Prof. Patricia Dudgeon

Title

Decolonising Mental Health

Abstract

In psychology, decolonising strategies are necessary and some of these involve reframing the discipline of psychology to incorporate Indigenous knowledges and worldviews.  Also, concurrently increasing the involvement of Aboriginal psychologists, mental health practitioners and community healers in contributing to an Indigenous psychology. Our work involves advocating for the integration and legitimation of Aboriginal concepts of mental health and social and emotional wellbeing within mainstream health and the mental health sector. Indigenous psychology has become a global concern and will be an important emerging discipline in the next decades. This presentation will provide an overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) and will describe decolonising initiatives such as the Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP). Emerging from a national consultation, the Centre of Best Practice operates from an anti-colonial viewpoint and is grounded in strengths-based concepts of…