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We are looking for another part time Registered Nurse < Back Registered Nurse Vacancy 22 Apr 2026 We are looking for another part time Registered Nurse We are looking for another part time #RegisteredNurse to join our small clinical team. Could you help us to make a difference for people with ME/CFS and long COVID? Or do you know someone who might? ____________________________ About #MECFS : ME/CFS is a serious long-term illness. People living with ME/CFS experience a fluctuating severity of symptoms and are severely impacted in the activities of daily living. Appropriate clinical support and guidance for self-management can improve symptoms and quality of life. ____________________________ About Us: ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast Charitable Trust is a growing community health organisation and charity. We focus on improving the lives of people living with #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis / #ChronicFatigueSyndrome and #longCOVID and their whānau, by providing information, validation, clinical support, connection, practical support and advocacy. We also provide educational opportunities and guidance about ME/CFS for health professionals. We deliver our services in Canterbury and the West Coast of New Zealand. Visit our website www.mecfscanterbury.nz to find out more. ____________________________ For details about the vacancy: ✦ Ad on Seek - https://nz.seek.com/job/91628370 ✦ Closing Date: 8am Monday 11th May 2026 Previous Next

Subscribe to our Newsletter Sign up to become a member to receive our bi-monthly newsletter. The newsletter includes information about managing and living with ME/CFS, latest research, our activities, plus more. BECOME A MEMBER Latest News We plan to share key updates about ME/CFS and our organisation here. If you remember seeing a notice about new guidance or initiative in our newsletter or social media and want to revisit the details, it will be worth checking the updates listed below. 22 Apr 2026 Work and Income Advocate Vacancy We are looking for another part time Work and Income Advocate to join our team. Read More 20 Apr 2026 ME/CFS Awareness Mugs for Blue Sunday 2026 Support a Cause with Every Cup Read More 20 Apr 2026 Recording for Energy Management presentation now available Nurse Wendy Dragt shares guidelines for managing our energy when we live with a broken energy system Read More 19 Apr 2026 New Primary Health Care Resource for adults with Long COVID The School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, has published a new Long COVID resource for GPs. Epidemiologist, Dr Mona Jeffreys, talked to us about how the resource was developed and how GPs can access it. Read More 15 Apr 2026 Our April 2026 newsletter is now available! Theme for this issue is Long COVID. We highlight recent articles in the media and a new Long COVID Primary Care Resource Read More 12 Apr 2026 Blue Sunday - The Tea Party for ME Blue Sunday, created by Anna Redshaw, is a special day where people come together over a cuppa and some cake to raise awareness and funds for those living with ME/CFS. Read More 10 Apr 2026 The 2026 Crash Wear Design Competition Feeling creative and got some extra spoons? Turn them into something that speaks for our community with our Crash Wear Design Competition. We’re looking for ME/CFS or Long Covid themed designs for our Crash Wear merch, something that captures the lived experience of ME/CFS and Long Covid. Read More 29 Mar 2026 Wanting to try out seated Tai Chi? Recording of a seated Tai Chi session for people with ME/CFS is now available Read More 16 Feb 2026 Dysautonomia New Zealand Today we want to congratulate the team involved in the establishment of Dysautonomia New Zealand and their progress in becoming a registered charity. Read More 19 Jan 2026 ME/CFS a Brief Introduction A brief introduction to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Read More 18 Jan 2026 Associated New Zealand ME Society (ANZMES) Survey 2026 Share your voice Read More 19 Nov 2025 Give-a-little Day 2nd December 2025 Radical Rest Challenge - Nominate a friend or two (or yourself) Read More 11 Nov 2025 ME CFS Canterbury Registered Nurses attend RID2025 The 4th International Conference on ME/CFS, Long Covid and Gulf War Illness Read More 31 Oct 2025 It’s our 40th Ruby Anniversary! Thank you to the individuals and funders who have supported our journey since we became a charity in 1985. Read More 8 Oct 2025 October is Dysautonomia Awareness Month Dysautonomia often appears invisible, but it has a significant impact on daily life. Read More 5 Oct 2025 Mental Health Awareness Week 5-12 October 2025 When living with chronic illness it is natural to grieve the losses and find it difficult to cope with at times. Read More 3 Oct 2025 New West Coast Peer Support Group Join our new facebook group for people affected my ME/CFS and Long Covid living on the West Coast Read More 22 Sept 2025 New Health Information page for ME/CFS from Health NZ Health NZ has acknowledged that ME/CFS is a debilitating, long-term illness in the new Health Conditions section on their website. Read More 1 Sept 2025 Orthostatic Intolerance and its management Presentation We invite you to watch Nurse Wendy Dragt’s talk about Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) and its Management – now available on our youtube channel Read More 1 Aug 2025 Join our quiet act of solidarity for people with severe ME/CFS on 8th August 8pm #LightsLowForME creates a visible, low effort way for allies to show solidarity while honouring the often-invisible suffering of people with severe ME Read More

