L4 - Experiences as a psych working with aboriginal people in remote settings

Question 1

When working with rural communities - the initial primary focus is on _____ ______

Answer 1

building relationships

building trust and rapport

Question 2

Why are interpreters very important when trying to help remote communities?

Answer 2

1. Help interpret their language
2. What actions are appropriate
3. What norms are appropriate

Question 3

As a psychologist, there are guidelines regarding how much we should share about our own lives.

How does this differ in remote Indigenous communities?

Answer 3

In aboriginal communities you must share personal details about yourself, otherwise they wont trust you can you cannot build rapport

Question 4

Should your treatment be rigid and planned or flexible when working with aboriginal peoples?

Answer 4

flexible

e.g. work at off times, working outside with children rather than in a clinical setting etc.

Question 5

What does communities complexities refer to when dealing with remote aboriginal peoples?

Answer 5

There are lots of different languages and cultures all within a near vicinity of each other.

Question 6

What is the cause of intergenerational trauma for indigenous people in Alice Springs?

Answer 6

Stolen Generation

a problem that still lingers

Question 7

Is there a socio-economic disparity for aboriginals in Alice Springs compared to non-aboriginals?

Answer 7

Yes

$269 p.w. for indigenous

$925 for non-indigenous

Question 8

What is the Northern Territory Intervention and what important impact did it have for the aboriginal communities in Alice Springs?

Answer 8

Happened in 2007-2008 following allegation of pedophile rings in Alice Springs

It ended anti-discrimination and racial discrimination rules

Kids were taken from their families

Large increase in negative media attention

Incarceration numberes increased

and general increase in discrimination towards aboriginal people

Question 9

What was the “basics card” that aboriginal people were given following the Northern Territory intervention?

What impact does this have for the aboriginals?

Answer 9

A card that you can only spend money in certain places (e.g. food)

It limits their freedoms

Question 10

What are we trying to improve in Alice Springs in regards to available services?

Answer 10

Improve connection to services and opportunities

Aboriginal controlled and led services

Question 11

Where do most aboriginal populations live in rural areas

Answer 11

town camps

official name is “alice springs community living areas” - noone uses this

Question 12

How many town camps are there in Alice Springs?

Answer 12

12

Question 13

What is CCPT?

Answer 13

Child-Centered Play Therapy

Involves sitting with a kid in the play room and following a childs lead and narrating their play

Question 14

Is CCPT helpful in helping aboriginal children who have gone through trauma?

Answer 14

No research is done with aboriginals yet, so hard to say

Is it culturally appropriate for a white person to be one on one with an aboriginal child?

Question 15

What are the roles of psychologists when working with remote indigenous populations?

6 points

Answer 15

1. Supporting social and emotional wellbeing

2. Assisting families (broader role rather than just helping one individual)

3. Interdisciplinary work (Working not just in one discipline, but working together with others and most importantly with aboriginal family and support workers)

4. Supporting education (helping kids and family feel connected to the education system-also help teachers understand problem kids behaviour)

5. Advocacy (shifting the role from ‘intervention’ to ‘advocacy’ - allow them to be connected to different systems, understand their perspective)

6. Children in care (support children in different environments, help them with system issues)

Question 16

When working with indigenous peoples, should we be focusing on intervention or advocacy?

What does this mean?

Answer 16

Advocacy

Shift from intervention to advocacy to understand their perspectives and their culture.

Question 17

What are the two outside determinants that affect “Social and Emotional Wellbeing from the Aboriginal / TSI Perspective”

(Gee et al., 2014)

Answer 17

Social Determinants

Historical Determinants

Question 18

What are the 7 connections to the self that influence Social and Emotional Wellbeing from the Aboriginal / TSI Perspective?

Answer 18

Connection to:

Spirit, spirituality and ancestors

Body

Mind and Emotions

Family and Kinship

Community

Culture

Country

Question 19

In what ways should we expect a ‘shift in our expectations’ when working with Indigenous peoples

Answer 19

Question 20

Why is it vitaly important to have an aboriginal family support worker in your team when working with remote indigenous

Answer 20

Important to co-work with the family and communities

Supports building relationships/rapport

Consultations regarding appropriateness of your work

Question 21

We need to use appropriate tools for assessment and intervention, however, a problem is that there are limited valid tools available

What is a valid ‘tool’ we may use?

Answer 21

Dr Westerman checklist

to do with mental health with adolescence and young adults

Question 22

Why is the shift from intervention to advocacy imporatnt?

Answer 22

We have been using the ‘tools of colonization’ as psychologists - which has had a negative impact

In 2016, the APS made an apology to the aboriginal people

Question 23

What 5 things did the Australian Psychological Society say they would change in their 2016 apology to the aboriginal people?

Answer 23

1. Listening more and talking less
2. Following more and steering less
3. Advocating more and complying less
4. Including more and ignoring less and
5. Collaborating more and commanding less.

Question 24

What 4 things can we do to help reconciliation with aboriginal peoples and their culture?

Answer 24

1. Find opportunities to recognize and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture (e.g., NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Week, National Sorry Day…)
2. Be willing to be open, continually learning, and self-reflect
3. Seek out information and resources to support knowledge and understanding.
4. Learn from those who are more experienced, and importantly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.