Understanding and Responding to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: A Clinical Supervision Framework

Supervisor Master Class with Gayle Roe
 

 WORKSHOP PRESENTER: Gayle Roe

Gayle Roe is a clinical psychologist and a psychology forensic registrar with over 20 years’ experience, with a special interest in the treatment methods of trauma, and her neurodivergent clients on NDIS.  As an Aboriginal woman from the Wangan and Jagalingou tribe,Gayle started the first six years of her career supporting her community in managing their trauma responses, followed by 12 years working within the Department of Defence and the Townsville Veteran community, followed by time with headspace as a child and adolescent trauma clinician.  Gayle has been a supervisor for over 20 years, delivering the 4+2, 5+1, and clinical registrar programs, as well as supervising students on placement, giving specific direction on Aboriginal and forensic issues.  She has also lectured at James Cook University as a lecturer and as part of a team developing postgraduate subjects for rural and remote health providers.  Within her private practice she specialises in the area of forensic work, including Family Law, assessment of children and adults and their capacity to give evidence, treatment of sexual offenders, and a variety of activities with child safety clients.


LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define and understand cultural capability, cultural competence (respect), cultural safety, cultural awareness, social and emotional wellbeing for Aboriginal people
• Identify behaviours, attitudes and values that weaken and strengthen social and emotional wellbeing for Aboriginal people
• Understand the impact of trauma, loss, racism and various other cultural concepts
• Better understand Aboriginal communities and the impact of substance use, FASD and their impact on child development in Aboriginal communities
• Identify the ethical guidelines, key intervention strategies and the history of working with First Nations people
• Be better placed to work from a health equity and human rights approach when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families and communities.

WORKSHOP CONTENT:

This workshop will define and provide examples of cultural capability, cultural competence (respect), cultural safety, and cultural awareness for both clinical and supervisory practice. Participants will learn how to support supervisees to improve social and emotional health outcomes through cultural safety activities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Ethical guidelines for working with the Aboriginal population, key intervention strategies and the history of working with First Nations people in Australia are discussed to develop improved culturally responsive and culturally safe psychological care across the lifespan. Included in this section is information on the importance of using non-verbal assessments and specific cultural and counselling/interviewing skills.  There will be discussion on how to support psychologists develop and demonstrate culturally responsive healthcare considering the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families, communities.

Topics included are the impact of colonisation, unfinished business, trauma and loss, racism, alcohol use, FASD in Indigenous Australia, child development in Aboriginal communities, the national apology and its meaning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These issues will be discussed in its relevance to supervision of clinical practice using reflective discussion and tasks.

The workshop provides an opportunity for participants to review the range of supervisor tasks covering core psychological competencies and how the supervisor embeds cultural safety in psychological supervision supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists and the community.