We are looking for another part time Work and Income Advocate to join our team. < Back Work and Income Advocate Vacancy 22 Apr 2026 We are looking for another part time Work and Income Advocate to join our team. We are looking for another part time Work and Income Advocate to join our team. Could you help us to make a difference for people with ME/CFS and long COVID? Or do you know someone who might? ____________________________ About #MECFS : ME/CFS is a serious long-term illness. People living with ME/CFS experience a fluctuating severity of symptoms and are severely impacted in the activities of daily living. Appropriate clinical support and guidance for self-management can improve symptoms and quality of life. ____________________________ About Us: ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast Charitable Trust is a growing community health organisation and charity. We focus on improving the lives of people living with #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis / #ChronicFatigueSyndrome and #longCOVID and their whānau, by providing information, validation, clinical support, connection, practical support and advocacy. We also provide educational opportunities and guidance about ME/CFS for health professionals. We deliver our services in Canterbury and the West Coast of New Zealand. Visit our website www.mecfscanterbury.nz to find out more. ____________________________ For details about the vacancy: ✦ Ad on TradeMe - https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/jobs/healthcare/community-social-services/canterbury/christchurch-city/part-time/listing/5895976604 ✦ Closing Date: 8am Wednesday 6th May 2026 Previous Next

Support a Cause with Every Cup < Back ME/CFS Awareness Mugs for Blue Sunday 2026 20 Apr 2026 Support a Cause with Every Cup If you’ve been looking for a simple way to support ME/CFS Awareness this may, we’ve got something practical, meaningful and genuinely useful. Mugs designed with chronic illness life in mind. We’ve just launched 3 new ME/CFS themed mugs to our line of merch as part of our fundraising efforts for Blue Sunday on Sunday 17 May 2026 a much-loved event in ME/CFS awareness month. Why These Mugs Matter Living with ME/CFS often means adjusting to a slower pace of life. Small comforts like a warm drink can become part of a meaningful routine. These mugs are designed to reflect that reality with simple, relatable designs, gentle humour, and validation. Perfect for tea, coffee, or whatever gets you through the day. Order Early for Blue Sunday To make sure your mug arrives in time for Blue Sunday on 17 May we recommend ordering as soon as possible. All drinkware ordered in April and May will count toward our fundraising total and contributes directing to supporting people in Canterbury and the West Coast with ME/CFS and Long Covid. A Small Act That Adds Up Not everyone has the capacity to attend events or take part in large campaigns and that’s ok. This is a lower energy way to show support, start conversations, and be part of something meaningful. Get yours. Previous Next

Nurse Wendy Dragt shares guidelines for managing our energy when we live with a broken energy system < Back Recording for Energy Management presentation now available 20 Apr 2026 Nurse Wendy Dragt shares guidelines for managing our energy when we live with a broken energy system A presentation on Energy Management has been delivered around our region over the last month or so. A recording of nurse Wendy Dragt presenting this is now available to watch on our YouTube channel. The video is one hour long, so definitely pace yourself while watching! It has some really useful content and covers: Frameworks for understanding energy limits Pacing and life hacks 13 Strategies to manage the energy that you have Tools for pacing There are quite a few links to further reading and resources in the description for the video as well. https://youtu.be/orxAmVmt41I?si=-kIpXBPbYvOP6Tev Previous Next

The School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, has published a new Long COVID resource for GPs. Epidemiologist, Dr Mona Jeffreys, talked to us about how the resource was developed and how GPs can access it. < Back New Primary Health Care Resource for adults with Long COVID 19 Apr 2026 The School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, has published a new Long COVID resource for GPs. Epidemiologist, Dr Mona Jeffreys, talked to us about how the resource was developed and how GPs can access it. Dr Mona Jeffreys, epidemiologist, and her team from Victoria University of Wellington, have recently published a new Primary Health Care Resource for adults with Long COVID for GP's. The resource was co-designed with people with lived experience of Long COVID and was funded by the Health Research Council of NZ. Mona spoke at our April Online meeting about how the resource was developed using the Standford model of Design-led Thinking. (The