Culturally informed trauma-integrated healing practice – part 2

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this resource may contain images, audio or names of people who have passed away.

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families are creative, energetic, and embodied within their cultural heritage while involved in the systems, structures and opportunities of contemporary Australia. Some families however continue to be held in the pervasive wounding from trauma that has become generational. To fully understand those lives and circumstances, it is necessary to understand and accept the impacts of trauma across generations, without judgement, but with clear insight and intention to use your skills and capacities for healing.

In this episode you will learn about:

• defining culturally informed, trauma-integrated healing practice (02:01)
• understanding a child’s world as an important step for non-Indigenous practitioners in this work (09:48)
• taking time to establish safe and connected relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who experience the effects of intergenerational trauma (21:58); and
• the behaviour of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children as a language. The importance of non-Indigenous practitioners listening to and interpreting this language in a non-judgmental and safe way (28:33).

Further information and resources

• Trauma-informed services and trauma-specific care for Indigenous Australian children (AIHW/AIFS)
• We Al-li, a Culturally Informed Trauma Integrated Healing Approach (CITIHA)
• Intergenerational Trauma animation (Healing Foundation)
• The Three R’s: Reaching The Learning Brain (Beacon Hill)

The preferred terminology used by Emerging Minds in our resources is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, as guided by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing National Consultancy Group.