunity to enhance a sense of connection to self and others whilst therapeutically reviewing social and welfare needs and solutions.

Conclusion: Developing and implemented Pacific approaches that are grounded in Pacific values and practices can lead to enhanced help seeking behaviour, engagement, service retention and provision.