recording of the talk is now available on our YouTube channel.) This co-design approach ensured that patients and researchers were considered as equal partners, that lived experience shaped the content, and that the resulting tool met the needs of patients and health professionals. What’s in the Resource? The resource includes a one-page document that gives a visual overview for diagnosing and managing Long COVID in adults. It has clickable links through to detailed guidance. An additional pdf with further readings and resources is also included. Mona has said that this pdf will be easier for the university to maintain going forward, while the overview page is expected to remain static. Mona recommended that people use the Post Covid Symptom Map regularly as a way to monitor and share symptoms and severity. Key findings from the research project People reported significant impacts of Long COVID on themselves and their families, including: medical dismissal, symptoms framed as psychological, delayed diagnosis, fragmented, confusing care pathways, need to self-advocate and research with limited energy. It is clear that Long COVID affects all aspects of people’s lives. How patients changed the resource The experience of people affected by Long COVID highlighted that the resource must: Emphasise pacing, validation, and partnership. Frame mental distress as consequence not the cause. Warn against graded exercise therapy for people with post-exertional malaise (PEM). Highlight that there is no evidence that “brain retraining” can treat a physical condition. Emphasise the overlap with ME/CFS, but that other systems and hence symptoms are also prevalent. Artwork captures the lived experience Participants were invited to create artwork to explain the impact of Long COVID. This is an insightful example… "This is supposed to resemble a teardrop. That's how I feel, that I could just cry all the time. Around it are all the words that have been taken away from me, like independence, support, job, friends, GP, normal company, hospital, help, acknowledgement, compassion, activities, empathy, socialising, basic needs. The middle is me with a smiley face hoping one day my life is going to turn back round again." For Additional Info More about the project and copies of all outputs are available at www.wgtn.ac.nz/fehps/centres/health-services-research-centre/recent-projects/evidence-based-management-of-long-covid/management-of-long-covid-in-primary-care Previous Next

Theme for this issue is Long COVID. We highlight recent articles in the media and a new Long COVID Primary Care Resource < Back Our April 2026 newsletter is now available! 15 Apr 2026 Theme for this issue is Long COVID. We highlight recent articles in the media and a new Long COVID Primary Care Resource We hope that you find something of interest in our latest newsletter. The newsletter includes the following items: A new Long COVID Primary Care Resource Long COVID in the news Our new Medical Advisor Increased prescribing lengths Blue Sunday, the Tea Party for ME Invitation to enter our Crash Wear Design Competition Upcoming meetings plus more. 41.2 April 2026 Newsletter - Long COVID .pdf Download PDF • 2.22MB Previous Next

Recording of a seated Tai Chi session for people with ME/CFS is now available < Back Wanting to try out seated Tai Chi? 29 Mar 2026 Recording of a seated Tai Chi session for people with ME/CFS is now available JIngjing Jackson, an experienced Tai Chi instructor, is leading three seated tai chi sessions for MECFS Canterbury this year. This is the first session recorded on 2nd March 2026 and is 35 minutes long. Tai Chi is a well-recognised body-mind movement and healing therapy, Published western research suggests that Tai Chi may help with post-intervention fatigue, depression, and anxiety and may improve sleep quality and mental function. Tai Chi may be a useful practice when you live with ME/CFS. WARNING: People with ME/CFS need to manage any physical or orthostatic exertion carefully to avoid triggering post-exertional malaise. People with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) also need to avoid exacerbating symptoms. When following the movements on the video, please participate safely, within your activity and health condition limits. A previous 'Introduction to Tai Chi' presentation and session by Jingjing is also available to watch https://youtu.be/NI_6gUMImqo Session 2 is scheduled online for 1st June 2026 and Session 3 is scheduled for 7th Sep 2026. Previous Next

