Australia faces a significant shortfall in Indigenous psychologists, particularly in Central Australia, where cultural understanding is crucial for effective mental health support. Codie Steen, an Eastern Arrernte and Wulli Wulli woman, recently received a scholarship to pursue postgraduate clinical psychology courses in Darwin. This opportunity not only enables her to travel and further her studies but also addresses a broader community need. With only 0.8% of Australia's approximately 48,240 psychologists identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, there is a pressing call for increased representation.
Belle Selkirk, a Noongar clinical psychologist, advocates for centring the diversity of First Nations lived experiences and cultures within the workplace and educational systems. She asserts that educational reform is essential to incorporate diverse First Nations knowledge, which would benefit the entire community.
"Looking at things like reforming psychology curriculum, looking at equity pathways to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to come into psychology … that's going to help." – Belle Selkirk
Dr Tracy Westerman, a leading Nyamal psychologist, has taken a proactive step by launching a scholarship program through the Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health. Approximately 70% of the program’s participants are First Nations people, indicating significant progress towards increasing Indigenous representation in the field.
"Approximately 70 per cent of our participants are First Nations people," – Nicole Pietsch
Codie Steen aims to return to her Central desert hometown after completing her studies to serve her community. The area currently lacks Indigenous psychologists with lived experience of local issues, such as incarceration and addiction, prevalent in places like Alice Springs.
"If mental health was supported, more funding, more clinics, just more accessibility, then that would actually help with … the incarceration rates, the substance misuse, the DV family violence," – Codie Steen
Despite her aspirations, Ms Steen acknowledges the challenges faced by Indigenous students pursuing psychology. Financial constraints and the need to relocate for full-time studies create barriers that many cannot overcome without external support.
"Unless you have financial support from your family or with a scholarship, you're just not able to do it," – Ms Steen
The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress echoes these concerns as it struggles to recruit Aboriginal psychologists. Similarly, the Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA) seeks to increase First Nations staff representation. Financial support and culturally safe psychological supervision are viewed as potential solutions to bridge this gap.
"There is significant benefit for them in working with mental health practitioners that have a cultural understanding of their lives — we see firsthand the better outcomes with our participants." – Nicole Pietsch
The federal government has responded by allocating $800,000 over two years to the Australia Indigenous Psychologists Association. Furthermore, the Commonwealth has pledged scholarships for up to 150 First Nations psychology students and aims to increase culturally safe and qualified support.
"The Commonwealth is committed to addressing the preventable loss of First Nations lives and improving the mental health, social and emotional and wellbeing of First Nations people and communities." – Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson
Belle Selkirk believes that truly bridging this gap requires established financial support and culturally safe psychological supervision.
"Established financial support" and "culturally safe psychological supervision" could be some ways of bridging the gap." – Belle Selkirk
