Korero Connect

18/12/2025

Before we move fully into whānau mode, I want to pause and thank my profession for holding such gentle, caring, and understanding space for me this year.

As many of you know, this year I experienced three life-threatening treatment injuries and spent around five of the past twelve months admitted to Auckland Hospital. Throughout this time, the speech-language therapy profession of Aotearoa has shown me immense respect and care. Not only while I was very unwell but also on my return. You've been so grateful and graceful not only for the work I have been able to do, but also your deep and genuine compassion and patience for the work I have not been able to do while healing.

I have truly felt the aroha from many, and I hold such appreciation and respect for the kindness and care you've consistently offered. My whānau and I are eternally grateful.

As I look ahead to 2026, my intention is to continue getting stronger and to promise myself that I will only take on what I can safely manage, without compromising my health or the wellbeing of my whānau. I hope in 2026 you are able to offer yourselves the same compassion that you have so generously shown me.

Meri Kirihimete, my friends and colleagues.
I leave you with this hue my husband made, a symbol of light, even in our darkest times.

Arohanui
Tracy

20/10/2025

Piki Kotuku Speech Language Therapy doing the mahi e te whānau. If you aren't already follow them to see more of Nicky-Marie's mean as SLT mahi.

🌿 Enabling ako through kōrero – Pilot PLD 🌿
Had a wonderful afternoon in the whare peaceful and quiet space for our teachers and speech language therapy kaupapa lead by Nicky-Marie and supported by Nichole Gully 💛
Another day apopo

16/10/2025

Kia ora e te whānau o ngā Speech-Language Therapists,

I’ve just read a post that really resonated with me, and I want to share it with you all. Below is the post and the resources that were attached.

Please remember — when your work involves someone else’s trauma, that story is not yours to tell. It's was lived by and belongs to the community in which it came from. Sharing = retelling = reshaping whakapapa. It is triggering and harmful.

I encourage you to read Paul Ekuru’s post below and spend time reflecting on his resources. Sit with yourself and notice your first emotional response. Is it discomfort, defensiveness, or agreement, then ask yourself why. That’s where the real learning begins - the places where māhaki live.

Āta haere — move gently with stories that aren’t yours to tell.

**Post and Resources Below**
Paul Ekuru

The Human Cost of Unethical Storytelling

A story can move donors, raise awareness, even win awards; and still leave quiet harm behind.

· When someone relives trauma for our cameras.
· When their voice is edited out.
· When an entire community gets reduced to “poverty,” “victim,” or “need.”

Every photo, quote, and headline for that impact story shapes more than perception. It shapes lives. And ruins others in some cases.

In these 8 listicles, I break down the human cost of deficit storytelling, how good intentions can still hurt, and shifts that can be made to avoid harm while communicating impact.

I’d love to hear your thoughts: what deficit storytelling practices have you seen or experienced?"

13/09/2025

Sally Kedge was awarded The New Zealand Speech-language Therapists' Association kaupapa Māori Tohu award. This award is decided on by the Māori SLT Leadership Rōpu. As a team of Therapists we supported Sally on stage receiving this award and apprecate her dedication towards Talking Trouble Aotearoa NZ being a more Tiriti responsive Communication Assistant Service.

"Sally Kedge is being recognised for her leadership and commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Talking Trouble. Sally leads a team of Speech-Language Therapists with manaaki and kaitiaki. Her leadership shows real action in decolonising practice and is creating culturally safe environments.Sally contracts specific kaupapa Māori kaitiakitanga, a form of clinical supervision. Māori staff are both supported and properly resourced in a dedicated reindiginisation space. She has commissioned a collective to develop Talking Trouble's Te Tiriti o Waitangi policy.

Sally's work shows how Speech-Language Therapy services can be transformed through genuine commitment to Te Tiriti principles".

12/09/2025

This year’s New Zealand Speech-language Therapists' Association Conference was such a powerful space for Māori Speech-Language Therapists to catch up, connect, and kōrero. Decolonising practice was a clear theme throughout – and what stood out was how many of our tauiwi colleagues genuinely want to walk alongside us in developing kaupapa that are not only safe, but excellent for whānau.

Five years ago, I would never have imagined standing in front of a full room of SLTs and speaking openly about the colonial blueprints that shape our mahi. Today, I can – and not only can I, but people listen, reflect, and respond with gratitude and grace.

Is there still mahi ahead? Absolutely. But today, we should celebrate how far we’ve come. Our profession is transforming into one that is more inclusive, diverse, and critically reflective – and so many of us are here for it 🙌🏾

02/07/2025

After 9 months off work following a series of life altering treatment injuries, I am back to mahi on Monday. Although speech-language therapy has taken a backseat the community and kaupapa remained consistent. There's already lots of kaupapa on the tepu but whānau hauora will be given the highest priority. I'm feeling nervous and excited at the same time. See you soon speechies 🙏🏾

18/06/2024

I presented today at the Australasian Intermediary Conference on Decolonising Communication Assistance : Aotearoa as a global blueprint. I addressed being the only indigenous presenter in the only concurrent slot 👀, perpetual recolonization through assessment and reporting, data sovereignty & manamotuhake, people, power and policy and Te Tiriti as a global blueprint.

27/05/2024

Section 7aa. Do you know what it is? If you don't you should! We all should. Our rangatahi need us to know

27/04/2024

Ā one News Piece on the FASD Guidelines and other announcements from the Government about supports specific to FASD. Again, I'm so absolutely stocked that language and communication considerations from a kaupapa perspective have made it to print in these guidelines. So very often my thoughts and ideas can be diluted and reshaped to make them more digestible for a 'non-māori' audience. That is not the case here and the authenticity I hope will be felt by SLTS that become more involved in FASD and in fact any assessment and analysis of reo with Māori. Watch and you'll see me and & Sally Kedge for a teeeeeeny split second 🤭

27/04/2024

It has been an absolute privilege to have worked on the development of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Diagnostic Criteria Aotearoa with an incredible group of people. The contribution Sally Kedge and I made centered around the very important considerations speech-language therapists involved in FASD diagnosis must consider if they are working with Whānau Māori. Reo is a tāonga, a connection to tupuna and whakapapa and as such investigations and analysis of how Māori use and experience language and communication but be considered with a wairua factor. Assessment of FASD is critical for the Whānau who seek it and when done through wairua lenses , could be life changing for Whānau. There is a two page write up of the considerations required. I encourage all SLTS to read the guidelines which you can access here
https://www.hapai.co.nz/fasd-guidelines

17/02/2024

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine our vision would transform into this incredible reality. Close to 50 Maaori SLTs that now have confidence to join us in noho to celebrate our whakapapa and whakamana te kaupapa. I used to know a single handful and now I know a growing and incredible collective and they are ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 mahi ngakau, it's such a relief and motivator to have such rawe tauira in the kaupapa. Carving space for whakaaro Maaori in this profession has been the best although most emotional mahi but I'm incredibly proud to have been part of this transformation alongside these incredible waahine.
Nicky-Marie Kohere-Smiler Emma Quigan Katrina Antoinette .

30/01/2024

Te Tai Tokerau, I am home and have brought Korero Connect with me. Speech language therapy in the FFN coming soon....