News & Events
This is your place to come for the latest updates on our services and events.
Elevate
Women’s Adventure Therapy Workshop
Women’s Support Motueka teamed up with Canyoning Aotearoa to run an Adventure Therapy Workshop for Women in April 2024. We had previously completed three pilot days as a trial in 2023.
The workshop was run by Counsellor and Case Manager at Women’s Support, Camille Paris, along with her husband Adrien Paris, a Canyoning Instructor with a Level 2 NZOIA (New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association) Qualification, both owners of Canyoning Aotearoa.
This workshop focused on:
- Feeling empowered
- Building confidence
- Mindfulness
- Being part of a group
- Emotional regulation
- Building and creating trust
- Pushing boundaries
- Learning new rope skills
- Feeling safe on an adventure
- Connection to nature and the outdoors
There were six women who attended this Adventure Therapy workshop, who are individually healing from their own experiences and history of trauma. We all met together at 8:30am at the Community House carpark before making our way to the top of Takaka Hill. We arrived at a place called The Quarry and opened with a karakia before beginning to put on the harnesses and helmets. The day began cloudy and cold with a little wind, which was a parallel to the feelings of nervousness felt within the group. Two of the clients knew each other, however, the rest were strangers.
We began the day by teaching how to wear a harness, clip into safety lines, lock off and abseil down the side of a rock face. Throughout the day we progressed to different heights, finishing with a guided rappel from the very top of the cliff. “It blew me away, I have no idea how I managed it”, one woman expressed in her feedback.
As the day progressed the women began to form connections, cheered when they completed something, gave encouragement and understanding when it was difficult and shared jokes, tears and laughter with one another. The weather seemed to be on our side as the wind faded away and the sun came out, rewarding us with a beautiful autumn day.
We had a space set up on a rock, where we had snacks available and flasks of hot water to make a coffee or tea throughout the day. We enjoyed sushi for lunch, ordered from our local Paper Nautilus Café in Motueka.
When all the skills had been completed, we gathered to fill in the feedback forms and share how the day had been. There was real sense of connection and bonding over past experiences between the women. A lot of them expressed how much they overcame, the safety that the group created, both emotionally and physically. They expressed how empowering it was, to be present in the moment, in the beautiful outdoors, doing something courageous, while overcoming their fears, in a safe, controlled and supportive environment. Below is some feedback given from the day.
With the hope of approved funding, we plan on running more of these workshops after the winter months have passed.
We want to thank all the women for being courageous, taking time to try something new for themselves, stepping out of their comfort zones and trusting in themselves.
Is there anything from the day that can be used in everyday life?
“Staying present. We’re always going to have things going on, but it really doesn’t matter. It’s important to stay mindful, gentle and kind to myself in the moment. The later stuff will happen when it’s meant to”.
“I am amazed at myself for achieving the high abseil, allowing myself to trust in people and the process. It’s a reminder that I have the ability to step out of my comfort zone and to try new things. My drive and willpower are enough”.
What did you enjoy most about the day?
“I felt safe and very well supported, and not pushed to try”.
“Being outside, surrounded by supportive women (plus Adrien), feeling a rush!”.
“The people, connection, having the opportunity to participate in an activity that I would not usually do, learning, trust, fun”.
“Team working connection, overcoming any anxiety, watching people achieve in their own power”.
Understanding Trauma and Dealing with Family Violence Disclosures Workshops 2024
We are proud to provide our community with our ‘understanding trauma and dealing with family violence disclosures workshops’ again in 2024.
What is covered?
We discuss the different types of family violence, the cycle of abuse, as well as power, control, and coercion. The majority of the content focuses on trauma, the different trauma reactions, and the ongoing effects of trauma. We cover dealing with a disclosure of family violence, how to create boundaries to keep everyone safe and how to refer someone for further support. Scenarios are used to solidify the information and help prepare you for your next disclosure.
Who is this for?
Most family violence is not reported to the police, so people must disclose it elsewhere. Whether you work in social services, education, or a health care profession or are involved in community organisations, our workshops are perfect for ANYONE who may receive a disclosure of family violence. While this is perfect for professional development, these workshops are not limited to the workplace. They are relevant to friends and whānau who want to support people affected by family violence. The workshops focus on disclosures from adults but are a great starting point for learning more about disclosures from children and young adults.
Included in the ticket (training cost: $100 per person):
- 9 hours of education over three weeks.
- Complimentary tea, coffee and delicious snacks while you learn.
