I Don’t Think Straight (IDTS) Connect

A free, peer-led space for unconventional conversations in Ōtautahi Christchurch

  • Powered by NZBMA & led by Wayne Armour, I Don’t Think Straight (IDTS) Connect is a free, peer-led initiative for LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse, & culturally diverse adults in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Rooted in the ‘I Don’t Think Straight ‘ mindset, it’s a safe, non-clinical space for honest conversations about identity, burnout, & life transitions.

    NZBMA, founded by Dawn & Wayne, has always gone beyond manual therapy. Having offered free 5min Sport Flush rubs to build injury-prevention education at local running events & raising thousands for local charities and organisation founded in mental health, cancer awareness, LGBTQIA+ & Māori inclusion initiatives. IDTS Connect extends this legacy, creating a space where those who think, love, or live outside the lines can connect, reflect & grow.

  • IDTS is a mindset for those who don’t fit rigid boxes, whether in how they think, feel, love, heal, or live. Originally born from Wayne’s personal journey post-COVID where he faced going through a breakup, finishing his undergrad & having to rebuild NZBMA in an unstable economy (all at once). Wayne constructed IDTS philosophy to be based from his own neurodivergent, his queerdom, having an abstract creative perspective & always colouring outside the lines.

    This approach challenges outdated mindset within the mental health, healthcare, education, identity & social concepts that demand straight lines when life moves in spirals, zigzags & loops. IDTS declares: “I’m not broken, I just don’t think the way the world expects. And that’s okay.”

  • IDTS Connect is a welcoming, peer-led space for real talk & participant-driven conversations. It’s not therapy or coaching, it’s a place to share lived experiences, find clarity & build connection. Created to help Ōtautahi community, IDTS Connect helps mend fractured identities shaped by heteronormative, neurotypical, or colonial narratives.

    Ōtautahi is a city defined by resilience, shaped by trauma & constant rebuilding. IDTS Connect offers an unconventional path to healing, especially for those often overlooked by mainstream systems. Wayne hopes to help LGBTQIA+, Māori, Pasifika, neurodiverse individuals, or anyone quietly navigating identity, shame, or disconnection. Whether you're a tradie feeling burnt out, a new parent carrying invisible stress, or a young professional questioning your place in the world, this space is for you too.

    No label or diagnosis required. Just clarity, courage & connection, one conversation at a time.

Online booking will be available soon, in the meantime email for bookings.

  • IDTS 1-on-1 Sessions (Free)

    • Duration: 60–90 minutes, in-person at NZBMA or online.

    • Format: You lead the conversation; Wayne listen with empathy & shares insight from lived experience, no judgment, just connection.

    • Focus: Identity, neurodiversity, burnout, injury frustrations, sporting fears, or life transitions, with no judgment.

    IDTS Small Group Circles

    Monthly, casual discussions with themes like:

    • “Navigating Queer Identity at Work”

    • “Thriving as Neurodiverse in a Neurotypical World”

    • “Reclaiming Takatāpui and Rainbow Resilience”

    • “Sporting Through Fear of Achievement”

    Each circle is gently guided to ensure emotional safety, with simple group agreements around respect, confidentiality & listening. There’s no pressure to share if you’re not ready, just being present is enough.

    Talks & Community Workshops

    Empowering events on identity, wellbeing & resilience, including:

    • From Shame to Power

    • Thriving Without Burnout

    • Living Authentically in Waitaha

  • At this point you are aware, but just incase, you don’t need any labels to be here & it’s free. IDTS Connect is for anyone feeling a little off-track, a little unheard, or a little unsure of how to keep things going. Here’s what that might look like:

    • Let say you’re a tradie who’s always just gotten on with things, but lately you’re tired in a way you can’t fix with sleep. You’ve never tried talking spaces like this, but something about this one feels different, so why not give it a go.

    • Now you’re a teacher, who loves your job, but burnout is starting to creep in, you’ve tried therapy in the past but it didn’t quite land for you. You just want a space to be real, without having to explain yourself & share the things that matter to you.

    • Or you’re a parent juggling work, relationships & invisible pressures. You don’t have a “label” just a feeling that something’s off. You want to talk without feeling like being put in a box, or being told to fix “it.”

