Getting out of debt following te whare tapa whā

A Māori principle applied to healthcare has been adopted by Debtfix to enrich the outcomes of services provided to people taking control of their money matters.

Te whare tapa whā is a holistic approach that encourages us to consider all aspects of our life to support our well-being.

Created by Sir Mason Durie, te whare tapa whā is modelled on a wharenui (meeting house) there are four walls that build our well-being:

• Te taha tinana (physical)

• Te taha hinengaro (mental and emotional)

• Te taha wairua (spiritual)

• Te taha whānau (family and social)

A fifth element is the whenua (land) that the whare sits upon and provides the roots for well-being.

When applied to financial stability the concept is just the same and for a person to take control of their money the Debtfix Crew recognises that all elements of te whare tapa whā must be considered.

When thinking about difficulties with money it can be useful to consider what you can change or want to address under each of these parts of your whare.

Te taha tinana (physical)

Stress caused by money problems will affect your physical well-being – from feeling tense and tired, to causing excess weight gain or weight loss.

Prolonged stress is also known to cause serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and stroke.

On the bright side – you can do something to address your physical well-being, and you owe it to yourself and others to look after your health.

How is your debt situation affecting your body and what can you do about it?

Te taha hinengaro (mental and emotional)

As well as affecting our physical health, stress about money and debt also has a big impact on our mental and emotional well-being.

It can make you feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, angry, and disillusioned.

There are ways to look after your mental well-being and it is important to find something that feels right for you.

How is your debt situation affecting your mental health and what can you do about it?

Te taha wairua (spiritual)

When our financial situation is unstable it can impact on our spiritual essence, our life force, our mauri.

We can lose sight of who we are and our direction in life.

The way we connect spiritually is very personal and can be different for all of us, from practicing religious rituals to gazing at stars.

If your debt situation is out of control, you may feel you have lost your spiritual connection and sense of meaning.

This is a time to reflect on what is vital to you and what gives you a sense of purpose.

How is your debt situation affecting your spiritual connection and what can you do about it?

Te taha whānau (family and social)

Our relationships are so important and they are greatly affected by money problems, impacting on our partners, children, extended family, and friends.

When we need support from the most important people in our lives, we are most likely to isolate ourselves from them.

Rather than feeling bad about how debt is affecting our whānau, maybe our focus could be on how finding a good solution will improve the future well-being of our whānau.

How is your debt situation affecting your whānau and what can you do about it?

Whenua (land)

Becoming disconnected from the whenua often happens without us realising it, especially when we are busy earning a living and trying to sort out money problems in an urban environment.

When we get back in touch with nature and the earth, we feel better and often, we find a solution to a problem that was bothering us for a long time.

Whether it is toiling with the soil to grow food, walking barefooted in a park, or exploring the bush – we can all benefit from the influences of nature.

How is your debt stopping you from connecting with the whenua and what can you do about it?

Looking for ideas?

Check out te whare tapa whā with the Mental Health Foundation.

There are some great practical ideas to help you build a strong whare, even when you feel like debt is flooding through the tatau.

Thanks to te whare tapa whā created by Sir Mason Durie.