The Australian Psychological Society's Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Abstract

The gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous health, education, mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing remains a major concern. Bridging these gaps and working in culturally safe and responsive ways with people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent presents considerable challenges, including for the discipline and profession of psychology. At the Australian Psychological Society's (APS) inaugural congress in September 2016, the APS issued an Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The apology was a formal acknowledgment of the role of the discipline and profession of psychology in failing to listen and show respect to Indigenous Australians. The apology was also a commitment to change. This paper provides the background and context to, and motivation for, the apology. The APS received highly positive reactions to the apology across Australia and internationally. However, further change and work needs to be undertaken as the challenge for the discipline and profession now is to demonstrate a commitment to the apology by supporting and engaging in culturally safe practices.

Rural, Remote, and very Remote Mental Health

“…• Psychologists' use of diagnostic systems that do not honor cultural belief systems and world views; • The inappropriate use of assessment techniques and procedures that have conveyed misleading and inaccurate messages about the abilities and capacities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; • Conducting research that has benefitted the careers of researchers rather than improved the lives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants; • Developing and applying treatments that have ignored Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches to healing and that have, both implicitly and explicitly, dismissed the importance of culture in understanding and promoting social and emotional wellbeing; and • Psychologists' silence and lack of advocacy on important policy matters such as the policy of forced removal which resulted in the stolen generations (Carey et al 2017).…”

Rural, Remote, and very Remote Mental Health

“…• Including more and ignoring less; and • Collaborating more and commanding less (Carey et al 2017).…”

Decolonising mental illness: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ Social and Emotional Wellbeing and the persistence of colonial discourses in policy

“…It is increasingly being recognised as being crucial to decolonising dominant discourses of health and addressing "Indigenous" inequalities around the world, such as in Canada and New Zealand (Sutherland & Adams 2019). Despite SEWB having shifting definitional boundaries due to the cultural diversity of "Indigenous" peoples (Carey et al 2017;Garvey 2008;Grieves 2009;Dudgeon et al 2017), an overarching commonality exists. SEWB discourses are premised on "wholeof-life" well-being (Sutherland & Adams 2019) which differentiates it from dominant compartmentalising approaches (Garvey 2008).…”

“…SEWB discourses are premised on "wholeof-life" well-being (Sutherland & Adams 2019) which differentiates it from dominant compartmentalising approaches (Garvey 2008). In Australia, persistent efforts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholars concerned with severe inequalities and decolonising dominant discourses (see, e.g., Brockman & Dudgeon 2020;Carey et al 2017;Garvey 2008;Dudgeon et al 2017) have resulted in recognition of SEWB's importance in the academy. It has also led to growing pressure to incorporate it within an Australian government policy context.…”