Pania Thompson

He uri ahau nō Ngāti Uepohatu, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau ā Apanui me Te Rarawa. I tipu ake au i te Rohe ō Tara, i raro i te mana o Ngāti Tai. Ko ēnei wāhi, ko ēnei tāngata, kua hanga i ahau. They shape how I carry myself in this mahi, every day.

My work as a Clinical Psychologist has always centred on rangatahi and their whānau, listening, responding, holding space. That same focus guides what I do with Te Aho, where I support the Towards Wellbeing programme as a Clinical Advisor.

My own whānau led me here, and they continue to ground me in why it matters. Because of this I am always trying to work in ways that uphold mana, centre relationships, and make space for different ways of knowing, whether that knowledge comes from lived experience, clinical practice, or mātauranga Māori.

I believe in whānau ora, not just as a concept, but as a way of working that lifts, connects, and protects. I don’t think we are meant to do this mahi alone. Our strength is in how we move together.

Outside of mahi, I keep close to my whānau and the whenua. Time with loved ones, time in te taiao, and quiet moments to pause and breathe, those are the things that keep me steady.

Mā te rongo, ka mōhio.
Mā te mōhio, ka mārama.
Mā te mārama, ka mātau.
Mā te mātau, ka ora