Australia needs to decolonise the mental health system and empower more Indigenous psychologists | Vanessa Edwige, Joanna Alexi, Belle Selkirk, Pat Dudgeon

For Aboriginal people, wellbeing is seen as holistic, with mental health inseparable from connections to family, culture and Country

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have thrived in Australia for more than 60,000 years and are among the oldest continuing cultures worldwide. In this time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relational ways of being, knowing and doing kept families and communities well and ensured their continual survival for thousands of generations.

Due to the devastating impacts of colonisation, and resultant social inequities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's health and wellbeing are significantly lower than other Australians.