1. At the Nexus of Old and New: Finding Hope & Inspiration for Health & Healing in Our Communities
National Association of Social Workers Hawai‘i Chapter
October 4, 2018
Queens Conference Center

2. Presenter
Aukahi Austin Seabury, Ph.D. Executive Director, Licensed Clinical Psychologist I Ola Lāhui (808)

3. Mo‘olelo: Work Day at Ho‘okua‘āina

4. Mo‘olelo: Work Day at Ho‘okua‘āina
Ideal vs. Real
Real is perfection
We see the yellowed bent ones as beautiful too
Clearing the weeds around helps them grow
There’s a larger system
Specific lo‘i
Larger environmental system

5. Connections to Our Work
It’s hard work, mostly that nobody sees
Can feel like slow progress
Sometimes hard to see the benefits and outcomes
Look up
See others doing the work
See the sky and the larger system
Knowing when it’s the right time to act in the right way
You might get kalo, but is it as big and healthy as it could be?

6. So what does this tell us to do?
Continue seeking knowledge
Indigenous wisdom
Practice wisdom
Learn from others’ experiences
Research base
Best practices here
Innovate and make connections
How those things apply to THIS context
Be Inspired and Cultivate Hope

7. An Example:
You run a program for at-risk adolescents in a predominantly Native Hawaiian community. One of the girls in the group gets upset during an activity and calls out another girl intending to fight her.

8. An Example:
You run a program for at-risk adolescents in a predominantly Native Hawaiian community. One of the girls in the group gets upset during an activity and calls out another girl intending to fight her.
What are your options?
In the moment
With youth
With staff
With caregivers
Future policy

9. An Example:
You run a program for at-risk adolescents in a predominantly Native Hawaiian community. One of the girls in the group gets upset during an activity and calls out another girl intending to fight her.
From a social determinants of health perspective
Why at risk? The reasons she’s there that she has no control over
From an indigenous perspective
Mihi process at a pu‘uhonua example
From a historical trauma perspective
What is learned if she is kicked out?

10. Finding a Way to Elevate the Conversation
We can teach instead of punish
We can be a positive learning experience instead of a confirmation of negative experiences
We can redirect energy toward self-understanding and redefine strength and leadership
We can do all of this and still be safe and responsibly protect our staff, the youth, and their families

11. Finding a Way to Elevate the Conversation
At the nexus of old and new, we will not do the same old things and expect our communities to rise.
We will innovate by being grounded in our indigenous wisdom and apply it to contemporary challenges
We will not let our own stress, trauma, or lack of knowledge limit how far our communities can go. We will take care of ourselves, seek new knowledge and inspiration, and bring that to this work.

12. Mahalo nui loa National Association of Social Workers Hawai‘i Chapter
October 4, 2018
Queens Conference Center