TAKU MĀNGAI

Speech language therapy with a Māori worldview. Building on whānau strengths to support tamariki.

Get in touch for a free 20 minute kōrero, whether you’re ready to explore this pathway or simply have a few pātai.

About

Te Popoto, Ngāti Tautahi, Ngāti Korokoro, Te Uri o Hua - Ngāpuhi

Tēnā tātou, ko Hana Tuwhare tōku ingoa. I’m a Māori speech language therapist (SLT) based in Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau. I come from a whānau of storytellers, educators and health practitioners. I've grown up with a love of language and people. As a second-language learner of te reo Māori, I’m also passionate about finding ways for our reo to flourish - especially for our whānau who need support with their communication.

My practice is grounded in te ao Māori and draws on evidence based practice. I work alongside whānau, kaiako and professionals so they are better equipped to support tamariki with their speech, language and communication. I believe that with the right support, everyone can have the knowledge, confidence and capability to support their own whānau. Together, we will create a clear pathway forward that works for you.

I started Taku Māngai so that whānau have more options for speech language therapy that aligns with their worldview and meets their reo Māori aspirations. I look forward to a world where all Māori have access to supports that connects us to our mātauranga and reo. Taku Māngai is a step in that direction.

I work with

Tamariki

I work with whānau, kaiako and professionals and equip them with everything they need to support tamariki with their speech, language and communication. I can support when tamariki are:

Talking later than expected: If your tamaiti isn’t speaking as much as you’d expect, there is a lot that whānau, siblings and adults can do to help.
Learning to communicate in a different way: Some tamariki may need help learning how to connect, express, and interact with others in their own way.
Hard to understand: Some tamariki have trouble pronouncing sounds or words. Supporting tamariki to be understood, can help them enjoy learning more.
Tama Ariki: Tamariki who have their own unique and beautiful abilities. Cerebral Palsy, down syndrome, takiwātanga, autism.

Injury

Illness

Injuries and illnesses can sometimes affect the way we communicate. I work with whānau:

After a stroke or head injury: Difficulty saying what you want to say or understanding words, or changes in swallowing and eating.
Trouble speaking clearly: Slurring words or can’t get the right sounds out because the muscles in the mouth don’t work like they used to.
Cognitive communication, memory, attention, planning or expressing ideas: When its difficult to remember words or what you were going to say, or it may be hard to focus long enough to have a conversation which makes it difficult to be understood by others.
Neurological conditions: like Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease or dementia can impact your ability to communicate over time.

How will my whānau be supported?

You will be guided through each part of the process.

Whakawhanaungatanga informs what we do and how I’ll support you. I’ll spend time getting to know your whānau - your aspirations, who is in the waka with you, and what already works for you. We may also do some activities or play games that help me get a better idea of your tamaiti’s speech, language and communication skills.

I will share back information with you about possible pathways, so that as a whānau you can decide what’s going to work best. Once we have a clear plan, we'll give something a go and if it works, we’ll carry on. If it doesn’t, we’ll change it.

I will support you to use tools and strategies by explaining them to you, showing you how to use them, and then getting you to have a go. You will be supported to use these at home until you are confident.

Sometimes I’ll bring activities or lesson plans, other times we’ll use your everyday routines like mealtimes, chores or play to implement strategies so they fit into what you already do. I may create resources for you to use at home or kura. I may spend time coaching you through challenges that may or may not directly relate to communication - language is connected to all aspects of our life!

Through the whole process I will support you to create moments for success and building confidence while gently expanding each person’s abilities, without overwhelming you.

Get in touch if you'd like to kōrero about what support might look like for you and your whānau.

Pricing

I am committed to reducing financial barriers for whānau. We can explore potential funding options, pricing plans, and I occasionally have koha sessions available. Get in touch to have a kōrero.

20 min discovery call

Free

Curious to know what support might look like for you and your whānau? I offer a free 20 minute discovery call so you can ask pātai and see if its right the fit. Get in touch here.

Therapy session 60 min

$140

Building whānau knowledge, skills & confidence; personalised activities and strategies to strengthen communication at home, support for whānau between sessions.

Assessment & written report

$380

Case history, observations, assessments, a discussion based on the findings during the session, and a detailed report that can be shared with other professionals. Based on a 1.5 hour session.

