Decolonising psychology and the transformative role of the AIPEP
Understanding Aboriginal Models of Selfhood: The National Empowerment Project’s Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program in Western Australia
Culturally safe and responsive interventions that acknowledge Aboriginal models of selfhood are needed. Such interventions empower Aboriginal peoples and communities by increasing self-determination over individual and community social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). In response to this need, the National Empowerment Project developed the Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program (CSEWB). The CSEWB aims to strengthen […]
Indigenous Knowledge and Mental Health
This text represents a wholly refreshing, important, challenging, and creative contribution to the literature addressing the impacts of colonization on the well-being of Indigenous Peoples and the role of Indigenous knowledge(s) in healing and wellbeing.
Responding to COVID-19 and Beyond: Key Recommendations for the Effective Public and Mental Health Response to Support the Well-Being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia
The Australian response to COVID-19 demonstrates how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, partnership, and self-determination are critical in ensuring public health measures and pandemic response planning is effective for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This chapter outlines the key evidence-based recommendations and actions developed by three national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led groups, […]
Webinar 45 | Using online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health & wellbeing
Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have always adapted to new technologies and are finding creative ways to maintain their health and wellbeing in the digital world. There are a range of websites, apps, videos and other online resources that our health and community workforce can use with their Indigenous clients to help them […]
Webinar 44 | Supporting Indigenous wellbeing through digital resources: an introduction for clinicians
The use of digital mental health resources has steadily gained traction. With the advent of Covid-19, the relevance and application of digital mental health is now at the forefront of treatment options. However, for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, mainstream digital mental health platforms lack cultural appropriateness and engagement. In this webinar we […]
Demonstrating the relationship between culture, on-country activity and positive social outcomes for Indigenous young people
This article provides a discussion of research literature concerned with the efficacy of on-country activity, culture, language, art and performance in supporting positive social outcomes for Indigenous people. It also includes references to a number of case study examples from regional Australia of successful ‘outcomes’ that have emerged from projects drawing upon culture, language and […]
Trauma-informed care: Culturally responsive practice working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
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 […]
Mental health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia during COVID-19
In May 2020, an independent working party was convened to determine the mental health and well-being needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, in response to COVID-19. Thirty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and allies worked together in a two-month virtual collaboration process. Here, we provide the working party’s five key […]
Traditional medicine plays a role alongside Western medicine
Indigenous cultures have successfully used traditional healers and bush medicine for thousands of years. Many of these practices continue to be used today. When dealing with Indigenous patients, it will help you to be aware of these practices and to understand why they are important to Indigenous Australians. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn […]
Ngangkari healers: 60,000 years of traditional Aboriginal methods make headway in medical clinics
Community Healing
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, healing is a holistic process, which addresses mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs and involves connections to culture, family and land. Healing works best when solutions are culturally strong, developed and driven at the local level, and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This New Short Film Details The Horrors Of Indigenous Displacement & Incarceration First-Hand
With NAIDOC Week observances ongoing for 2021, important spotlights are being placed on the issues and systemic under-privileges that face First Nations people from the moment they are born. And thanks to a brand new short film, the first-hand horrors of displacement and a youth spent slipping through the cracks have been laid bare.
The Role of Psychologists in a Changing Time
This is the third video in a three-part video series and collaboration between the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing project and Pearson Australia. This dynamic three-part video series provides foundational learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural knowledges, and explores contemporary global issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement. Together, the video […]
Kaartajin Ngundabut Indigenous Cultural Knowledge
This is the second video in a three-part video series and collaboration between the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing project and Pearson Australia. This dynamic three-part video series provides foundational learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural knowledges, and explores contemporary global issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement. Together, the video […]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health in General Practice: An introduction to teaching and learning
This guide sets out how GP Supervisors can strengthen teaching and learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
An introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health cultural protocols and perspectives
This document provides a guide to appropriate and respectful behaviour with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is intended to give RACGP members and staff background information and guidance on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, along with an understanding of important protocols and other relevant cultural issues. It can be used to guide […]
Healing through voice, culture and Country: Short films
This resource will benefit practitioners in mainstream health, education and social and community services who work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families experiencing FDV.
Self-determination and strengths-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention: An emerging evidence-based approach
This chapter explores the emerging international evidence-base within Indigenous suicide research which supports holistic, strengths-based, culturally safe prevention and focuses on the importance of self-determination and cultural-continuity within communities. The social and cultural determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide are discussed along with culturally specific understandings of living well, or social and emotional […]
Addressing inequities in Indigenous mental health and wellbeing through transformative and decolonising research and practice
Aim: This paper discusses the current mental health and social and emotional wellbeing in Indigenous Australian mental health and wellbeing, the gaps in research, the need for transformative and decolonising research and practice, and the opportunities and recommendations to address existing mental health inequities. Method: This paper reviews key mental health and social and wellbeing […]
Enhancing Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Aboriginal Boarding Students: Evaluation of a Social and Emotional Learning Pilot Program
Boarding schools can provide quality secondary education for Aboriginal students from remote Aboriginal Australian communities. However, transition into boarding school is commonly challenging for Aboriginal students as they need to negotiate unfamiliar cultural, social and learning environments whilst being separated from family and community support. Accordingly, it is critical for boarding schools to provide programs […]
Aboriginal Participatory Action Research: An Indigenous Research Methodology Strengthening Decolonisation and Social and Emotional Wellbeing
This discussion paper explicates the concepts and application of a critically reflexive and transformative Indigenous Research Methodology (IRM) — Aboriginal Participatory Action Research (APAR) — designed to centre and increase Indigenous voice and ‘epistemic self-determination’ in Indigenous research and psychology. The intent is to justify and legitimate Indigenous knowledges and methodologies as authentic, rightful, valued, […]
Wellbeing and Healing Through Connection and Culture
This review summarises the emerging research and knowledge, key themes and principles surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural perspectives and concepts of healing and social and emotional wellbeing as they relate to suicide prevention. These discussions will support Lifeline to enhance and refine their existing knowledge and practices to promote culturally responsive suicide prevention […]
“Every client has a trauma history”: Teaching respectful relationships to marginalised youth. An evaluation of NAPCAN’s Respectful Relationships Program Northern Territory 2017-2018.
This report presents findings from a research evaluation of a one-year program run by NAPCAN in the Northern Territory which sought to develop a trauma-informed approach to Respectful Relationships Education (RRE). The program was undertaken under contract with Territory Families, and focused on providing training in traumainformed RRE to staff in the youth services sector […]
Culturally informed case conceptualisation: Developing a clinical psychology approach to treatment planning for non-Indigenous psychologists working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
Background:In the context of the Australian Psychological Society’sformalapology and the increasing awareness of the need to develop interventions thatimprove the social and emotional wellbeing of clients who identify from Abo-riginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural backgrounds, this article considers theclinical psychology case conceptualisation. The primary aim of any case concep-tualisation is to inform intervention and, […]