Psychology and Indigenous Australians:
Effective Teaching and Practice
Program and Registration Form
Conference:
Thurs 12th - Fri 13th July 2007
Cultural Competence & Psychology Workshop:
Sat 14th - Sun 15th July 2007
City West Campus, University of South Australia, Adelaide
Who should attend?
Staff from university psychology departments
People interested in improving the skills of psychologists in working effectively with
Indigenous Australians
Practising psychologists or other mental health workers
People interested in Indigenous social and emotional well-being and mental health
Psychology students
Dear colleague,
We are proud to present the inaugural conference ‘Psychology and Indigenous Australians’, which has
developed from workshops held in 2005 and 2006. The 2006 workshop identified a great need to
improve the cultural competence of practising psychologists in relation to Indigenous Australians and
to integrate the teaching of cultural competence within both undergraduate and postgraduate
psychology programs. In response to the depth of this need, we have decided to mount a two-day
conference this year as well as a two-day cultural competence workshop.
The conference will be an interactive forum on current advances in teaching cultural competence,
effective practice with Indigenous clients and communities, and their theoretical underpinnings. We
have three excellent keynote speakers in Professor Judy Atkinson, Dennis McDermott and Dr Tracy
Westerman and a diverse range of concurrent and plenary speakers and panel discussions. The
workshop, which is only available for people who also attend the conference, aims to provide a solid
basis of understanding, self-reflection, and foundational skills for the development of cultural
competence in practice. Due to the intensive nature of the workshop, numbers will be limited to 50
participants. Attendance at both the conference and workshop will attract APS professional
development points.
I look forward to meeting you in July
Sincerely, Rob Ranzijn (convenor)
Conference Keynote Speakers
Judy Atkinson
Professor Judy Atkinson introduces herself as coming from the three I’s: Indigenous, Invader
and Immigrant. She identifies as a Jiman (from Central west Queensland) / Bundjalung
(Northern New South Wales) woman who also has Anglo-Celtic and German heritage. Judy
has a BA from the University of Canberra and a Ph.D. from Queensland University of
Technology. She is presently the Head of the College of Indigenous Australian Peoples at
Southern Cross University, and Director of the Collaborative Indigenous Research Centre for
Learning and Educare (CIRCLE). Her major academic focus, and the extensive work she has conducted within
Indigenous communities across Australia, has been in the area of violence and relational trauma, and healing for
Indigenous, and indeed all peoples. She developed the We Al-li / Indigenous Therapies Program designed to
address the critical needs of Indigenous communities around violence, trauma and healing. She co-authored the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Task Force on Violence Report for the Queensland government.
Her book: Trauma Trails – Recreating Songlines: The transgenerational effects of Trauma in Indigenous
Australia, provides context to the life stories of people who have moved/been moved from their country in a
process that has created trauma trails, and the healing that can occur as people make connections with each other
and share their stories. She developed and presently coordinates the Masters in Indigenous Studies (wellbeing)
degree; developed and teaches the undergraduate course Indigenous Studies Trauma and Healing; and supervises
postgraduate students enrolled in the Collaborative Indigenous Research Centre for Learning and Educare at
Southern Cross University, which recognises Indigenous research philosophy and practice as a designated area of
research strength under Department of Education, Science and Technology (DEST) guidelines.
Dennis McDermott
Dennis McDermott is a Koori psychologist, academic and poet. He is a conjoint Senior
Lecturer in Indigenous Health at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Although he grew up on Gamilaroi land, Tamworth, NSW, his mother’s mob is from inner
Sydney, Gadigal country, and his father’s from Donegal. As a registered psychologist of over
twenty-five years experience, Dennis has worked in such diverse fields as alcohol and other
drug education and counselling, private therapeutic practice, community health and men’s
health research. He has trained Aboriginal foster carers, supervised counsellors to the “stolen generations” and
worked with families dealing with a death in custody. His teaching and research interests encompass maternal and
infant health, violence and injury prevention / safety promotion, men’s and boys’ health, chronic and complex
disease management and prevention, Indigenous social, spiritual and emotional well-being, Indigenous health
pedagogy, and the nexus of culture and context in service delivery. In 2005, he was made an Honorary Fellow –
He Pūkenga Taiea of Te Mata o te Tau – the Academy for Maori Research and Scholarship. Recently, Dennis was
awarded the 2006 Dr. Ross Ingram Memorial Essay Prize by the Medical Journal of Australia. His poetry has
appeared in Southerly, the Sydney Morning Herald, Poetry International and Best Australian Poems of 2004, and
his literary criticism in Blue Dog and Ngara: Living in this place now. He chairs the judging panel for the David
Unaipon Award for the best unpublished Indigenous manuscript, part of the Queensland Premier’s Literary
Awards. A first poetry collection, Dorothy’s Skin, published by Five Islands Press in 2003, was short-listed for the
2004 Brencorp Prize for Poetry and the Prize for Indigenous Writing at the 2004 Victorian Premier’s Literary
Awards.
