“Sometimes saying no is about standing in your mana and your vulnerability.”

With Dalice Pinnell, Social Worker Supervisor

In this episode, we talk about the deeper layers of Social work supervision, burnout, boundaries, and the soul of supporting others. Dalice shares here experience of what it means to bring wairua, intention, lived experience, and nervous system awareness into professional practice, while staying connected to ourselves and our own wellbeing. This includes being aware of our about energy leaks (personally and professionally), saying no, moving through emotion, Māori healing, and the importance of creating spaces where practitioners can feel held, honest, nourished, and more fully themselves.

References & resources

Te Whare Tapa Whā
Māori health and wellbeing model developed by Tā Mason Durie. The model understands wellbeing through four connected dimensions: taha wairua, taha hinengaro, taha tinana, and taha whānau, with whenua as an important foundation.

Brené Brown — Dare to Lead List of Values

Brené Brown’s values resources are mentioned in relation to getting clear on what matters, how we practise, and how we live with more intention. Her Dare to Lead values list invites people to narrow down to two core values.

Māori Ora by Hira Nathan
Guided journal grounded in mātauranga Māori and intentional living in a Māori way. Māori Ora is described as a guided journal grounded in mātauranga Māori, supporting simple daily habits and more balanced, intentional living.

About Dalice  

Born, bred, and supporting on the beautiful East Coast of Aotearoa in Otautahi right by the beautiful moana.

Raised Pakeha and later learning to walk gently alongside my Mana Wahine, who I never knew existed!

Today, I am passionate about both worlds, especially the wairua. Reflecting back, my Soul has always dominated me. I was so full of feelings, intuition, big emotions, wonderings and when I found this new found word - Wairua - and that I come from this other beautiful world too, everything started to align.

My mahi is all about guiding professionals back into alignment with their wairua, their energy, their whole self. I have personally experienced and often find that those who care who care for others often forget to replenish their own inner world — and that inner world is exactly what they carry into every space they step into.
I find myself saying, ‘You are who you take to mahi.’ So let that self be a grounded, steady, heart-led version of you. When your wairua is nourished, your presence becomes a calming force for the vulnerable people you walk alongside.

To connect with Dalice

Website: socialworkersupervisor.nz
Via linkedIn 

To find out more about the upcoming trainings

Romiromi training - Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th October 2026 
Mirimiri training - Saturday 24th & 25th October 2026