The power of connection
New Zealand Listener|September 16 - 22 2023
Oprah, the psychiatrist and the Hokianga marae visit that revolutionised thinking about how we should nurture our young.
ANGELA BARNETT & RUTH BROWN
The power of connection

It’s a small marae, tucked under trees in a valley, just before you go over the hill to be dazzled by the splendid vista of Hokianga Harbour.

It was here that Dr Bruce Perry, a pioneering US neuroscientist and psychiatrist, gained inspiration to continue his work in trying to heal kids reeling from a tough start in life. Perry, now 68, is an internationally recognised expert on the effect of abuse, neglect and trauma on the child’s brain. In his 2021 book written with Oprah Winfrey, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, he mentions his formative New Zealand experiences.

In 1997, through Kiwi connections impressed by his burgeoning work in neuroscience, Perry visited Te Kai Waha Marae. During that period, Perry was challenging the medical models of the time and writing about how early childhood experiences affect the wiring of the brain.

His colleagues working in mental health and child abuse pushed back. His work was “bullshit”; he didn’t know what he was talking about. But one doctor was listening. New Plymouth paediatrician Robin Fancourt read one of his articles and asked to study alongside him in Chicago. A very surprised Perry, who was still quite junior, said come on over.

At the time, Fancourt, also a pioneer in her field, was founder and chair of the newly formed Children’s Agenda. She later invited him to New Zealand to speak around the country on the “assessment and treatment of maltreated children: a neurodevelopmental approach”.

Esta historia es de la edición September 16 - 22 2023 de New Zealand Listener.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición September 16 - 22 2023 de New Zealand Listener.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE NEW ZEALAND LISTENERVer todo
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024