Bringing-Them-Home-Report-Web

Traditional Aboriginal culture like many others does not conceive of illness, mental or otherwise,as a distinct medical entity. Rather there is a more holistic conception of life in which individualwellbeing is intimately associated with collective wellbeing. It involves harmony in socialrelationships, in spiritual relationships and in the fundamental relationship with the land and otheraspects of the physical environment. In these terms diagnosis of an individual illness ismeaningless or even counterproductive if it isolates the individual from these relationships(Sydney Aboriginal Mental Health Unit evidence 650).Thus it has been proposed that,[There is a] need to develop services and programs according to Aboriginal terms of reference,concepts, values, beliefs, ways of working, priorities that recognise the diversity of Aboriginalculture … When Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people are employed to deliver Mental HealthEducation Programs they must recognise and respect local Aboriginal cultures and people.Aboriginal people must be included and employed in the program development, management,processes, implementation, documentation, evaluation, funding and delivery (Adams 1996 page6).The Queensland Mental Health Policy Statement for Indigenous people adoptedmid-1996 has recognised the issue.Mental health is viewed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a broad concept. Itincludes the social, emotional, cultural, physical and mental well being of the individual and thewhole community, and is based on current, historical and spiritual values.Features of mental disorders may differ to those in the non-indigenous population, leading to thepossibility of misdiagnosis. Mental health issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders musttherefore be understood beyond those conditions which are dealt with in a traditional Westernclinical context, in keeping with the culturally defined concept of health … (pages 3 and 10).Link-Up (NSW) called for ‘culturally appropriate definitions of mental health’.Understandings of mental health are culturally specific. Aboriginal understandings of mentaldistress may be different from those in European Mental Health Diagnostic Manuals. Indeveloping community-based recovery strategies, it is essential to develop culturally appropriateAboriginal definitions of mental health and mental illness (submission 186).The Inquiry was advised that culturally-appropriate healing models do exist and arebeing used by Indigenous services and projects. They include traditional healing, arttherapy and narrative therapy. Colleen Brown, NSW Aboriginal Health Educator,described her use of art therapy in which young people express problems and hurtthrough painting (evidence 842). Relationships Australia (formerly the MarriageGuidance Council) described the narrative therapy model devised by Michael White andutilised with Nunga people in South Australia.