LIMECONNECTIONV - LIME Network

Dennis McDermottDirector of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Well-Being, AdelaideFlinders University, South AustraliaProfessor McDermott is the Associate Head of Faculty, Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Health, within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Flinders University. He is alsothe Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and Well-Being, Adelaide. AKoori man, his mother’s family are from Gadigal land (inner Sydney) with connectionsto Gamilaroi country (north-west New South Wales). Dennis has worked in such diversefields as alcohol and other drug education and counselling, private therapeutic practice,community health and men’s health research. He has trained Aboriginal foster carers,supervised counsellors to the ‘stolen generations’ and worked with families dealingwith a death in custody. Dennis’s teaching and research interests encompass earlychildhood, social determinants of Indigenous health, racism, incarceration, Indigenoussocial, spiritual and emotional well-being, workforce development, Indigenous health pedagogy, and thenexus of culture and context in service delivery.Abstract:‘Warm’ science/hard ‘fuzzies’: medical humanities, Indigenous knowledge anddeveloping ‘open’ doctorsPsychologistsPsychologyalways had aspirationsto escape pure conjecture, show the worldthat it was truly a hard science, evidence based,always fell shortDennis McDermott ‘Psychologists’ Dorothy’s Skin, Wollongong, Five Islands Press, 2003VermeerIt hurts to go through walls. It sickens you.but it’s necessary.The world is one. But walls …And the wall is part of yourself –…The clear sky has set itself on a slant against a wall.It’s like a prayer to emptiness.And the emptiness turns its face to usand whispers,“I am not empty, I am open.”Tomas Tranströmer (translated by Samuel Charters) ‘Vermeer’ Printed by John McBride for OYEZ for thepoet's visit to the United States in April 198830