Making Self-Care a regular part of practice: A reflection from one Aboriginal health professional to another
Gudu-Guduwa: Healing disconnection through incorporating bush and animal-assisted therapies into therapeutic practice: A First Nations reflection
As mental health therapists, too often we see outward symptoms of lives impacted by complex trauma. Disconnection from self, others (families and community), and Country is at a crisis point. Looking to our First Nations healing knowledges, the author explores her experiences as a First Nations woman and therapist, and how she incorporates bush and […]
Boongs, Bigots, and Bystanders: Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Experiences of Racism and Prejudice and their Implications for Psychology in Australia
‘Ready, steady. Practice!’: How working better with Indigenous Australian people can take as little as three minutes of your time
For fans of a certain afternoon cooking show, the title of this article may bring to mind the frantic preparation of apparently delectable meals relying on a restricted range of ingredients within a restrictive time frame. The notion that good things may be achieved in a short period is applied in this article which proposes […]
Understanding the Wellbeing Needs of First Nations Children in Out-of-Home Care in Australia: A Comprehensive Literature Review
Introduction: Despite the increasing overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter respectfully referred to as First Nations) children living in out-of-home care (OOHC) in Australia, little is known about their wellbeing needs. This comprehensive literature review aimed to identify these needs and the features of care required to meet them. Methods: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, […]
What Matters to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth (WM2Y): a study protocol to develop a national youth well-being measure
Introduction Adolescents face challenges associated with unprecedented environmental, social and technological changes. The impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, racism and socioeconomic disadvantage intensify these challenges for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents also have cultural, spiritual, family and community capital that fosters their well-being.To date, little research […]
Young urban Aboriginal adults’ perspectives of culture and SEWB
Critical Reflexivity in Indigenous and Cross-cultural Psychology: A Decolonial Approach to Curriculum
Highlights Critical reflexivity is a mechanism for working toward decoloniality in higher education. We analyzed Indigenous and cross-cultural psychology students? written reflections. Analyses revealed that students negotiate experiences of discomfort and uncertainty in the classroom. Findings support the value of discomfort for prompting transformations among students. We pose a commentary on the tensions inherent to […]
Use of the Westerman Aboriginal Symptoms Checklist – Youth (WASC-Y) to screen for mental health problems in Indigenous youth in custody
The primary aim of this study was to screen for mental health problems in Australian Indigenous young people in a youth detention centre using the Westerman Aboriginal Symptoms Checklist – Youth (WASC-Y). Over the study period, all Indigenous young people admitted into custody were referred for screening with the WASC-Y, a culturally validated fivescaled instrument […]
The need for culturally valid psychological assessment tools in Indigenous mental health
A clear understanding of the nature and extent of suicidal behaviour and other mental health issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations has been limited by the national failure to develop clinically and culturally valid assessments and to ensure the cultural competence of practitioners. The default position for Australian mental health researchers is to […]
The Westerman Aboriginal Symptom Checklist – Youth Version: national data from a clinical sample of Aboriginal youth
To produce national clinical norms for WASC-Y, examine the internal consistency of the WASC-Y scales, compare scores from a clinical sample with previously published community sample data, and test the degree to which other scales predict the Suicide Scale. We analysed WASC-Y data from 1226 Aboriginal youth who had presented to mental health services between […]
Truth and reconciliation for whom? Transitional justice for Indigenous peoples in American psychology.
In October 2021, the American Psychological Association apologized to people of color in the United States for its role in systemic racism. Spurred by a national racial reckoning, Indigenous Peoples have been regularly incorporated into initiatives redressing America’s legacy of racism. Although Indigenous Peoples have been racialized during the formation of the United States, this […]
Journey of a Lifer: A Peter Smith story
Finding our Voice: Supporting social and emotional wellbeing after the referendum
In the leadup to National Sorry Day on Sunday 26 May, Embrace @ Telethon Kids Institute and Kulunga Aboriginal Unit held Finding our Voice: Supporting social and emotional wellbeing after the referendum, a webinar on the impact of last October’s referendum on the Voice to Parliament. Presenters: Embrace Co-Director Professor Helen Milroy AM, Co-Director of […]
Strategies for coping and dealing with lateral violence among Aboriginal people living in south-east Australia
Objective Lateral violence, a group of behaviours directed towards people of the same group, is considered endemic among Aboriginal people. Behaviours include bullying, gossiping, isolation or exclusion of certain group members, and challenges to one’s Aboriginal identity. Lateral violence impacts all aspects of one’s life. Due to its pervasiveness, this qualitative study investigated strategies employed […]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Complex Trauma and Strengths Questionnaire: psychometric evaluation
Objective Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (complex trauma) describes a cluster of symptoms frequently associated with prolonged exposure to inescapable threats or abuse. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia impacted by complex trauma, there may be compounding factors, such as experiences of historical trauma, loss and socio-economic deprivation stemming from colonisation. However, there […]
The interactive effects of Indigenous identity and lateral violence on youth adjustment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
Lateral violence is the potential for members of a group to engage in practices that are harmful to other members of their own group. Evidence indicates that lateral violence can affect Aboriginal children?s social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB); however, little is known about the potential for ethnic-racial identity (ERI) to protect against harmful effects of […]
Exploring bonding and attachment in Aboriginal families
Objective Bonding and attachment relationships are essential to how children develop in society. These relationships have primarily been understood through the “Attachment Theory” which frames parent-child relationships, and the ways a child can be supported to develop within a secure base. Attachment theory (M. D. S. Ainsworth, 1978; Bowlby, 1969), has extensive literature supporting its […]
Learning from community voices about lateral violence and lateral empowerment: a scoping review of grey literature
Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth are vulnerable to racism, trauma and Lateral Violence (LV) where negative feelings and behaviours are directed towards members within their own oppressed group. Conversely, Lateral Empowerment (LE) is the collective prevention and repair of the effects of LV and promotes resilience and strength. There is limited peer reviewed […]
Workforce Wellbeing Guide: A self-reflection and self-care resource for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in the Kimberley
This guide is designed to provide the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) workforce in the Kimberley with information about wellbeing in the workplace. The guide focuses on the role of self-reflection and self-care in safeguarding and promoting worker wellbeing. It includes practical activities and resources that can be used in a range of settings, […]
Psychologists’ experiences towards culturally responsive practices to strengthen social and emotional wellbeing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
Objective This study aimed to explore psychologists experiences when providing culturally responsive psychological practice working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Method Psychologists (N = 108, Female 83.2%, Male 16.8%, Aboriginal 13.9%, non-Indigenous 86.1%, age range 22–83) responded to an electronic mixed method survey. Statistical and content analysis were undertaken using data gathered to address the […]
Healing among Indigenous people is more crucial now than ever. Here’s a way forward
Report 1 – Focus Group findings: Monitoring of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing during the Voice to Parliament Referendum
Listening more: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision. Manual of Resources for Psychology Supervisors.
Welcome to the one of two companion documents to the Listening More: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision. A Guide for Psychology Supervisors (hereafter, the Guide). This document is the Listening More: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision. Manual of Resources which includes a sample of recommended reading and resources to assist psychology supervisors’ learning journeys. The […]
Listening more: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision. A Guide for Psychology Supervisors.
The Listening More: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision. A Guide for Psychology Supervisors is designed to support supervisors in being culturally safe and responsive in their supervision of Australia’s psychologists, specifically when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This project was led by the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP), in collaboration with […]