‘Attending RISE the refresher course I needed’

RISE is a great place to get help, but you have to be ready to change. 

I was told to come to RISE by the court because of a protection order from a family member. 

I didn’t want to come to RISE, coz I was pissed off about the protection order and didn’t agree with it. But a friend put me on the level and said why not give RISE a go, it’s not going to hurt. She helped me change my mind about attending.  

I had one on one sessions with RISE Clinician Jamie. He was great, and after the first couple of sessions I really wanted to learn what he was going to give me.  

When we talked it was more like a one on one with a mate. I felt comfortable being a tāne (man) Māori at RISE. It was like Jamie was a friend and we were on the same level. I was able to be myself with him; we had a connection. I could feel his aura. 

Attending RISE was cool, because some of the stuff Jamie taught me, I already knew. It was like revision. Sessions with Jamie were like a refreshing jug of water. The jug was running out of water and then Jamie came along and filled the jug up. I need refresher courses, so the RISE course was a good pick up, the tools I learnt made sense. 

I was buzzing out because I got to give him examples of my life of how I was using those tools. 

One thing Jamie taught me, I didn’t know, was how to take a bad moment and change it into something passive, or something that doesn’t wind you up.  

I use that now. For example, I was at a pub with my friends who are learning te reo recently. I was wearing a t-shirt which said kōrero mai (talk to me), and this guy walked past and said something sarcastic. I got pissed off and said, ‘What did you say?’  

My friend was telling me to leave it, and get back to our table, but I was kind of stuck on the spot figuring out what to do. I did the breathing Jamie, and others taught me, and eventually decided to walk away. The old me probably wouldn’t have. 

I’d recommend others come to RISE, but they need to come with a positive attitude otherwise they will go backwards or stagnate.  

‘‘Attending RISE was a good refresher course. I need refresher courses, so the RISE course was a good pick up, the tools I learnt made sense.”  Photo: Pexels Gabriela Palai

The tools I learnt at RISE help bring me down a level and that’s a good place.  

I feel proud about the changes I’ve made. I feel in myself that I really know myself now. I know my limits and when these limits come up, I know how to back off.  Even with my driving I’m a lot calmer – I’m slow, I stay at the limit now. 

Jamie has helped. He’s helped a lot. I still have him and RISE in my mind when I get into some of these bad places. 

I looked forward to coming to RISE and on the last day Jamie told me it was the last session, I felt sad. I was like ‘oh man, I’m going to miss this place.”