Cubillo, C. (2021). Trauma-informed care: Culturally responsive practice working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. InPsych, 43(3). https://psychology.org.au/for-members/publications/inpsych/2021/august-special-issue-3/trauma-informed-care
ABSTRACT

Trauma-informed care is often poorly defined in Australia’s healthcare field and is even less defined when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Our program, Damulgurra – the Larrakia word for ‘heart’ – seeks to address some missing elements of trauma-informed care in Australia through a process for knowing, being and doing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Through safety in relationship with our team of facilitators, Damulgurra seeks to support the decolonising aspect of ‘knowing’ the accurate history of Australia. The program supports learning about how systemic, intergenerational and collective trauma affects the nervous system, impacts on culture and influences the social determinants of health. Damulgurra gently encourages transformation through self-reflection on ‘being’ and action planning for ‘doing’. The hope is that trauma-informed care becomes a central practice in working with our people and is integrated at all levels of organisations and systems that service the community.