Blue Sunday, created by Anna Redshaw, is a special day where people come together over a cuppa and some cake to raise awareness and funds for those living with ME/CFS. < Back Blue Sunday - The Tea Party for ME 12 Apr 2026 Blue Sunday, created by Anna Redshaw, is a special day where people come together over a cuppa and some cake to raise awareness and funds for those living with ME/CFS. We invite you to take part in the Tea Party for ME on Sunday, 17 th May 2026. It's an opportunity to feel part of a movement: knowing that others are drinking tea (or whatever) and collectively thinking of you and all those living with ME/CFS. Blue Sunday, created by Anna Redshaw, is a special day where people come together over a cuppa and some cake to raise awareness and funds for those living with ME/CFS. Yes, you can do this quietly in your own home or just go out for coffee wearing something blue. It can also be an opportunity to help raise funds for us, but this is optional. Since 2013, Blue Sunday has raised over £100,000 (est. NZD$266,000) for ME/CFS organisations across the world. Get involved by doing one or more of the following (or version of): Host a tea party at your home, workplace, community group, or even online! Wear something blue - PJ’s or blue nail polish counts! Enjoy a cup of tea (or coffee) and a slice of cake somewhere. Take some photos of your tea party and share on social media with the hashtags #BlueSunday #MECFSCanterbury and tag us @mecfscanterburyinc on facebook and @mecfs_canterbury on instagram. We would love to see your photos! Or email us and we will share. Or share in our Facebook Group . Ask guests and absent whānau to donate the price they’d pay at a cafe to support ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast: www.mecfscanterbury.nz/donate . For more info and resources, visit: the-slow-lane.com/blue-sunday-2026 the-slow-lane.com/2020/02/13/what-have-tea-and-cake-got-to-do-with-m-e Image below of Anna Redshaw wearing blue at a blue-themed tea party for Blue Sunday. Previous Next

Feeling creative and got some extra spoons? Turn them into something that speaks for our community with our Crash Wear Design Competition. We’re looking for ME/CFS or Long Covid themed designs for our Crash Wear merch, something that captures the lived experience of ME/CFS and Long Covid. < Back The 2026 Crash Wear Design Competition 10 Apr 2026 Feeling creative and got some extra spoons? Turn them into something that speaks for our community with our Crash Wear Design Competition. We’re looking for ME/CFS or Long Covid themed designs for our Crash Wear merch, something that captures the lived experience of ME/CFS and Long Covid. Three winning designs will be featured on ME/CFS Canterbury “Crash wear” merchandise and the winners will receive one crash wear item of their choosing featuring their design. Entries close Saturday, 31st May 2026, and winners will be announced on Friday 12th June 2026. Check out the current Crash Wear range at https://mecfscanterbury.digitees.co.nz Conditions of Entry Eligibility: Entry is open to members, caregivers, and family/whānau of people living with ME/CFS or Long COVID in the Canterbury and West Coast regions. Entry Period: Entries open upon announcement and close at 11:59pm, 31 May 2026 (NZST) Number of Entries: You may submit as many designs as your energy allows, no pressure to overdo it. Original Work: All submissions must be the entrant’s original work and must not infringe on any copyright, trademark, or intellectual property rights. Design Requirements: Designs should reflect themes relevant to ME/CFS and/or Long COVID. Artwork must be suitable for printing on merchandise e.g. clothing, accessories. Colours do not need to be limited to the existing colour palette of our Crash Wear (blue and white). Final files may be requested in a high-resolution format if shortlisted. We will also accept draft entries from people who have a good idea but not the skills or tools to create high quality art. If your design is the winner, we can arrange for the artwork to be done. Use of Entries: ME/CFS Canterbury may display submitted designs (with credit) on social media for promotional purposes related to the competition, unless the entrant requests otherwise. Selection of Winners: Entries will be reviewed and three winning designs selected by a panel of ME/CFS Canterbury staff, volunteers, and members. W inners will be announced on Friday 12th June 2026 on https://www.mecfscanterbury.nz/news-1 and by email. Prize: The three winning designs will be featured on ME/CFS Canterbury “Crash wear” merchandise and the winners will receive one crash wear item of their choosing featuring their design. The item of clothing or accessory can be selected from the range available from Digitees. View the selection at https://www.digitees.co.nz/create. Artist Credit & Rights: Artists will be credited wherever reasonably possible. If your design is selected as a winner, the rights to the design are transferred to ME/CFS Canterbury for use in promotional, fundraising, and merchandising purposes. Content Guidelines: Designs must not include offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate material. ME/CFS Canterbury reserves the right to exclude any entry that does not align with its values. Changes & Decisions: ME/CFS Canterbury reserves the right to amend these conditions or cancel the competition if necessary. All decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into. Submit Your Entry Submit here Feel free to email us on info@mecfscanterbury.nz if you have any questions. Previous Next