Written reports

$140 ph

Written reports can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours depending on what is needed. Report writing is charged on an hourly basis. A report may include background information, ability and needs, details of assessment findings and an intervention plan.

Workshops

Quote

I can provide professional development, presentations, and workshops for whānau, kaiako and professionals. Get in contact for a quote.

Travel

Per km

Generally, I travel to wherever you are most comfortable. If you are located within 20 minutes of Mt Eden (Auckland), Kaikohe or Taipa in the Far North, then travel to you is free. Outside of these areas will be a travel fee of $1.17 per km.

You're probably
wondering...

Frequently asked questions

Tamariki

Locations

Costs

Qualifications

Generally, I work with the whole whānau - and the kaiako when relevant.

Our focus is on helping tamariki communicate in the places and with the people they interact with every day and in real life - whānau, kaiako, and friends. This means I usually work with the whānau and kaiako to support the communication of the tamaiti.

I might provide you with practical tools, give demonstrations, or provide coaching so that you are confident to support your tamariki. It doesn’t mean that everything is on you as I will support you along the way.

Why don't I do 1-1 with my tamaiti? Your tamaiti will only see a speech language therapist for a small bit of time compared to how much time they spend with you. If communication support is only happening during the time they are with me, then they don’t get many opportunities to practice, and perhaps they just end up being really good at communicating with an SLT, rather than their whānau, kaiako and friends. In saying that, there might be moments where 1-1 support is appropriate.

Communication develops with the people and places that are familiar, and the people you talk to everyday. You as the whānau make the biggest difference.

Speech language therapists can support language, communication, behaviour challenges related to communication, and social skills. We might focus on clearer speech, knowing more words, stronger writing skills, understanding spoken language better, being more socially appropriate, improving turn-taking, communicating more confidently, retelling events about his/her day, asking/answers questions accurately and many other things.

One of the biggest requests I get is to support whānau with taonga takiwātanga or autism. This is an area I continue to grow my learning so that I can best support whānau.

Growing communication skills comes from repeated chances to practice, learning from mistakes, and feeling supported. When our tamariki have people around them who are patient, encouraging and willing to engage without judgement - they make the most progress. I will support you and your whānau to do these things, so that your tamariki have lots of opportunities to practice communicating, make mistakes and feel supported by you.

Get in touch if you'd like to know more.

I will only do formal assessments and diagnose if it is what you want. I can go through the pros and cons so that you are fully aware of what this means for you and your whānau.

Sometimes whānau will want a formal assessment and diagnosis as it is a step towards getting more support / funding. Some whānau find that having a diagnosis can be validating for them.

Some whānau don't want the formal assessments and the diagnosis, they just want to support their tamaiti to continue to grow and develop in to the taonga that they are. What ever you choose is valid.

Please note, SLTs can’t diagnose things like autism, ADHD, or hearing loss — but we can help identify concerns and guide you to the right people if needed. We can diagnose difficulties with talking, understanding, communicating, and swallowing.

This will change on a case by case basis. Some whānau prefer support on a more regular basis and may want 2 - 4 sessions a month. For other whānau, it might be a burst of a few sessions and then they can book an appointment occasionally as needed.

There is no commitment to a certain amount of sessions. I will work with you to figure out what’s best for your whānau.

I generally work in a way where I set up the whānau (and kaiako when wanted) to have the skills and confidence needed to carry out support for their tamariki.

My role is to provide practical tools and strategies to you as whānau and / or kaiako so that our tamariki can tell stories, join conversations, get needs met, and connect with others. Over time, these skills help tamariki to form friendships, thrive in kura, find mahi, and navigate relationships.

We'll start with whakawhanaungatanga - I'll get to know your whānau and your tamaiti first and you can learn a little about me. I'll learn about who is in your whānau, what your hopes and dreams are for your tamariki, and what already works for you.

Sometimes I’ll bring activities or lesson plans, other times we’ll use your everyday routines like mealtimes, chores or play to implement strategies so they fit in to what you already do. We’ll also look to you as whānau or kaiako for input on what’s already part of your everyday so we can bring that into our sessions too.

A lot of people learn by watching and doing. I might invite whānau, kaiako, and siblings to join in, watch, and be part of it. We focus on creating moments for success and building confidence while gently expanding each person’s abilities - without overwhelming them.

I may spend time coaching whānau through challenges that may or may not directly relate to communication - language is connected to all aspects of our life!

I may create resources for you to use at home or kura.