Spirit of Mafana
(pronounciation)
"mah-fah-nah"
Welcome to Mafana, where ourjourney begins together.
Here, you’ll find an online program created especially for community leaders and those offering support without formal counselling training. Whether you're supporting others professionally or personally, you're not alone, Mafana is here to walk alongside you. I’m proud to serve a growing online community, committed to quality, care, and meaningful connection. As we grow, we grow together, and I'm so glad you're here to be part of the story.
Information
At Mafana, I take pride in being adaptable, compassionate, and committed to excellence, whether I’m offering counselling or supporting those who support others.You’re warmly invited to explore a heart-led online program created especially for community leaders and non-trained counsellors. Wherever you’re located, Mafana is here to walk alongside you, offering tools, encouragement, and care to help you thrive in your support role or to access safe, trauma-informed counselling when you need it most.
You hold space for others - this space is here to hold you.
Whether you're supporting someone through AOD recovery, navigating ACC Sensitive Claims, or building your therapeutic toolkit, this platform was created to uplift your work, your wairua, and the mafana that fuels your care.
I’m a fully registered Alcohol and Other Drug Practitioner in Aotearoa New Zealand, with a Bachelor of Addiction and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology, in progress. Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked across psychiatric units, Drug Treatment Units, Therapeutic Communities, Drug Treatment Court, and community-based rehab services.
Here, I share the tools and insights that have shaped my practice, including:
- CBT, DBT, and Motivational Interviewing
- ACT, CFT, and trauma-informed care
- Client-centered tools grounded in cultural safety and relational integrity
This isn’t just a resource hub, it’s a space to grow, reflect, and reconnect with the heart of why we do this work. A space where mafana - the warmth of connection, compassion, and shared humanity - is always present.
Explore the tools. Deepen your practice. Stay anchored in purpose.
You’re welcome here - exactly as you are.
About us
The spirit of Mafana, rooted in the Tongan worldview, is more than just emotional warmth, it’s a relational energy that moves between people, connecting hearts through compassion, respect, and presence. In lea fakatonga, mafana speaks to a deep, encompassing warmth, like the comfort of sitting with loved ones, the sacredness of gathering, or the emotional heat that rises when we are stirred by truth, love, or collective purpose.
In this way, Mafana is not a service, it’s a feeling. It represents the fakaʻapaʻapa (respect), tauhi vā (nurturing of sacred relational space), and 'ofa (love) that underpin meaningful support in Tongan culture. It holds space for vulnerability while upholding dignity, and invites people to heal not in isolation, but in connection, with others, with spirit, and with self.
Insights and Updates
I take pride on my adaptability and commitment to excellence in every aspect of Mafana service. Explore what Mafana has to offer and it can contribute to your success in community support roles.
Benjamin Wood
"Mafana's online program has been invaluable for our community leaders. It's practical, accessible, and has made a real difference in how we support our community."
"I can't say enough about the outstanding service I received from Mafana. You go above and beyond to meet our needs and exceeded our expectations."
Emma Thompson
Services
credentials:
Bachelor of Addiction
Professional membership:
Drug and Alcohol Practitioner of Aotearoa, New Zealand -
Full membership
K Sandys
Professional
Our Approach: CBT, DBT, MI, client-centered, culturally appropriate.
Individual/or couple or group therapy:
Format: Online, self-paced with optional live check-ins
Length: 6–8 modules (approx. 1–2 hours each)
Delivery: weekly online sessions, equipped with tools, psychoeducation tools, role play scenarios, online discussions and prompts.
Optional: Certificate of Completion
This service can be thoughtfully tailored to nurture your staff, community group, or leadership team, wherever you are in your journey. Whether you're holding space for others on the frontline, guiding youth, or building resilience in your community, I’ll work alongside you to shape something that feels right for your people.
Together, we can create a learning experience that’s practical, culturally grounded, and rooted in warmth, connection, and care, because when those who support others feel supported themselves, everyone benefits.
Contact us
Location
Wellington
New Zealand
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