Counselling and mental health
Do you want to gain an understanding of how an empowered mind promotes recovery and resilience within your community?
Study our programme with strands in mental health and addictions or community support work to learn the necessary skills to support family/whānau.
During your study, you will develop skills around mental and holistic wellness and demonstrate your learned skills in a practicum placement.
You’ll be supported to succeed throughout your journey. At the Manukau campus, you will have access to a Kaiawhina, a Pasifika support person, a Whānau and a Mā Tātou room.
Programmes
“Before studying I was a secondary school student at Rosehill College. I had heard a lot about MIT, and everyone seemed so happy and excited about studying there. After I had enrolled, I went to the orientation which was very informative, and they talked a lot about the support they provide which made me feel relieved to start studying at MIT.
I really enjoy how friendly the people and staff are. The support I get at MIT is really unique and there are multiple different support people you can ask for help from. The work can sometimes be challenging but to overcome this I just email my lecturer questions or anything I need help with, and they make it really clear to understand. I manage to fit in at least an hour of studying a day to keep up with my course so that I can also make time for myself and my family.
Once I finish my programme in health and wellbeing I’m planning to pursue my goal of becoming a psychologist. I’ve had a passion for the health field ever since I was a child. I wanted to become a doctor but as I grew older, I decided I wanted to become a psychologist and I figured that this mental health course would be the best one to help me get started.
If you’re considering it – just go for it. It doesn't take long to apply, and the field is very informative and helpful and influences everyday life.”
Brooke Harper
MIT student
“I chose counselling to support myself, to support my whanau, to support my iwi and my hapu and to support the community.
Prior to studying, I worked in the business sector as an education specialist, providing asset leasing solutions to the school sector. Alongside that, I was learning and practising Māori healing. I'm also a mentor for wāhine Māori. It was a natural progression for me to then step into counselling to add knowledge to my kete to tautoko Māori.
We have a mix of theory and practical and as an adult learner, I've had a long history of working in the sector. That's a preferable way for me to learn.
I chose to come here because its diverse, diverse cultures. I'm very happy that we have indigenous lecturers. And the classes are supportive.
What I really appreciate about MIT is the work, life, and study balance. So, in addition to this, I work part-time as a kaiāwhina, a support worker. We can make it work around our lifestyles. The advice that I'd give to someone studying at MIT is to make sure it's something that you love to do. That you absolutely love what you do, and you're just going to have the time of your life. There will be challenges, but because it's something that you love to do, you'll have the courage to move through those challenges.
Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui. Be strong, be brave, be steadfast.”
Romaiye Lowen
MIT student
“I identified a need when I went looking for support for my own family. At the time I was looking for a direction and it struck me that I can do that, and I can do that well!
The flexibility is the best part for me. I wanted to study somewhere where I had the freedom to study when and where it suited me and the flexibility to work around my busy family life. MIT works brilliantly into my lifestyle as a busy mother of 3 kids, all with additional needs. Classes are always recorded, which means if I cannot attend them, I do not miss out. And lecturers are always contactable for questions or support.
I have a lot of chronic health issues that I have had to work around and figure out a way to study with. MIT has been brilliant in helping me to navigate this, doing everything they can to help.
I really enjoy the focus on diversity. It makes sense in a society that is multicultural and extremely diverse to educate students who will be working with these people about the nature of their diversity. I've not struck this level of openness in any other training institute.
I started my placement this semester and it was an amazing opportunity to transfer the incredible skills I have learned from my tutors into the real world and get a feel for what the industry looks like from the ground. I believe these placements are incredibly important to create well-rounded and prepared counsellors post-graduation.
This is a high-need career in New Zealand. Only good things can come of having more excellently trained counsellors, so if you are interested in this as a career, I would urge you to really consider it – not only for yourself but for the greater good.
When I finish studying I want to work counselling young gender-diverse kids (12 and under) and their families.”
Kerry-Lee Bray
MIT student
"I’ve chosen to study health and wellbeing at MIT as at this stage in my life I wanted to be working in a job that made a difference to peoples’ lives in a meaningful way. After some time to reflect and evaluate what was involved with a healthcare assistant role it felt like a good fit for me.
The programme is delivered at MIT Manukau and it’s a pretty cool campus with wonderful helpful staff. I really enjoy its familiar and family kind of atmosphere. All the students and staff have been so friendly and welcoming.
I really appreciate that as an older student coming into this course it was a little daunting at first, as I had left school at 15 without even school certificate as it was back in those days. So any kind of study was a bit of a learning curve.
I have had some amazingly kind peers in my class who have been kind enough to give me some guiding help with using various technology, tools and apps. MIT also has lots of help available for anyone needing to increase those skills.
My goal is to work in end of life care as a healthcare assistant or in an associated way. When I finish the course, I intend to work in a hospital for 6-12 months to get wide scope of experience and become effective as a HCA. Perhaps while I am working in this role another path might become clear for me in following my ultimate goal of palliative care.”
Duncan
MIT graduate
“If making a difference in your community is something you want to achieve then a career in health is a career for you. As a Samoan one of the core values I was taught growing up is tautua which means service. So serving our parents our families our elders and our community. That was one of the main reasons I decided I wanted to study health.”
Tino Tevaga
MIT graduate