Tracy Westerman
Dr. Westerman is of the Nyamal people in the far North West of Western Australia. She is the
founding Managing Director of Indigenous Psychological Services. She developed IPS for the
purpose of addressing the inequities that exist between the rates of mental illness in Indigenous
populations and the levels of access to appropriate services. Dr Westerman holds a Post
Graduate Diploma in Science (Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and
Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology. She is the only Aboriginal person in Australia to
have earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her PhD thesis received a commendation from the Chancellor an
honour bestowed on the PhD’s considered to be in the top 10% of those submitted. Her extensive list of
presentations includes numerous keynotes throughout Australia and internationally. She has developed, evaluated
and implemented a range of indigenous specific training packages and intervention programs throughout Australia
focusing on suicide prevention, depression and trauma management. She has also conducted numerous national
tenders and research projects into mental health service delivery specific to Indigenous people.
In 2006 Dr Westerman was awarded the Suicide Prevention Australia LiFE award for contributions to suicide
prevention in Indigenous Health. In 2002 Dr Westerman was awarded the NAIDOC award for “National Scholar
of the Year” and currently holds an NHMRC Post Doctoral Research Fellowship (2003-2006) to investigate
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Aboriginal populations. She is the first Aboriginal person to
receive such a Fellowship. Other awards include Scholarships with the Australian International Development
Assistance Bureau, Graduate Scholarship, and 1990–1992, the Department for Community Development (DCD)
Scholarship 1995 – 1997, Curtin University Mark Liveris Seminar, School of Health Sciences, PhD presentations,
Winner of Certificate of Excellence for Best oral presentation for PhD research.
Conference Program
Day 1 - Thursday 12th July
9.00 – 9.30
Registration
9.30 – 9.40
Welcome to country: Lewis Warritya Yerloburka O’Brien
9.40 – 10.00
Setting the context
10.00 – 11.00
Keynote Address: Judy Atkinson
Finding Our Relatedness Stories: Psychology and Indigenous Healing
Practice
11.00 – 11.30
Morning Tea
Strand One - Service Provision and Programs
Strand Two – Teaching, Research and Theory
1) Sexual Offender Treatment of Indigenous
Australian Males: How to Keep the Program
Responsive AND Interesting
Sarah Sutton, Kathryn Stone and Jasmine Valadian,
Department for Correctional Services, Adelaide.
1) ‘This is not a confessional song’: Discourse
analysis and race privilege
Damien W. Riggs and Martha Augoustinos, University of
Adelaide
2) Recognising the impact of mental health and
wellbeing on service provision at the Indigenous
Youth Health Service
Julia Butt, J. H. D. Saldanha, and S. Fisher, Indigenous
Youth Health Service – Aboriginal and Islander
Community Health Service (AICHS) Brisbane
2) Critical discursive methods as a resource in
education and anti-racism: Potentials and pitfalls
Danielle Every, Hawke Research Institute for
Sustainable Societies, UniSA
3) Developing a structured and appropriate program
to support parents who have had their Aboriginal
children removed by the state and the process that
they need to engage in to have their children
returned
Joylene Warren, Trish Hickey and Lisa White, Aboriginal
Family Support Services , Adelaide
3) Indigenous Psychology: A contradiction?
Bernard Guerin, University of South Australia
11.30 – 1.00
Concurrent Sessions
1.00 – 2.00
Lunch
2.00 – 3.00
Keynote Address: Dennis McDermott
What Cure for Tamworth Syndrome? The Accumulative Experience of
Racism, Blackfella Well-Being and Psychological Practice
3.00 – 3.30
Afternoon Tea
3.30 – 4.15
Plenary Paper: Kate Gilbert, Director, Social Health Section, Office
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Department of Health
and Ageing
The Policy Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental
Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
4.15 – 5.00
Facilitated Discussions
Self-selected discussion groups structured around areas of interest, to
consider the implications of the day. Participants will be invited to nominate
topics or interest areas they wish to discuss.
5.00 – 6.30
Social time: drinks and nibbles at City West Campus.
Conference Program
Day 2 – Friday 13th July
9.15 – 9.30
9.30 – 11:00
Welcome and Housekeeping
Concurrent Sessions
Strand One - Service Provision and Programs
Strand Two – Teaching, Research and Theory
1) Koori community-directed health promotion in the
Goulburn Valley
Rachel Reilly, Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit,
University of Melbourne, Joyce Doyle, Rumbalara
Aboriginal Co-operative, Mooroopna, Victoria, and
Kevin Rowley, Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit,
University of Melbourne
1) Moving learning from the head to the heart teaching and learning - Indigenous content in
Applied Psychology and Social Health courses,
Michelle Dickson, Macquarie University NSW.
