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Practical skills for real-world wellbeing

Big Chat (noun): a safe place to talk about mental healthEver been worried about someone, but you weren't sure what to say? Didn't know if it was your place to ask? Or worried you might make it worse? In the face of the mental health crisis, we can all do our bit to support each other, and Big Chats is here to support and empower you to do so confidently, safely, and effectively.We develop and deliver a range of mental health education resources, including workshops, webinars, and web content. Drawing from the evidence base, professional experience, and best practice, we teach practical skills and tools that can be used in work and everyday life so that nobody struggles alone.Big Chats Charitable Trust (COMING SOON!) & Big Chats Limited

SERVICES

CLIENTS INCLUDE:

TESTIMONIALS

"Your leadership through the inspiring workshop day thrilled and amazed me. Thank you. I look forward to the next workshop."
- Dave Roughan, Workshop attendee"I really enjoyed the course and learned a lot from it. It covered a lot of important ground and promoted a lot of thinking about core professional issues for me. Thanks for putting together an excellent program."
- Eric, General Practitioner"The Big Chats workshops have had the biggest impact on my practice of any professional development in the last 5 years. Thank you!"
- Workshop attendee"The team from Big Chats helped equip our team with the tools to deal with the big conversations we're trying to have. This is a necessity to have in our tool box when helping individuals at an informal community care level. They presented insightful information in a way the team at Lads Without Labels was able to go forward and action. This included being able to figure out if a person was "not good up top" and follow a series of steps to ensure they received the appropriate support, whether this be in a peer or professional setting. The follow up support that Big Chats provided after touching on some pretty heavy topics is a testament to their experience, professionalism, and a huge amount of caring."
- George, Lads Without Labels'Workshops have provided attendees with the tools to be an active listener to all patients and families, and also to confidently assess risk and identify safety plans – “absolutely brilliant series of workshops; Elle is an amazing presenter who facilitated great discussion; would highly recommend to all clinicians”'
-Mark Eager, Mobile Health CEO

operations team

Elle Cradwick - General Manager
MSc (Psych) | BA (Hons)Nō Ingarangi ahau, engarei, kei Ōtautahi taku kāinga ināianei.
Ko Tangata Tiriti ahau, Ko Elle Cradwick tōku ingoa.I hold a Masters in Psychology, and am passionate about all things mental health and wellbeing. Previous roles include national Helpline Manager at Youthline and Suicide Prevention & Postvention Co-ordinator, and Portfolio Co-ordinator, Aoake te Rā.I was driven to create Big Chats to fill an urgent need I saw both in mahi and life - to teach people to confidently lead big chats about mental health so that anyone struggling has a safe space to be heard and supported when it matters the most.

Emmy Smart - Clinical Advisor
MEdPsych | PGDipEPPTēnā koutou, ko Torless te pae maunga, ko Miritu te whanga. Ko Te Tiriti o Waitangi te waka. I whānau mai, au ki Ōtautahi. He kaimātai hauora hinengaro au. Ko Emmy Smart taku ingoa.I am an Educational Psychologist and registered with the New Zealand Psychologist Board. I aim to cater to individual needs in presentations, providing clear, relevant and evidence-based information. I recognise how each person’s individual experiences and knowledge can support other participants' learning. Outside of mahi I enjoy surfing, playing social sport and exploring Ōtautahi by foot!

Jess Dickson - Clinical Advisor
BCouns | MNZACTēnā koutou katoa, ko Jess tōku ingoa. I am a registered counsellor with experience in community, school, and agency settings. Most of my mahi involves working with tamariki and rangatahi (which I love!), although I am also passionate in working with young women. My hope for working in mental health is that we can appreciate the wisdom we hold within us and in doing so, find the answers we are looking for.In my free time I love all things creative. Dance, music, drawing, and pottery are just a few examples. My other passion is colour! My wardrobe and my home are full of it.

Arden Ongley - Advisor
BSci(Hons) - Psych | BANō Airani aku tūpuna, I tipu ake au ki Ahitereiria, kei Ōtautahi au e noho ana, ko Arden tōku ingoaI am currently working toward a Master’s in Psychology on the risk and protective factors of suicide for young men in New Zealand. I have completed work as a counsellor, mentor and education facilitator at Youthline and have held pastoral care roles for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Christchurch, The Kind Foundation and College House.I also work outside of the mental health space as a ski instructor. My passion for the outdoors continues beyond the slopes and I love doing anything active that is in nature.

charitable trust board

Matt Truman - Chair
MED(Counselling) | MNZACMatt is of English and Irish decent. His ancestors came to Aotearoa in the 1840's and have lived in the Canterbury and Banks Peninsula regions. Matt grew up in Motueka and now resides with his wife and daughter in Ōtautahi ChristchurchI hold a Masters in Education (Counselling) and am a Member of the New Zealand Counselling Association. I am passionate about mental health and wellbeing and have over 10 years’ experience including, personal and professional experience in Disability, therapeutic foundations in Acceptance and Commitment Theory, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, as well as a strong foundation in Active Listening.

Cheyenne Scown - Pou AhureaHe uri ahau nō Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara me Ngāi Te Rangi
No Kaikohe ahau
Kei Ōtautahi e noho ana
He tauira tohu kairangi ahau ki te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
He kairangahau ahau hoki
Ko Cheyenne Scown tōku ingoaI am currently completing a PhD in Psychology related to the topic of trauma-informed care for Māori. I’ve worked in a range of research and therapeutic settings including with tamariki, rangatahi and whānau who have experienced trauma.I love to explore how we can facilitate tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake for tangata whenua within the hauora hinengaro space using our traditional ways of knowing, being, doing and understanding. I look back to our indigenous wisdoms and worldviews which I believe hold the key to our ability to heal and flourish while acknowledging our historical context and the important role that intergenerational trauma has played in our collective waiora today.

Jamie Dudfield - TreasurerJamie is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of experience, specialising in the rural and agricultural sectors. Known for his pragmatic approach, he brings strong capabilities in compliance, tax, budgeting, forecasting, and financial risk management. As Treasurer, Jamie is responsible for overseeing Big Chats’ financial reporting and ensuring the organisation’s financial sustainability.He describes Big Chats’ mahi as being close to his heart, and brings his values-driven perspective and pragmatic risk mitigation approach to all his financial and strategic input. Jamie was born and raised in Southland and continues to enjoy the outdoors, especially in North Canterbury where he resides on a lifestyle block. He’s also an avid fan of American Football and follows the sport with enthusiasm.

Madi Keay - TrusteeMadi is a strategic leader, fundraising expert, and passionate advocate for equity and community wellbeing. She brings over a decade of experience in the impact sector, with a track record of helping not-for-profits, government, and community organisations unlock the resources they need to thrive. Madi combines financial knowledge with hands-on experience across fundraising, grants management, strategy, and governance. With an academic background across economics, psychology, Indigenous studies, and sustainable development, one of Madi’s many skills is supporting grassroots organisations build sustainable budget approaches and revenue streams. Outside of mahi, Madi enjoys travelling and volunteering with a range of organisations whose purpose are close to her heart, including Big Chats.

Ian Mills - TrusteeIan is a respected leader in the research and strategy sectors. Throughout his career, Ian has built a reputation for helping organisations use insights and data to make better decisions that align with the needs of communities and legislative requirements. His expertise lies in guiding teams through complex change, customer experience strategy, and data-driven decision-making. During his 30+ year career across a wide range of industries, he has accrued significant experience in sponsorship development, stakeholder engagement, communications, and fundraising initiatives—key pillars of success in the charitable sector.

Get in touch

We love to chat! Email us at info@bigchats.org.nz

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