Note‐Taking: A Collaborative Weaving of Narrative Stories and Te Tiriti o Waitangi

ABSTRACT Therapeutic note‐taking practices can be critical sites where colonisation is perpetuated, Indigenous knowledges and practices are discounted and pathologised, and records about whaiora are created without their input. However, a therapeutic note‐taking practice that resists these discursive practices is possible. The article argues for a weaving together of narrative therapy and Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the foundational agreement of Aotearoa (New Zealand). We use the metaphor of weaving of a kākahu (a treasured woven Māori cloak) as an invitation to kaiwhirirwhiri (counsellors) to reflect on the philosophies and ideas that underpin their note‐taking practices. We offer an explanation of an approach that weaves together an honouring of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the whenu (foundational threads) and the collaborative and anti‐individualising principles of narrative therapy, which serve as the aho (the horizontal weaving threads), ensuring the process honours the storyteller's own language and expertise. Weaving together Te Tiriti o Waitangi and narrative therapy invites re‐authoring of the purpose of note‐taking. It moves beyond records of deficit to the creation of a therapeutic taonga (treasure) co‐authored with the people who consult us. Lastly, this article reframes note‐taking as an act of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), a sacred responsibility to ensure that the stories of individuals and whānau (families) are protected, honoured and reflective of their enduring strength and agency.