Holding a DV/FV lens in the cross-cultural space: what works? 
Family Violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities:  alternative dimensions and proposed ways forward

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PART 5: Power and Control: What all counsellors need to know about domestic & family violence
In collaboration with CATSIHP (College of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Practices)
Presented by Dr Carlie Atkinson and a panel of: Dr Judy Atkinson, Jack Bulman and Monique Toohey

Members $35
Students $25
Non-members $50

Family Violence amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples has different dimensions than the non-Indigenous population and therefore requires an approach that honours “our way” to address this in our communities.  Our women, men and children must be part of a community response to this violence – all voices matter.  Responses must be culturally responsive and address the unique dimensions based on historical and cultural differences.  Historically responses to family violence in Australia are primarily based on feminist intervention strategies and Western criminal justice responses; however, there appears to be little progress in terms of these responses providing real solutions in reducing the levels of violence experienced in our Communities.  Approaches to Family Violence which encompass Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing through community lead solutions are suggested as viable alternatives to the current mainstream responses.  This approach provides an holistic healing way forward that acknowledges transgenerational trauma whilst providing positive behavioural changes for the whole community.

This is the final in our series on working with domestic and family violence. The webinar will begin with the presentation by Dr Carlie Atkinson followed by an in depth and interactive panel discussion exploring how to work with cultural sensitivity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and other multicultural settings. This experience will shine a light on cultural blind spots and biases and open a culturally intelligent lens, essential to be both effective and sensitive in the way we work in the world.
Our panel is made up of four highly experienced practioners who are expert in their field:

PRESENTERS

Dr Carlie Atkinson

Carlie (Caroline) Atkinson is a Bundjalung and Yiman woman and an accredited Social Worker with a PhD (Charles Darwin University, 2009). Dr Atkinson is an international leader in complex and intergenerational trauma and culturally informed strengths-based healing approaches in Indigenous Australia. She has focused her career on the interplay between trauma and violence in Aboriginal peoples in Australia, has developed extensive community and practice-based experience through her collaborative co-designed resource development work, and developed Australia’s first adapted, culturally sensitive, reliable and valid Aboriginal trauma assessment measure. She is the convenor of PACFA’s newly formed College of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Practices, part of the NHMRC funded Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future project, Project Lead for a PHN NT-funded AMSANT-led project developing and delivering workshops across the NT for the National Suicide Prevention Program, and leads We Al-li’s effort in partnership with Griffith University to embed Trauma Integrated Practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples into the curriculum. She is the CEO of her family organisation, We Al-li, designing and coordinating the delivery of Culturally Informed Trauma Integrated Healing Approaches (CITIHA) training and resource development for organisations and communities across Australia focusing on systems transformation and implementation.

PANELISTS

Dr Judith Atkinson

Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson is a Jiman (central west Queensland) and Bundjalung (northern New South Wales) woman, with Anglo-Celtic and German heritage. Her academic contributions to the understanding of trauma related issues stemming from the violence of colonisation and the healing/recovery of Indigenous peoples from such trauma has won her the Carrick Neville Bonner Award in 2006 for her curriculum development and innovative teaching practice. In 2011 she was awarded the Fritz Redlick Memorial Award for Human Rights and Mental Health from the Harvard University program for refugee trauma and in 2019 she was awarded an Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant services to the Indigenous community, to education and to mental health.  Her seminal book ‘Trauma Trails – Recreating Songlines: The transgenerational effects of trauma in Indigenous Australia’, provides context to the life stories of people who have been moved from their country in a process that has created trauma trails, and the changes that can occur in the lives of people as they make connection with each other and share their stories of healing.

Monique Toohey 

Monique is the Managing Director and Principal Psychologist of Nasihah Consulting Group based in Essendon. She has delivered psychological services to Culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse clients across the lifespan for the past 23 years.She is a vocal advocate for strengthening cultural competence among Psychologists, counsellors and mental health practitioners to improve mental health outcomes among ATSI and CALD clients.  Monique is also a certified Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Advisor and has trained staff from over 350 organisations in culturally competence. For 6 years she was the Lead Lecturer for ‘Multicultural Counselling’ and ‘Culture and Psychology’ at the Australian Catholic University and is a regular guest lecturer at other universities.   She has extensive experience working with survivors of intimate partner abuse, racist bullying and workplace bullying. Monique has numerous published works including the book, Without You: Rising above the impact of an abusive relationship (2014) and is the Co-founder of the Centre for Muslim Wellbeing (CMW). 

Jack Bulman 

Jack is a Muthi Muthi man from South Western NSW. Through the years he has been involved in a wide variety of community activities across Australia. While completing his health sciences degree in 2005, his passion to improve the health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male’s health and wellbeing became stronger. While at university, he was recruited to work in men’s health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in Queensland. In this space he worked with both community and government organisations. Which has created many new network connections across Australia. He is also a facilitator for the No to Violence ‘Community Workshops to Address Male Family Violence in Aboriginal Communities. He sits on the White Ribbon ‘Expert Reference group for their Fatherhood Program’, and on the Relationships Australia ‘Support for fathers, project’ advisory committee and has authored a number of articles.

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