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Reflections after Mental Health Awareness

Today, most days actually, I am wearing my Brain Garden Trust hat and feeling the weight of the harmful decisions this government is making. One group that continues to face significant barriers are our neurodivergent tamariki. Many whānau are experiencing the harsh reality that this government's promises lack substance, and are in fact going in the opposite direction causing significant and irreversible harm to our vulnerable communities. This in turn causes stress in homes, and the difficult ...

The Brain Garden Trust is excited for 2024 – make sure you follow us on Instagram for our January mindfulness challenge

We’re not a huge charity, so visibility can be difficult.But we’re not letting that hold us back from our ambitious goal – we want more resources to support parents to manage stress and feelings of isolation when caring for their children with chronic health conditions....

Cultivating Resilience and Joy: The Heartfelt Mission of The Brain Garden Trust

Life's journey can take unexpected turns, and some children find themselves navigating paths that are a little different from their peers. It's during these times of uncertainty and difficulty that having a support network becomes absolutely invaluable. The Brain Garden Trust steps in as a beacon of hope, creating a space where children and their families can find solace, strength, and a sense of community....

Why I want to give back to parents and caregivers

My daughter was recently diagnosed with autism, and I found out my son had a heart condition when I was 18 weeks pregnant with him.It’s not my place to impart too much of my kids’ stories – they are personal to them. But......

Bringing emotional culture into the class environment

Last week, I ran an Emotional Culture Deck workshop with the Wellbeing leadership team ofRaroa intermediate school. They will help me run a pilot study to see how we can growemotional culture and emotional awareness among their students. I was really impressed by thewillingness of the teachers to take on more work even when we’re amid a COVID pandemic. The Emotional Culture Deck is a simple card game toolkit that helps leaders like teachers, ormanagers uncover what truly motivates their people...