Listening to lived experience

There is a truth in this country that we must confront as we move into maturity. [Our country] … holds the trauma of many people across many generations – the Indigenous, the invaders, the immigrants – all seeking refuge from pain and disorder that we humans are so good at creating in this world. It is time we started the work of deep listening.

First Nations academic Professor Judy Atkinson works in the area of healing and recovery and speaks to the ongoing effects of historic intergenerational trauma: J Atkinson, The value of deep listening: The Aboriginal gift to the nation, TedExSydney, Sydney, 16 June 2017.

Deep listening, reflective practice, unconscious biases

Those of us working with young children and their families see these effects on a daily basis. A key skill in working with children and families in this context is deep listening – creating connection and safety and demonstrating empathy and compassion underpin the approaches needed to understand people’s lived experiences. When we truly understand, we are best placed to deliver quality care, and to co-create healing practices that support families.

This reflective practice requires a commitment to be curious and learn about the historical events that affect First Nations peoples. In Australia today, health professionals need to build upon their personal cultural intelligence and challenge narratives.

This involves building new understandings about what assumptions, judgements and unconscious biases we bring with us, and being willing to reframe our beliefs and ways of working. The key skills are to listen deeply, observe and be compassionate.

We are not the trauma

"People who come to work with us bring their own expertise and assumptions. They then need to learn about our families, their histories, their lived experiences, their strengths and the challenges they face.

People often look at Aboriginal people as a problem, but once they begin to understand what has happened to us and what continues to happen to us, these new understandings mean they work with us to address needs rather than doing things to us.

We are not the trauma. We have lived experiences of trauma. We are unfairly judged, often with little understanding of what has happened."

Emily Carter AM, CEO Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre

Strengthening and sharing culture

Russell Chestnut and Kenneth Dawson

Video length: 3m 4s

Our responsibility as health professionals is to learn as much as we can about the communities in which we live and work.

Voice, treaty, truth

We need to build upon our personal cultural intelligence and challenge the narratives we were taught at school. Through deep listening, reflective practice and continuously looking at our experiences, and learning from them, we improve our ways of working, shifting our unconscious bias.

Learn more about The First Nations Voice

Meet Tristan - 2012

Meet Tristan who has FASD, with lifelong learning, behavioural and physical problems caused by his mother consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
Tristan - Part 1

Tristan - Part 1

Tristan - part 2

Tristan - part 2

Tristan - part 3

Tristan - part 3

Tristan - part 4

Tristan - part 4

Tristan - part 5

Tristan - part 5

Meet Tristan - 2021

Tristan's story appeared on 'The Lives We Lead' initiative showcasing people with disability across WA in their workplace.

DADIRRI

Official Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Video
In Miriam’s language, ‘Dadirri’, is the practise of Deep Inner Listening and quiet still awareness, which connects us and nurtures spiritual well-being.