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Mental health assessment of Aboriginal clients
This workshop is presented by Dr Tracy Westerman, a descendant of the Nyamal people near Port Hedland, WA. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma (Science) in Psychology, a Master's Degree (Clinical Psychology) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology). As a recognised leader in the Aboriginal mental health field she has achieved both national and international recognition.
The workshop will cover the following:
- accreditation in the Acculturation scale for Aboriginal Australians - measuring the relevance of culture: an applied case study - determining the difference between cultural cursing ("being sung") and psychosis
- self-harm and cultural sorry cutting - the distinguishing characteristics
- cultural grieving and spiritual visits versus psychosis
- culture bound depression - longing for country and clinical depression and treatments
- post-traumatic stress disorder - how culture impacts on assessment and treatment. Attachment and cultural parenting - addressing trauma from forcible removal
- accreditation in the Acculturative stress scale for Aboriginal Australians - a test to gauge the impact of stressors associated with racism, marginalisation, within group racism (lateral violence) and cultural identity (adjustment)
- accreditation in the Westerman Aboriginal symptom checklist - youth aged 13-17 (WASC-Y) - the only uniquely developed and validated psychological test for Aboriginal youth worldwide (Canadian Health, 2009) and the Westerman Aboriginal symptom checklist - adult (WASC-A).
Dates and locations:
- Darwin: 4-5 June
- Melbourne: 18-19 June
- Brisbane: 23-24 July
- Mt Isa: 23-24 August
- Adelaide: 17-18 September
- Sydney: 29-30 October
- Perth: 27-28 November.
Indigenous Psychological Services
Ph: (08) 9362 2036
Fax: (08) 9362 5546