Indigenous psychology in Australia
Experiences of colonial oppression have had a profound and enduring effect on the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and communities throughout Australia and other indigenous nations globally. On almost every headline, indicator statistics show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people fare worse than their non-Indigenous counterparts. Australian psychology has been implicated […]
Interim findings from a mixed methods evaluation of a social and emotional wellbeing model of service pilot in Western Australian Aboriginal community-controlled health services
Objectives To evaluate the establishment and early implementation phases of a pilot of the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia’s Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) social and emotional well-being (SEWB) model of service. Design A mixed-methods study framed by an Aboriginal Participatory Action Research lens. This entails Aboriginal leadership and governance; capacity building; and researcher reflexive […]
Untying Settler-Colonial Knots in Australian Psychology
This reflexive paper is written from the positionality of an Indigenous psychologist in response to the majority-Australia vote against constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the National Referendum, October 14th, 2023. I utilise the Net Metaphor conceptual tool offered by Jongbloed, Hendry, Behn Smith, and Gallagher Kʷunuhmen to articulate settler-colonialism in […]
Decolonising Psychology – Part 1
In this two-part series, Professor Pat Dudgeon AM, Belle Selkirk and Dr Joanna Alexi (Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing) share their experiences of decolonising psychology and take listeners on a journey through the impactful work of the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP). Listeners are also recommended to read the corresponding factsheet: Psychology education […]
Psychology education needs to reflect the lives of aspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
To support aspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to engage in psychology education in Australia, psychology curricula and teaching and learning programs should reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander worldviews and lived experiences.
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 […]
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, […]
Recommendations from Research into What Aboriginal Students Say Affects Their Social and Emotional Wellbeing While at University
This article will report on the recommendations from a study that investigated what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students said affected their social and emotional wellbeing. The study interviewed students from seven different universities and utilised thematic analysis to determine what the factors where. As a result, a number of strategies became apparent that could […]
Calling out Racism in University Classrooms: The Ongoing Need for Indigenisation of the Curriculum to Support Indigenous Student Completion Rates
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students continue to experience racism in Australian university classrooms. The Reconciliation Australia Barometer report (2022, p. 5) recently noted that experiences of racial prejudice have increased for Indigenous people with 60% of Indigenous people who responded to the survey experiencing at least one form of racial prejudice in the past […]
The importance of Indigenous centres/units for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: ensuring connection and belonging to support university completion
Indigenous student completion rates remain very low relative to non-Indigenous students. Some universities have higher Indigenous student completion rates than the national average but research-based evidence of these universities as ‘success models’ is limited. Drawing on findings from interviews with Indigenous university graduates and staff as part of a National Centre for Student Equity in […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Listening more: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision. A Reflective Journal 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. A Reflective Journal for Psychology Supervisors (hereafter, the Journal). The second companion document is the Listening More Manual of […]
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 […]
Weaving Wayapa and cognitive behaviour therapy: applying research topic yarning to explore a cultural interface between Western and Indigenous psychology practice in Australia
Background Indigenous Psychology within Australia reflects the traditional knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their understanding of the cultivation of relational social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). However, these perspectives are poorly incorporated into dominant “Western” psychological theories and practice, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This represents a barrier to the cultural […]
Working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care through a culturally safe framework [Webinar]
Working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care through a culturally safe framework
Our Healing Ways: supervision: a culturally appropriate model for Aboriginal workers
Healing Our Way Podcast
The Healing Our Way podcast was created in close consultation with The Healing Foundation’s Youth Reference Group. Season one explores topics relating to intergenerational trauma, racism, identity, culture, and healing. Season two takes a deep dive into intergenerational healing and the strengths and challenges that many First Nations youth are currently experiencing. The series features […]
Glossary of healing terms
Stolen Generations Resource Kit for Teachers and Students
Timeline of Trauma and Healing in Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ understandings, experiences and impacts of lateral violence within the workplace
Lateral violence is the act of directing one’s dissatisfaction inwards, towards another member of an oppressed group. Lateral violence is believed to be an ongoing and intergenerational consequence of colonisation and oppression for many Indigenous peoples around the world. Within Australian, oppression in the form of racism and negative stereotypes has consequently enabled lateral violence […]
