Episode notes
What happens when the system meant to help you cannot fully see you? In this deeply moving episode of the Authentic Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Tui Taurua, a respected Māori lived experience leader, advocate, speaker, and master’s student in Wairua, to explore her extraordinary journey through trauma, mental distress, recovery, and healing. Tui shares openly about childhood trauma, psychiatric hospitalisation, suicide attempts, hearing voices, and the long journey of finding healing beyond the limitations of Western systems. Through reconnecting with Mātauranga Māori, Wairua, whakapapa, physical movement, storytelling, and lived experience, Tui found a way not just to survive — but to thrive. We talk about:
✨ The power of Wairua and spiritual healing
✨ Why lived experience matters in mental health
✨ Māori perspectives on wellbeing and recovery
✨ Trauma, identity, and reclaiming belonging
✨ The limitations of Western biomedical approaches
✨ Why peer support and cultural connection matter
This is an honest, emotional, and deeply human conversation about pain, resilience, and finding your way home to yourself.