Name: Janet Peters
Company: The International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL)
Job title: New Zealand liaison
Describe your job.
This is a part-time job that I have held for 11 years. IIMHL is a government-sponsored virtual agency and is made up of eight countries: Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden and the US. The aim is to keep improving mental health and addiction services.
What is the main thing you want to achieve professionally?
I am passionate about improving services for children using the "adverse childhood experiences" research. So for the last four years I have promoted this work around New Zealand. It is my belief that we need what is called a "trauma informed approach" to all government services (that is, health, education, justice, police, housing, etc).
It is so important to intervene early - preferably at mums and babies but definitely with children. The first 100 days are critical - we know that.
Why did you get into this profession?
I trained as a registered psychologist and then realised I was better suited to serving communities and populations as I love learning and research and making change.