ABSTRACT

Anyone who has worked with troubled teenagers will know that sometimes finding a resolution is not simple or quick. There may be many ups and downs during a young person’s involvement with mental health services. In previous chapters we have seen situations in which a single session with Wiremu led to immediate relief. In this chapter we describe Wiremu’s healing work over an extended period with a teenager called Tangi. In particular, Tangi’s story illustrates a holistic approach in which Wiremu as the Māori healer works alongside Allister as Tangi’s psychiatrist and other team members, including hospital psychiatry staff, in a collaboration that addresses Tangi’s spiritual, psychological, physical, and family well-being.