- A printable certificate upon completion for proof of professional development.
- A complete workbook with all the information discussed in the workshops and links to further resources so you can continue learning after the workshops end.
For ticketing information, please visit or email https://events.humanitix.com/disclosures or email Mikayla community@wsm.org.nz with any questions.
News Release
Understanding Trauma and Dealing with Discloures Workshops
Kia ora Women’s Support Motueka supporters and friends. Last year we ran our first full ‘Dealing with Disclosures’ workshop programme, which consisted of six hours of education over three nights. A disclosure is when someone tells you they have been harmed.
The workshops covered:
- Disclosures and how family violence affects people differently.
- How trauma affects the brain and how symptoms of post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) present in people who have been harmed. - To keep everyone safe, we discussed how to create and respect
boundaries with the person who disclosed and why these boundaries
are so important. - How to refer people on for further support.
Our workshops were attended by several different community connectors who have said our training has been essential to their work. Our workshops are aimed at anyone in the community who would benefit from knowing how to handle disclosures of harm. People who could benefit are social service providers, hairdressers/barbers, bartenders, WINZ case managers, students, social workers, teachers/educators (ECE, primary, secondary, and tertiary), medical professionals (Nurses, GPS, Pharmacists, Hospital staff and Midwives), support staff, community workers, religious leaders, police, lawyers, and of course the general public (friends and whānau are often the first to be disclosed to). Anyone who is interested is welcome to join!
The workshops provided a safe environment for our participants to ask questions and practice scenarios related to disclosures of harm. In addition, our participants left with a 40-page workbook containing all relevant information from the workshops with a ‘go to’ page where the most crucial referral information is located. The ‘go to’ pages reduce the stress of receiving a disclosure and allow the participants to focus on what is most important, helping the distressed person.
Feedback from participants
“The Dealing with Disclosures course was fantastic! I have attended other training on this topic in the past and the other providers truly only scraped the surface of this sensitive and serious subject matter. WSM has put together a comprehensive course that covers much more detail than any others I’ve been to.”
“The sensitive way the topic was presented and the tools that were used, in the form of videos, in-depth workbook and open discussion, made a triggering subject easy to work through and retain. I have learnt so much about myself and the world around me, would recommend to anyone, not just community workers.
“I have and would recommend this training to anyone who is working in the social services sector. Excellent knowledge to have in our kete.”
Workshop Participants 2022
We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our participants who want more workshops in the future. WSM is proud to provide this service to our community and looks forward to holding more in 2023. Thank you all for your ongoing support and keep an eye out for our next round of disclosure workshops soon by checking our website www.wsm.org.nz and our Facebook and Instagram pages @womenssupportmotueka
Ngā mihi!
Mikayla Cahill ~ Community Engagement Coordinator
Email: community@wsm.org.nz
Phone: 03-528-8161
Did you know that most people don’t disclose incidences of violence or family harm to police? This means they are disclosing to the people around them: friends, colleagues, hairdressers, bartenders, or other community members.
To make sure these people are heard and understood, Women’s Support Motueka have created 3x two-hour workshops, aimed at anyone who would benefit from knowing how to delicately handle disclosures of family harm.
Come and learn how to respond to disclosures and how to create boundaries to keep everyone safe. You will gain the skills to safely refer people on for further support and how to find support for yourself as well. Open to anyone who would like to join. Great for anyone working in social services or any customer facing role.
The $100 ticket covers 3x two-hour workshops, a detailed workbook, a printed certificate upon completion and complementary tea, coffee, and biscuits while you learn! You will leave with a complete workbook which will provide a personal plan of action, many helpful resources and a ‘go to’ page where you can quickly find information to help someone who has disclosed to you.
Come along and learn how to make Motueka a safe place for people to disclose. If you have any questions, please contact the programme coordinator – Mikayla Cahill via email community@wsm.org.nz
Cost: $100 for three of two-hour workshops
In Bloom
Therapeutic Art Group
Come together with other women to share a journey of self-exploration. Art Therapy is a gentle way of tapping into our feelings. When words fail, getting creative can help us work through our problems and grow into the person we want to be.
This safe group is gently guided by a trained professional. It will help you:
- learn about yourself.
- get creative and express yourself.
- explore new ways to deal with life.
- connect with yourself and other people.
- be more in your life.
- be brave.
Cost: Free!
Where: Community House
Time: 2 hours, weekly, for 8 weeks
To keep this healing art group small and safe, each group has only 8 people. Please contact us on 03-528-8161 to register.