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

## TL;DR

This paper discusses community-based initiatives that use Pacific cultural approaches to improve mental health and wellbeing for Pacific peoples.

## Contribution

The paper introduces three Pacific-centered initiatives that promote mental health through culturally grounded practices.

## Key findings

- The Mental Health Talanoa project provides insights into mental disorders and barriers to help-seeking behavior in Pacific communities.
- The Open Worksheet offers a relational tool for understanding individual and family narratives.
- The Wellbeing Talanoa fosters community connection and addresses social and welfare needs.

## Abstract

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.

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.

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.

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.