2) Investigating the mental health of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander adults with an intellectual
disability
Phil Flint, Prof Bruce Tonge, and Dr Caroline Mohr,
Monash University
2) What do Indigenous experiences and
perspectives mean for transcultural mental health?:
Towards a new model of transcultural teaching for
health professionals
Diane Gabb, Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit,
Melbourne, and Dennis McDermott, Muru Marri
Indigenous Health Unit, University of New South Wales
3) Mechanisms in the transgenerational
transmission of trauma, poor health and socioeducational dysfunction. A Cortisol-Adrenal Barrage
hypothesis and neuropsychological analysis.
Christine Gillies, Private Practice, Wollongong
3) ‘Doing Our Own Work’. Re-working Whiteness in
Psychology
Tracey Powis, Department of Psychology, Macquarie
University, Sydney, NSW.
11.00 – 11.30
Morning Tea
11.30 – 12.30
Keynote Address: Tracy Westerman
The value of unique service provision for Aboriginal Australians – the
benefits of starting from scratch
12.30 – 1.30
Lunch
1.30 – 2.15
Plenary Paper: Harold Stewart, Principal Aboriginal Mental Health
Consultant, Mental Health Unit, SA Department of Health, and
Jennene Greenhill and Kerry Dix, Flinders University Rural Clinical
School
Respecting Culture: telling stories of suicide prevention in rural
communities.
2.15 – 3.00
Afternoon Tea
3.00 - 4.00
Panel and Interactive Discussion: Developing and implementing
models of cultural competence training in tertiary education,
professional development, and within organisations.
4.00 – 4.15
Looking forward
4.15
Close
Cultural Competence and Psychology Workshop
Saturday 14th – Sunday 15th July
This 2-day workshop aims to provide you with:

An exploration of the concept of ‘cultural competence’ and the processes and
understandings which lead to improved levels of cultural competence in
psychological practice

An understanding of issues affecting Indigenous physical, social and emotional
well-being today and the multi-dimensional nature of the factors impacting on
these issues, including
o Psychological legacies of colonisation
o The impact of colonisation on Indigenous cultures and world-views
o The psychological effects of living with racism
o The persistence and reclamation of culture

An analysis of historical and contemporary factors which impinge on relationships
between Psychology and Indigenous Australians

An appreciation of the importance of self-reflection for cultural competence

A framework for developing multi-dimensional models of Aboriginal mental health
and trans-generational trauma

Models and guidelines for developing culturally appropriate skills to utilise when
working with Aboriginal clients
The program will provide a combination of Indigenous perspectives, presentations of analyses
drawn from literature and research, and contributions from participants. Both days will include
interactive sessions and high levels of participant involvement with participants invited to
contribute from their own experiences (both positive and negative) in working with Indigenous
Australians. The workshop will also be highly suitable for psychologists who have had little or
no experience in this area.
The first day will focus mainly on the development of background knowledge, understanding
and self-reflection, while the second day will have more of a practical orientation on the
development of culturally appropriate skills for psychological practice in Indigenous contexts.
The workshop will start at 9.30 each day (registration at 9) and will finish at 4.30 on the first
day and 2.30 on the second day
Presenters and facilitators
Ms Colleen Clarke: Colleen is a Koori woman born inside the South Australian border. She is
of the Wergaia & Gunditjmara nations of Victoria. Colleen is currently an Indigenous Lecturer
in Aboriginal Studies at DUCIER, who has extensive training and experience in the field of
psychotherapy, including Radix Body Centred Psychotherapy, Narrative Therapy, Indigenous
Therapy & Process Oriented Psychology. She has worked nationally as a coordinator &
consultant for the RAP Programs which she worked in partnership to adapt and develop for
Indigenous use with the School of Psychology at Griffith University (Qld). Her more recent
experience was working in the south east of South Australia as the Senior Counsellor and
later CEO for the community controlled health service, Pangula Mannamurna. Colleen has
also acted as a consultant & facilitator in the area of health & wellbeing both intra & inter state
and has conducted therapy with both Indigenous & non-Indigenous individuals and groups.
Colleen is committed to her own personal & professional development in the field of
psychotherapy and believes that in order to work effectively in this field, practitioners must
‘walk their talk’.
.
Ass/Prof Keith McConnochie: Keith is the co-leader of the team which has been working
since 2004 to improve the skills of psychology students and psychologists in the area of
effective practice with Indigenous Australians. He has qualifications in psychology, education
and archaeology and extensive experience in teaching and researching Indigenous issues
since 1969. He has published extensively in Indigenous education, Australian race relations,
Indigenous Archaeology, pedagogies of cultural competence and indigenous curriculum.
