About this event

Mental health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia during COVID-19

Speakers: Dr Kate Derry, Dr Joanna Alexi, and Dr Jemma Collova

Global research from pandemics indicates that an upsurge in the number and severity of mental health difficulties is likely in both the response and recovery phases, and these are likely to disproportionately impact Indigenous peoples due to social determinants of health. The rapid public health response by Indigenous leaders in Australia has been a highly effective demonstration of Indigenous self-determination. Still to avoid exacerbating adverse downstream impacts of the pandemic and long-term social and economic costs to society, the mental health and wellbeing impacts of the pandemic must be considered.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander COVID-19 working party was convened in April 2020 through the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing Project (TIMHWB). An independent report was produced in June 2020 that addressed the specific mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia through five key recommendations. In December 2021, a follow-up round table was convened to re-address these needs as this unprecedented global pandemic evolves. During this webinar, researchers from the TIMHWB team will summarise these roundtable discussions and the broader implications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Speakers:

Dr Kate Derry

Kate was born, lives, and works on Noongar Country in Perth, Western Australia. Her father is a descendant of the Shan people of Myanmar and migrated to Australia in 1963 during the (first) Burmese coup d’état. Her mother was born in Round Hill (Moora) and raised on Gnaraloo Station, north of Carnarvon. She is engaged to Frank Mitchell, a proud Wadjuk Noongar man, and lives with him in Coolbellup with their son Xavier and two gorgeous sausage dogs.

Kate is a postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Indigenous Studies at UWA, working on the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing (TIMHWB) project. She received her PhD from the UWA School of Psychological Science and is trained as a social and developmental research psychologist. Her doctoral research investigates the development of self and personality in children, adolescents, and adults. Kate started working with Professor Dudgeon in late 2019, and is excited to use evidence-based approaches. practice-based evidence, and strengths-focused solutions to empower Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and other Indigenous peoples.

Dr Joanna Alexi

Joanna was born in Darwin on Larrakia Country. Her mother and father migrated from Cyprus to Australia in the early 1970s and 1980s, respectively. Joanna lived in Darwin for most of her childhood, before moving to Perth, Whadjuk Country, with her family, as a young teenager.

Joanna is a postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Indigenous Studies at UWA, working on the TIMHWB project. Joanna completed her PhD in psychology at the University of Western Australia in 2020. Her thesis was in the area of body image disturbances, perception and eating disorders. She has also gained experience in Indigenous health and is passionate about promoting health and wellbeing outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, through collaboration, teamwork, and culturally responsive research.

Dr Jemma Collova

Jemma was born and raised on Whadjuk Noongar Country, in Perth. Jemma’s heritage is Italian, with her grandparents migrating from Italy to Noongar country in the 1950s, before starting their own families.

Jemma is a postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Indigenous Studies at UWA, and is working on the TIMHWB project. She completed her PhD in Psychology at UWA, followed by a postdoctoral position in the School of Psychology. During this time, she investigated social biases and prejudices towards children based on their appearance. Jemma is passionate about research translation, and bridging the gap between academic research and practice. She has worked at the intersection between academic research and Government, including working for the Federal Department of Innovation, Industry and Science (Ngunnawal Country, Canberra), and for the Western Australia Police. Jemma is passionate about collaborative and culturally responsive research, which supports and empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.