Donate We rely on grants and donations to fund our services because we do not currently receive any funding from the government's Health budget. Every dollar donated helps us to employ a skeleton part-time team and cover our operational costs. A one-off or regular donation helps us cover these example costs: $5 Posting our newsletter to a client who finds it easier to read a paper copy. $17 Monthly phone plan for one of our staff to call their clients. $20 Reimbursing staff for travel costs to visit one of their clients. $40 Purchasing a new book for our library. $60 Supporting a client to access benefits and other payments from Work and Income. $100 Venue hire and refreshments for one of our group meetings around the region. $250 Initial visit to a client by one of our Nurses, to explore diagnosis and symptom management, and to complete follow up referrals and a management plan. $400 Delivering an education session for health professionals or another organisation. $500 Supporting a student to remain at the Southern Health School for a year. $1800 Rent and utilities for our office for a month. Ways to Donate Internet Banking Donate directly to our bank account Westpac 03-0802-0060232-000 Our legal name is 'ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast Charitable Trust' Please use our Donation form to let us know you have done so. This enables us to send you a donation tax receipt and to say thanks! DONATION FORM Debit or Credit Card We can also accept payment by Debit or Credit Card, and Google Pay. Use our Donation Form to access these payment options using our Stripe online payment facility. DONATION FORM Givealittle The Givealittle website enables donations to be made by credit card, internet banking, or Givealittle wallet. You choose the amount and the frequency (one-off, monthly, fortnightly, or weekly). You can also select whether your name or ‘guest donor’ appears against the donation. GIVEALITTLE WEBSITE Payroll Giving If you are wanting to make a regular donation, however small, the Payroll Giving facility is available to employees to make a donation through your employer’s payroll system. Donations made via Payroll Giving receive an immediate PAYE credit of 33% of the donation amount. This avoids the need for charities to generate Donation Tax Receipts and for the donor to collect and submit Donation Tax Receipts to the Inland Revenue Department. Talk to your employer to enter this scheme, or visit to https://www.ird.govt.nz/roles/employees/payroll-giving-as-an-employee find out more. You will need these details: Organisation Name with IRD is ‘ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast Charitable Trust’ Charity registration number is CC32072. We have a bank account with Westpac 03-0802-0060232-000 Your employer will pass the donation to us, and let us know it is from Payroll Giving. Please let us know if you set Payroll Giving up, as we would appreciate the opportunity to say thanks. CONTACT US Donate Items We welcome donations of items for our use or for our book and equipment library, and also welcome items for resale on our Trade Me account. ENQUIRE ABOUT DONATING ITEMS

It is incredibly challenging living with a disabling chronic illness like ME/CFS as it significantly reduces our options and the quality of our life. It is natural that we would grieve the losses and find it difficult to cope with at times, especially if we are very unwell and not receiving much support. There are services and strategies that will help you to cope. Mental Wellbeing It is incredibly challenging living with a disabling chronic illness like ME/CFS as it significantly reduces our options and the quality of our life. It is natural that we would grieve the losses and find it difficult to cope with at times, especially if we are very unwell and not receiving much support. Find and develop strategies that help you cope: Schedule in activities that you enjoy or that help you feel connected to others. Stress will worsen any illness, and ME/CFS is no exception, so look for ways to minimise stressors. Allocate time for friendships with people who understand and care. Explore practices like mindfulness and self-compassion (see Strategies section below). Talk to your doctor about accessing counselling or other mental health services (see section below). Consider coming along to our in-person and online meetings , or joining our Facebook support group , to connect you with people who understand about life with chronic illness. We offer some suggestions for accessing counselling and developing strategies below. There are a range of mental health helplines and support services available in New Zealand and many of them are free. Give yourself permission to use them if you need to. The Mental Health Foundation of NZ provides a list of support options here . Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor. The Health Info website provides information about 'Getting help for a mental health issue' from Health NZ. This describes some of the mental health supports available in the South Island, including those available through your GP. To see a counsellor privately, you may be eligible for financial support to cover the fees from Work and Income, even if you are already receiving a Disability Allowance (see section below). Accessing mental wellbeing support Questions to ask a prospective therapist It is appropriate to ask a prospective service or therapist some questions before you start working with them, or during the first session. Consider asking: Ask what they understand about ME/CFS, or the chronic illnesses you have, to confirm that it matches current international guidance e.g. are they aware of the ME/CFS guidance on Health Info , from NICE (UK) or CDC (USA)? Are they familiar with