Ms Wendy Nolan: Wendy is a Biripi woman of the Kattang Language Nation of NSW. She is
Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Studies at the Centre for Indigenous Studies, Charles Sturt
University. She has completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Aboriginal Studies,
and is currently completing her PhD entitled ‘Changing Paradigms, Changing Practices: The
Construction of a ‘best practice’ model of Cultural Competence Training for Undergraduate
Psychology Students’. She has developed a cultural awareness training program for
practicing psychologists and is a member of the APS Interest Group on Indigenous Australian
Peoples.
Mr Gary Passmore: Gary is an Indigenous Lecturer in Aboriginal Studies, with extensive
previous experience in Aboriginal education.
Dr. Rob Ranzijn: Rob is the other co-leader of the Psychology and Indigenous Australians
team. He was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to Australia with his parents in 1957.
He is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at UniSA. He instigated the Indigenous
sub-committee of the Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG) and has convened
symposia on Indigenous ageing at AAG National Conferences. He is the leader of a Carrick
Institute project 'Disseminating Strategies for Incorporating Australian Indigenous Content into
Psychology Undergraduate Programs throughout Australia' and a foundation member of the
APS Indigenous Education Reference Group.
The Venue and Registration/meeting point
University of South Australia, City West Campus, North Terrace, Adelaide
(Between Morphett Street and Gray Street, entry via Hindley Street or North Terrace)
Registration Point
Conference and the Cultural
Competence Workshop.
Outside Room BH4-23
Level 4 of the
Barbara Hanrahan building (BH)
Pedestrian Access from North Terrace
between Lions Centre and Yungondi
Building (Y) and also from Fenn Place.
Pedestrian Access ramp located
between Catherine Helen Spence
Building (CS) and Worlds End Hotel,
Hindley Street.
Sponsors
University of South Australia
Interest Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and
Psychology, Australian Psychological Society
Support for the Conference has been provided by The Carrick Institute for learning and
teaching in Higher Education Ltd, an initiative of the Australian government Department of
Education, Science and Training.
The views expressed in this Conference do not necessarily reflect the views of The Carrick
Institute for Learning and teaching in Higher Education.
Conference and Workshop Planning Committee
Rob Ranzijn, Lisa Hodgson (School of Psychology)
Keith McConnochie, Wendy Nolan, Colleen Clarke, Gary Passmore and Wendy
Spurrier (David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research)
For further information
Please phone Lisa Hodgson (Project officer) on 08 8302 4275 or email
Lisa.hodgson@unisa.edu.au
or Rob Ranzijn (Convenor): Rob.ranzijn@unisa.edu.au
Registration Form
Psychology and Indigenous Australians:
Effective Teaching and Practice
City West Campus, Adelaide
Conference:
Thursday 12th – Friday 13th July 2007
Cultural Competence & Psychology Workshop:
Saturday 14th – Sunday 15th July 2007
THIS DOCUMENT WILL BECOME A TAX INVOICE FOR GST PURPOSES WHEN YOU MAKE PAYMENT.
PLEASE MAKE A COPY OF THIS FORM TO KEEP AS YOUR TAX INVOICE, THEN SEND THIS FORM WITH
YOUR PAYMENT TO THE ADVISED ADDRESS/E-MAIL.
(Please tick below to state whether you will be attending the conference only or both the
conference and the cultural competence workshop)
 Attending Conference only
 Attending both the Conference and the Cultural Competence Workshop
NB: Reminder: Attendance at the conference is a prerequisite for the Workshop. Limit of 50 participants
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REGISTRATION FEES
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Full registration (please indicate which
days you would like to attend)
DAY 1 - Thursday 12th July
$AUD44 (including GST)
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DAY 2 - Friday 13th July
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Student registration only (please indicate
which days you would like to attend)
DAY 1 - Thursday 12th July
$AUD22 (including GST)
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DAY 2 - Friday 13th July
$AUD22 (including GST)
Cultural Competence Workshop Registration
NB: Reminder: Attendance at the conference is a prerequisite for the Workshop. Limit
of 50 participants
REGISTRATION FEES
Full Registration for Cultural Competence
Workshop
Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th July
 $AUD220 (including GST)
The registration fee includes conference/ workshop booklet, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
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Return this form
Please return by June 28th
(a) Post this completed form (and cheque payment if applicable) to:
Psychology and Indigenous Australians conference
Attention: Lisa Hodgson
School of Psychology, Magill campus
University of South Australia
GPO Box 2471
Adelaide 5001
(b) if paying by credit card, you can fax the form to Fax (08) 8302 4729
(c) or if paying by credit card, email this form to Lisa.hodgson@unisa.edu.au
Interstate delegates
Accommodation and travel
Your accommodation and travel should be arranged separately. For suggestions, please
contact Lisa.hodgson@unisa.edu.au