Michelle Tukana
I’m a Registered Social Worker and supervisor with over 20 years of experience walking alongside tamariki, rangatahi, adults, whānau, and the frontline professionals who support them. My career has spanned statutory health, child protection, and community-based organisations, with a strong focus on supporting tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau within child and adolescent mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) therapeutic services. Alongside my direct practice, I have held leadership and supervision roles, providing reflective, strengths-based supervision to social workers, mental health clinicians, and youth workers. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation of both the rewards and challenges of frontline practice, and a genuine passion for supporting practitioners to grow in confidence, capability, and wellbeing.
My practice is grounded in a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and culturally responsive approach and I believe that meaningful change begins with connection. When practitioners feel supported, valued, and empowered, they are better able to bring their best selves to the people they walk alongside. That ripple effect extends to our rangatahi, whānau, and communities, creating spaces where people feel safe, seen, and able to thrive.
My Approach
I offer supervision that’s reflective, practical, and sustainable—so you can keep showing up well for the young people you serve. Youth work is relational, fast-moving, and often heavy. My supervision style meets you where you’re at—practical, reflective, and grounded in real-world youth sector challenges like crisis response, boundaries, safety planning, engagement with hard-to-reach rangatahi, interagency collaboration, and sustaining your own wellbeing. Expect a space where you’re backed and stretched: we’ll celebrate wins, unpack the tough stuff, and turn values into clear practice steps.
Qualifications
- Masters in Social Work - Massey University
- Post Graduate Certificate in Child and Adolescent Mental Health - University of Auckland
- Certificate of Proficiency – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Children, Adolescents and their Families - University of Auckland
Profesional Association
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers
Social Work Registration Board