the impacts of living with an invisible chronic illness which changes daily life and has no approved treatment? Describe what you are wanting support with and ask them to confirm they have relevant experience and interest in supporting you. You may have identified that you want support with issues, such as stress and uncertainty, adjustment, stigma, hopelessness, sleep problems, relationship challenges, grief and loss, identity, parenting, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Confirm what the funding arrangements are for the therapy. Confirm that the therapy can be offered in a format that meets the severity of your illness e.g. telehealth, phone, their office, your home, text. Wellbeing services through your medical centre Many General Practice clinics now have Health Improvement Practitioners (HIPs), Health Coaches and Support Workers through the Access and Choice programme . These team members are available to deliver a wide range of mental wellbeing support and tools, without long waits and often on the same day, and the services are free. Health Improvement Practitioners (HIPs) are experienced mental health clinicians who work with people of all ages and their whānau. They may have a degree in psychology, psychotherapy, mental health nursing, social work, occupational therapy or be a DAPAANZ registered counsellor. HIPs help people with any issues impacting on their health and wellbeing. Sessions are brief (15-30 minutes), normally in-person, and focus on what is important to you, today. At your first session you will get some strategies and a plan. There are no limits to how often you can see the HIP. Talk to your GP or ring your medical centre to find out the best way to get seen by a HIP who has an understanding of ME/CFS and life with chronic illness. View the Map of practices in Canterbury that have a HIP available. Other Brief Intervention Talking Therapy (BITT) options are also usually available. Ask your medical centre to refer you for free short-term support with your mental wellbeing. BITT therapists are registered mental health professionals and telehealth options may be available. Counselling by telehealth with Pūawaitanga If you are wanting to try some talk therapy, you may want to consider the short-term counselling offered via telehealth by Pūawaitanga. It is free for people over 18 who are on a Work & Income benefit or who hold a Community Services Card. If you don’t meet the criteria for free services, you can also pay to access the service. The sessions are offered through phone or video call between 9am-9pm, 7 days a week. There is no waitlist and first appointment is usually within five days. The number of sessions is flexible, depending on need. Pūawaitanga have confirmed they have counsellors who have experience offering support for long term health concerns, and that this can be requested in the referral. Self-refer through their website www.puawaitanga.nz or call 0800 782 999. Ask to be assigned with one of their trained professionals who is familiar with the impacts and grief of chronic illness. Counselling for under 25s with Gumboot Friday Gumboot Friday provides two free counselling sessions for anyone aged 25 and under who needs the support of a qualified practitioner, including counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, and art therapists. You can search their directory and select up to three counsellors who you’d be willing to talk to and then send them a message. Sessions can be face to face, online or by phone. “Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help – it’s just a conversation.” Aoake te Rā Aoake te Rā , also known as the Bereaved by Suicide Service, is a free service that gives 6 to 10 free sessions to support individuals and whānau to navigate life after suicide loss, whether recent or a long time ago. If you have lost someone to suicide, it may be impacting your physical health as well. Experienced therapists can support you to honour the grief and to explore finding a place for it. Private Counselling and Psychologists You can find a counsellor through the directory from the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC ). You can search for counsellors in your region and what they specialise in e.g. chronic illness, chronic fatigue syndrome. Most counsellors can offer telehealth sessions. You may have to pay part or all the cost. Health Psychologists seek to help people cope with the emotional and psychological impacts of adjusting to living with chronic physical health problems, and to foster hope for the future. Search the NZ Psychological Society directory or use a search engine to find the websites of psychologists. