“It’s about basic values like manaaki (respect).” Aikman said a trauma-informed approach is not just for doctors and teachers, but for the entire community. “We have to change the way we deal with people, the way we help people through trauma.” “It’s up to us as practitioners, employers and everyday people to be non-judgemental, and to give people opportunities to share.” Asked if the over-stretched health, education and social services sectors can afford to take a holistic approach, Aikman said the alternative was far more expensive. “If we don’t address this it’s only going to magnify, and the costs are going to become even more disproportionate.”