Program and speakers

 Keynotes

Dr Tracy Westerman AM, a Nyamal woman from Pilbara, WA, is a trailblazer in Aboriginal mental health, cultural competency, and suicide prevention. She was the first Aboriginal person to attain a masters and PhD in Clinical Psychology. She founded Indigenous Psychological Services in 1998 and never received government funding for any of her work. She has delivered over 80 keynotes nationally/internationally in Canada, the USA, and New Zealand. Her PhD resulted in the development of the Westerman Aboriginal Symptom Checklist – Youth and Adults (WASCY/A), the only culturally and clinically valid tools for at-risk Indigenous youth. Following the 13 suicide deaths of Aboriginal young people in the Kimberley in 2018, developed the Dr Tracy Westerman Indigenous Psychology Scholarship Program with a donation of $50,000 and, in 2020, launched the charity, The Westerman Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health to drive Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention best practice. She works for no salary in its operations, sits on the board, and mentors the students. Jilya supports 55 Indigenous psychology students, many of whom have now graduated.

Taimalelagi Mataio Faafetai (Matt) Brown – a New Zealand born Samoan author and renowned communicator who works to eradicate domestic violence by supporting those who perpetrate violence, to heal. A survivor of family violence and childhood sexual abuse himself, he started his domestic violence advocacy work by sharing his story with the men who frequented his busy barbershops as a way to foster vulnerability, healing, and connection. He has grown that idea into hosting free men’s anti-violence support groups from locations like barbershops, construction sites, gang pads, prisons and in indigenous spaces. He is a staunch advocate of being able to redefine societies’ view of masculinity and to help end the cycle of domestic violence plaguing families all over the world.