Jase Williams (Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Kahungunu) is a facilitator, author, and advocate dedicated to the vital intersection of relational neuroscience, indigenous knowledge, and equity-centred practice. With nearly 30 years of experience, Jase walks alongside people to help them return to our most basic of human needs: belonging, unconditional love, and the restorative power of healthy relationships.
Having served as the Principal of Henry Hill School (2012–2022)—where he led a transformation recognised by the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Award for Wellbeing—Jase applies the same relational principles across high-stakes environments. From the front lines of correctional facilities and social services to mental health, suicide awareness, and family/community support, he helps individuals and organisations navigate the complexities of trauma, intergenerational harm, and recovery.
Jase is the author of Your Trauma Has A Whakapapa, a book that reframes trauma not as a clinical deficit to be fixed, but as a journey deeply connected to ancestry and identity. This perspective guides his work as a National Champion for the Ministry of Social Development’s Changemaker programme, where he supports community-led systems change and family violence prevention.
Whether addressing a TEDx audience, working alongside incarcerated men and women to reclaim their narratives, or supporting parents and professionals in finding connection, Jase brings a relentless commitment to equity. He remains a leading voice here in New Zealand and internationally, challenging us to recognise that the path to true healing is always found in the strength of our collective humanity.
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KEYNOTE SPEAKING
Jase is a TEDx speaker and sought-after keynote presenter, having spoken at conferences throughout New Zealand and internationally.
Jase doesn’t just talk about trauma, connection, and healing; he’s lived it. His presentations are powerful, engaging, and deeply human, woven from raw personal experience, grounded in relational neuroscience, and illuminated through the lens of indigenous wisdom.
With honesty, humour, and heart, Jase invites audiences into conversations that go beyond theory. He speaks from lived experience of what it means to break cycles, rebuild connection, and lead with compassion. His storytelling bridges the science of the body with indigenous wisdom, creating a space where people don’t just listen—they feel, reflect, and remember.
What makes Jase’s message unforgettable is its authenticity. He doesn’t stand apart from the work; he embodies it. Every story, every insight, and every moment on stage carries the depth of someone who has walked through pain, led transformation, and continues to help others do the same. The result is an experience that is as relatable as it is transformative, reminding us that true change begins with connection.
Insights & Feedback From Session Attendees:
'An honest, thought provoking and relevant professional learning opportunity.'
'It honestly felt like I was in therapy for the whole day. And I loved it!'
‘Excellent, relevant, relatable and authentic to all of us. We loved the real life experiences of someone who has walked the walk - not just the theory.'
‘It was so insightful and inspiring and confronting. Thank you for your honesty and transparency.’
‘ I walked out feeling grateful for you. Finally someone who understood and could relate to us.’
'Inspiring and affirming of working with whānau (family) and tamariki (children) without judgement but with aroha (love).'
‘ You are inspirational! You know it and you’re living it and I love and appreciate your willingness to share.’
CONNECTIONS
Jase has been fortunate to have learned from and alongside the world's biggest names in this space including: Gabor Mate, Stephen Porges, Bessel van der Kolk, Dan Siegel, Vanessa Lapointe, Deb Dana, Marlee Liss, Lori Desautels.
BOOK: YOUR TRAUMA HAS A WHAKAPAPA
Foreword written by Dr. Lori Desautels and Matt & Sarah Brown, MNZM
What if the pain you carry didn’t start with you?
What if healing doesn’t begin with fixing others, but by coming home to yourself?
In Your Trauma Has a Whakapapa, TEDx speaker, storyteller, former school principal, and relational neuroscience and trauma educator Jase Williams weaves together raw personal narrative, powerful pūrākau, and relational neuroscience to explore the deep roots of trauma and the transformative hope of healing.
From the echoes of his nana’s kitchen table growing up, to the classrooms of Aotearoa, and the hearts of whānau across generations, Jase invites us into a conversation that’s both deeply personal and urgently collective. With aroha, honesty, and fierce clarity, he shows how trauma lives in the body, hides in silence, and repeats in relationships, until someone chooses to break the cycle.
This is not a book of quick fixes. It’s a book of remembering, reparenting, and reclaiming. It’s about showing up with presence, not perfection. And it’s about transforming not just our own lives, but the generations to come.
Your trauma has a whakapapa.
But so does your healing.
“Jase lights the path with honesty, wisdom, and unwavering heart.”
- Dr. Lori Desautels
“There are some books we read, and some books we feel. This is a book you don’t simply hold in your hands; it holds you.”
- Matt & Sarah Brown, MNZM
“Just finished it for the second time! This time with highlighters. Colour coded! Understanding me, understanding my wife, understanding my kids. Fantastic, fantastic book."
"Your book is healing in so many ways."
"I'm barely through the forewords, preface, and beginning of chapter 1 and already the truth bombs are hitting!"
"Finished. Couldn't put it down. You've got the compelling mix of storytelling, science, te ao Māori and relatability - easy to read even though the content is heavy. Honestly, so good."
"Every page is healing."
"I'm reading your book for the second time. First time I read it with my brain. Now my heart is digesting your words. This is such a good read!!!"
“Your book is truly healing. I don't like to read at all. However, there is a comfort in your writing that provides me the space to be vulnerable. It's like you are here, not in a spiritual or physical way, but just PRESENT."
