SPINZ National Symposium 2009: Culture and Suicide Prevention in Aotearoa

Speaker: Dr. Tracy Westerman - Indigenous Best Practice

Cultural Bound Phenomena
- Addressed skepticism about the existence of cultural illnesses.
- Highlighted that mainstream perspectives lack exposure to cultural phenomena, thus can't relate or recognize them.
- Emphasized the need for research and documentation in scientific journals to force acknowledgment by mainstream psychology.

Examples of Misunderstandings
- Aboriginal spiritual experiences (e.g., seeing spirits) marked as potential psychosis.
- Cultural grieving practices, such as 'sorry cuts', misinterpreted as self-harm in mental health evaluations.
- Highlighted the need for culturally sensitive assessment tools.

Language as a Barrier
- Aboriginal cultural workers marginalized in clinical settings due to lack of clinical terminology.
- Clinicians marginalized in cultural settings due to lack of cultural terminology.
Training Focus
- Teaching a dual language approach to bridge cultural and clinical worlds.
- Training involves explaining clinical and cultural terms simultaneously for mutual understanding.

Community-Driven Initiatives
- Response to high suicide rates in Derby through community training initiatives.
- Government funding secured to develop three training packages for service providers, community, and youth.
- Package Focus:
  - Service Providers: Enhancing work with Aboriginal people, counseling, and suicide intervention.
  - Community: Recognizing signs, coping strategies, and effective communication.
  - Youth: Psycho-educative content.
- Involvement of the whole community in training ensures common understanding and action strategies.

Community engagement led to significant involvement (e.g., 117 participants over six days).
Three-phase program following up over 18 months.
Empowerment of community to independently run programs.
Success led to nationwide delivery of programs.