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) Some employers offer employee assistance programmes (EAP) to their employees and this may also be available to family members. An EAP is a confidential service that your employer pays for to give employees access to qualified, registered and experienced professionals. An EAP therapist can help you talk through issues affecting your wellbeing. Talk to your manager or human resources representative about whether your employer offers an EAP. Funding from Work and Income You may be eligible to apply to have the costs of ongoing mental health support covered by the Disability Allowance (DA) or the Temporary Additional Support (TAS) allowance from Work and Income. You don’t have to be on a benefit to qualify for the DA, but you and your partner cannot earn more than set income limits. The TAS has both income and asset tests and needs to be applied for every 3 months. Further Information About Services The Family Services Directory from MSD also lists a range of mental health services. Additional resources from the Mental Health Foundation of NZ include: Support for Myself is a list of resources including strategies for recovery. Accessing Mental Health Services covers finding a GP, community mental health services, how to find a therapist or professional, and finding a therapist privately, and community support groups. Developing strategies for mental wellbeing Reasons for prioritising self-care strategies Looking after our mental wellbeing often helps our symptoms to stablise and our health to improve. Low mood can sometimes be part of post-exertional malaise (PEM), so if the PEM episodes can be reduced, your mood may improve as your symptoms become more stable. Use our guidance for Activity Management to pace as well as possible given your circumstances. With ME/CFS and Long Covid, our autonomic nervous system might become dysfunctional, or dysregulated. This autonomic system includes our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and parasympathetic nervous system (calm/rest/digest). Your body may have trouble moving into the rest state, which can make your body feel that it is in danger or anxious. Along with our tips at the top of this page, it can be really helpful using mindfulness, breathing, gentle stretches or relaxation techniques during each day to calm down your nervous system. Self-directed Online Courses and Resources There are many courses and online resources that you can explore at your own pace. A selection of courses... Free courses and resources for New Zealanders covering anxiety, depression, and more www.justathought.co.nz/courses Free and paid content from Breathworks, including mindfulness for chronic illness www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/listing/category/self-guided-courses Other resources... The NZ Health App library from Healthify , highlights apps for mental health and wellbeing, mindfulness, and more. Some apps are free, others have a cost. Search our library catalogue for books that might support your mental wellbeing. We can post books out to you at not cost. Self-Compassion Self-compassion is a vital practice that can help us to reduce stress and increase our ability to enjoy what we can in difficult circumstances. Self-compassion is treating ourselves with the same care, kindness and concern that we would give a friend, when they are in pain or difficulty. It involves exploring soothing touch and soft vocalisation which release oxytocin and endorphins and help to reduce cortisol and relieve pain. Self-compassion also involves setting appropriate boundaries to protect our property, our time, or our emotional, mental and physical well-being. Kate Brandram-Adams, from Mindfulness North Canterbury, presented a workshop for us on this topic. Watch the recording here . For more information: Dr Kristin Neff website: www.self-compassion.org/self-compassion-practices Mindfulness Mindfulness is a practice that can help us to cope with the impacts of living with a chronic illness such as ME/CFS. It may enable us to notice changes to our symptoms sooner and give us an opportunity to bring a more compassionate response, rather than pushing through. It can also be useful for taking our attention away from our symptoms and may help to calm our autonomic nervous system (ANS). Di Robertson, a mindfulness mentor, has previously led a presentation and practice session for us. Watch this on YouTube. For more information: Mindfulness on Healthify healthify.nz/hauora-wellbeing/m/mindfulness Mindfulness Apps: www.headspace.com www.insighttimer.com Mindfulness Training App: www.themindfulnessapp.com Courses: MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction ) Finding Resilience Elizabeth Hamilton, a social worker and counsellor, has talked to us about finding resilience when debilitating illness brings many changes to our lives, along with loss, and grief. Being aware of our circle of control and approaches for living through and with loss and grief can make a difference. We invite you to watch the recording of Elizabeth's session on YouTube. Te Whare Tapa Whā Te Whare Tapa Whā is a wellbeing model developed by leading Māori health advocate Sir Mason Durie in 1984. The model describes health and wellbeing as a wharenui/meeting house with four walls. These walls represent taha wairua/spiritual wellbeing, taha hinengaro/mental and emotional wellbeing, taha tinana/physical wellbeing and taha whānau/family and social wellbeing. Our connection with the whenua/land forms the foundation. When all these areas are in balance, we thrive. When one or more of these is out of balance our wellbeing is impacted. Occupational Therapist Sarah Phipps led a presentation and workshop for us and highlighted some specific strategies for people with ME/CFS, including finding ways to live with loss. You can watch the presentation on our YouTube channel.