Dr Mel Taitimu
Clinical Psychologist | Burnout Prevention & Stress Management Expert | Founder of The MAIA Method™
Hi, I'm Dr Mel, a clinical psychologist who specialises in stress management and burnout prevention for people who want to show up for those they love and lead, or pursue high performance goals, without sacrificing their own wellbeing.
Whether you're an individual seeking burnout support, a professional sports person, a high performance team or leader, I work with you to build the skills of self leadership. My goal is to support you to work with your body, mind and heart to move through and out of chronic stress and burnout.
Through the experience of working for thousands of hours with the people who everyone relies on, the ones who hold it all together, I created The MAIA Method™. A science-backed, values-led approach to sustainable wellbeing.
I don't believe in surface-level fixes or quick tips. I believe in deep, sustainable change that helps you be the best version of yourself in the busy terrain of your everyday life. My approach is inclusive, trauma-informed, compassion-based and grounded in both science and humanity.
Three decades of training and clinical experience.
My work spans public and private sectors, from individual therapy and high performance sport to executive leadership, team training, keynote speaking and research.
Bachelor of Science in Physiology
PhD in Clinical Psychology
4 years post graduate training in Clinical Neuropsychology
20+ years of clinical practice across public and private sectors
Specialist training in ACT, CBT, DBT and somatic modalities
Fully registered under the clinical scope with the Psychology Board of Australia
Advisor to executive boards on psychological safety and workplace wellbeing
Leadership in private practice and public community health organisations
Advisor to indigenous research projects: Kaupapa Māori Psychology
Supervisor for post graduate research and external examiner for PhD students
A number of grants and awards for post graduate research
Clinical psychologist, writer, lecturer, trainer and speaker
Burnout does not need to be the cost of showing up.
I have my own history and journey around burnout in my roles as a mother, wife, wider family member and in my commitments to work and community. As a Māori woman, on the journey of reclaiming my identity within a familial history of colonisation, I also understand the impact a sense of belonging has on the risk of burnout.
I have found that the pandemic of burnout facing the developed western world is personal, societal, historical and political. I cannot treat individuals without looking at the systems they live in.
Just like the soil impacts the health of a tree, so do workplaces, families and communities.
Burnout is not a personal failure. It's a sign something needs to shift, and I'm here to help people experience that shift by elevating mental health literacy across workplaces and communities one conversation at a time.
You don't have to wait until it gets worse.
Whether you're looking for individual support or want to bring my work into your organisation, team or upcoming event, I'd love to connect.