  • As a Pākehā, Wayne collaborates with Māori facilitators & elders to ensure cultural safety, guided by principles like:

    • Tino Rangatiratanga: Centring Māori autonomy & voices.

    • Whanaungatanga: Building kinship & community.

    • Manaakitanga: Offering respect & care.

    • Ako: Learning reciprocally from each other.

    • Kaitiakitanga: Protecting stories & wellbeing.

    This ensures Māori, Takatāpui & Pasifika voices are prioritised respectfully.

What Makes IDTS Connect Different?

Unconventional Conversations: Participant-led, grounded in empathy & lived experience, not clinical frameworks or diagnoses.

  • Lived Experience: Led by Wayne Armour, an openly gay, neurodiverse practitioner with deep community roots.

  • Culturally Safe: Guided by Kaupapa Māori principles like whanaungatanga (kinship), manaakitanga (care) & tino rangatiratanga (Māori autonomy), with Māori voices centred through collaboration with local facilitators.

  • Built for Christchurch: Tailored to the city’s post-quake spirit & diverse communities.

  • Unique Focus Areas:

    • Navigating queer identity, shame, or isolation.

    • Managing business stress or academic imposter syndrome.

    • Giving space for body image, weight challenges, or injury recovery frustrations.

    • Supporting those for whom conventional therapy isn’t the right fit.

How The Session Works

 Before You Begin: Wayne will clarify expectations “This is not counselling or conventional therapy,” as well as guiding you to fill out a ‘IDTS Connect Welcome Form.’ This is to help set goals, area’s of focus, or aid in mapping your session for what your needing.

In the Session (60-90min):

    • You lead the conversation.

    • Wayne listens & share from lived experience.

    • You leave with clarity, courage & connection.

Logistics:

    • These are “free” sessions for the local community to access.

    • In-person at NZBMA or online.

    • Online Booking (available soon) to help streamline arranging sessions.

    • No clinical records unless a referral is needed for further support. Wayne holds respecting your privacy seriously & will not disclose anything said outside your sessions.

    • Optional supportive handouts & info on available resources within the local community for selfcare.

Who It’s For?

A peer-led talk session is ideal for situations where someone needs non-clinical, real-world support. A safe space to be heard, unpack thoughts, & feel less alone:

  • LGBTQIA+ adults, professionals, or creatives feeling unseen or isolated.

  • Neurodiverse individuals navigating burnout or academic challenges.

  • Those who are facing injury setbacks & sporting frustrations.

  • Māori, Pasifika, or ACC-sensitive claim clients seeking culturally relevant support.

  • Those for whom therapy hasn’t worked or feels inaccessible.

  • Anyone feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or out of place, even if you don’t identify with a specific label. You’re welcome here too.

    Who It’s Not For?

    A peer-led talk session like IDTS Connect is not the right fit for everyone. It’s not for situations requiring clinical, crisis, or specialist intervention. Specifically, it’s not suitable for:

    • Mental health crises: as in suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or severe distress needing immediate support.

    • Active addiction or substance dependence: requiring medical or therapeutic treatment.

    • Diagnosed mental health conditions: needing ongoing care from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or counsellor.

    • People seeking professional advice: like legal, medical, or financial help.

    • Those looking for structured therapy, coaching, or case management: this needs support by a trained mental health professional.

    In these cases, Wayne can help guide someone toward the right support, but IDTS Connect isn’t a replacement for trained mental health professionals or crisis services. It's about shared humanity, not clinical care.

    There is zero tolerance for anyone wishing physical or emotional harm or violent on others, showing inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour, or any criminal action.

Local Connections

IDTS Connect refers to these trusted organisations for support:

  • Yellow Brick Road: Community-based family counselling.

  • Qtopia, InsideOUT, RainbowYOUTH: LGBTQIA+ youth resources.

  • Mana Tipua, Tīwhanawhana: Takatāpui and Māori storytelling.

  • Moana Vā: Pasifika rainbow communities.

  • Christchurch Pride, MHERC, Safe Space Alliance: Visibility and safety.

From Wayne Armour:

“NZBMA has always been about healing the whole human. IDTS Connect is a movement aimed at bridging the emotional & cognitive gaps in identity & recovery within the Ōtautahi community. It’s about showing up, speaking your truth, being vailated not fixed, & feeling seen herad & understood. No labels. No pressure. Just a space to be your authentic self & be seem.”