Meaalofa.

Abstract

This article is not intended to provide an expert perspective on Samoan customs inclusive of meaalofa (gifting) principles. Neither is it meant to convey a dominant knowledge of therapeutic interventions to address the needs of Samoan people in clinical settings. This paper is a humble contribution, with personal reflections, to the reservoir of ideas, perspectives and theorising that enlarges our capacity as clinicians to assist and support the therapeutic processes of healing for Samoan (and Pasifika) people in Aotearoa New Zealand. It explores and highlights meaalofa concepts in a therapeutic environment through research findings, talanoa interviews with participants of the study, and case study vignettes from my own counselling work. This account is by no means the last word regarding meaalofa concepts in therapeutic settings; rather, it is just the beginning so others can contribute to its richness both in content and context. The article begins with a Samoan proverb concerning the toloa, that one will leave home, but will always return. The meaalofa presented through the content of this article and through my clinical work is about my ongoing journey of returning home. Since the initial research was conducted, it has taken six years for this paper finally to be written. The discoveries that are explored in the paper came out of the research I undertook for my Master of Counselling dissertation at the University of Waikato in 2004. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of New Zealand Journal of Counselling is the property of New Zealand Association of Counsellors and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)