Dr Hinemoa Elder FRANZCP, PhD, MNZM
Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāi Tākoto, Ngāpuhi nui tonu
Dr Hinemoa Elder is a celebrated Māori psychiatrist, author, and advocate, weaving her passion for te ao Māori into her professional and community roles. She is a staunch supporter of te reo Māori, drawing strength from her whakapapa and working collaboratively to empower whānau, hapū, and iwi.
Hinemoa began her career in dance, theatre, and children’s television before a life-changing moment led her to study medicine at the University of Auckland. Inspired by her mother’s battle with breast cancer, she graduated with an MBChB in 1999 and specialized in child and adolescent psychiatry. She later earned a postgraduate certificate in forensic psychology and completed a PhD focusing on tikanga-based approaches for tamariki with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The tools she developed are now widely used in rehabilitation services, bridging mātauranga Māori with modern healthcare practices.
Hinemoa’s contributions span numerous leadership roles, including:
Board Member, The Helen Clark Foundation.
Patron, Share My Super Charity.
Māori Strategic Leader, Brain Research NZ | Rangahau Roro Aotearoa.
Deputy Psychiatry Member, Mental Health Review Tribunal (since 2012).
Visiting Professor, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i (2018).
Professor, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi (2016-2021).
Professorial Fellow in Indigenous Mental Health Research
Director of Te Whare Mātai Aronui, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
Māori Strategic Leader, Brain Research New Zealand - Rangahau Roro Aotearoa, University of Auckland
Dr Elder has maintained a private practice specializing in neuropsychiatric care for tamariki and their whānau. Her work extends to regional and community mental health services, including the establishment of a primary mental health clinic at Te Hiku Hauora in Kaitāia. This clinic uses Muriwhenua tikanga to provide prevention and early intervention approaches tailored to Māori needs.
Hinemoa is a best-selling author with works that combine Māori wisdom and contemporary insights:
Waitohu. A journal for meaning making.
E moko. Dear moko, wisdom for young ones.
Through these works, she inspires readers to embrace compassion, respect, and harmony, reconnecting with the values of te ao Māori.
Dr Elder is a Fellow of the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (since 2006) and has played a pivotal role in shaping mental health services in Aotearoa. She has contributed to Ministry of Health frameworks and participated in international collaborations, including a neurological think tank at the University of Deusto, Spain. Her work emphasizes the integration of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori as transformative tools in health interventions.
In 2014, Dr Elder received a Health Research Council of New Zealand Eru Pomare Post Doctoral Fellowship, in 2017 Elder received the Innovation and Science Award at the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards. In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Elder was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to psychiatry and Māori.
Living on Waiheke Island, Hinemoa shares her life with her husband while maintaining a deep connection to her whakapapa. Her work with whānau, hapū, and iwi reflects her unwavering commitment to Māori self-determination and well-being.
Dr. Hinemoa Elder’s life exemplifies the power of integrating Māori values into professional practice. Her dedication to whānau and te ao Māori inspires people across generations, reaffirming the importance of identity, culture, and collective well-being in creating a thriving future for all.
Additional links:
M9: Dr. Hinemoa Elder speaks at the M9 Matariki celebration
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga – Dr Hinemoa Elder
University of Auckland - Doctor, now author, Hinemoa Elder shares her Aroha 30 October 2020
Dr Sylvia van Altvorst
Updated 16 December 2024
