About Leisa

About me / Ko wai ahau

I am an experienced registered social worker, supervisor, kaitiaki, cultural consultant and educator. I have a background in tertiary education as well as community and statutory social work covering rural community social work, child protection, mental and physical health, and palliative care.

I have been a board member of the Social Workers Registration Board, as well as a contract assessor for SWRB, and a contractor providing a range of academic roles. I blend knowledge and experience from te ao Māori as well as Western paradigms, focusing on what works for practitioner and client, seeking mauri ora (wellbeing) for all.

I am based in Tauranga so can provide kanohi-ki-te-kanohi (face-to-face) supervision in the Western Bay of Plenty, or online to people who live outside that area.
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I believe there is a huge amount of wisdom embedded in traditional processes and narratives. My commitment to helping us all draw on traditional Māori wisdom led to me developing whakataukī (proverb)-based card sets (see below).