“When one of our football players or one of our leaders experience racism, we all feel it,”

– Professor James Ward, Pitjantjatjara and Narungga man, Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health

“Prof. Ward said the impact of racism could be significant as it could be present in all facets of life, whether it be on sporting fields, in workplaces or schools; affecting not just the individual, but also the mental health of their families and the community.”

– Charis Chang, SBS News, 4 August 2024

Understanding, acknowledging and addressing racism is crucial in being able to better support and provide culturally safe care with your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.

Racism has serious lifelong impacts on people’s social and emotional wellbeing. Since the referendum, we know that overt racism has increased. There is new evidence that shows racism impacts on mental health (Mayi Kuwayu Study, 2024). This blog provides an opportunity to reflect, grow personal awareness and support First Nations clients recover from acts of racism or discrimination.

As practitioners, we are used to the concept of reflective practice. For non-Indigenous practitioners or those not from a CALD background, how often do you reflect on your perspectives on the topic of ‘racism’? Are you open to learning and challenging your beliefs and unconscious biases? Personal growth often comes from discomfort. It’s about leaning into those uneasy moments, confronting our ingrained beliefs or fears and carefully working through them. This journey isn’t always easy, but it’s a necessary and often ongoing, lifelong journey.

Racism remains a pervasive issue in Australia. It manifests in interpersonal interactions, systemic structures and societal attitudes, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage and trauma. The Australian Human Rights Commission highlights that systemic racism includes all the laws, policies, ideologies and barriers that prevent people from experiencing  justice, dignity, and equity because of their racial identity.

“Data shows 60 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 years or over had reported experiencing racial prejudice in the past six months in 2022, an increase from 43 per cent from 2018.”

– Closing the Gap Data Report, Productivity Commission, 2024

When we think of racism, we often focus on overt actions like racial slurs or hate crimes: this is interpersonal racism. However, racism also exists in less visible but just as harmful other forms: institutional, systemic, and structural racism. If you’re not directly affected, these forms of racism might seem invisible, but their impact is real and widespread.

Research has found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who had experienced racism were more likely to report high/very high levels of psychological distress. Racism can increase risks of anxiety, depression, self-harm, asthma, a higher Body Mass Index, smoking and death by suicide.

“There was an 18% increase in recorded deaths by suicide in First Nations peoples in five states/ territories between 2018 and 2022.”

– Productivity Commission, 2024

In the healthcare setting, racism can lead to impacts such as:

• Mistrust in healthcare systems due to historical injustices and ongoing experiences
• Delayed/avoided care or discharge against medical advice due to fear of or actual discrimination
• Health disparities, including higher rates of chronic illness, mental health challenges, and lower life expectancy.

“In Australia, life expectancy is on average 8 years lower for both First Nations men and women compared to non-Indigenous Australians.”

– ABS, 2022

As a non-Indigenous health professional you have a unique opportunity to be an ally to First Nations peoples.  Allyship involves continuous learning, self-reflection and action.

Here are some steps to consider to being a ‘clinical ally’:

• Educate yourself: Seek out ‘truth telling’ about the histories and experiences Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to face since colonisation, so you can provide better care and support: culturally safe, trauma aware and healing-informed care and support.
• Support Aboriginal voices: Amplify and prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. Your First Nations client is the master of their own journey of health and healing.
• Acknowledge bias: Reflect on your own biases, assumptions, power and privilege and try to be conscious of these in your thoughts, words and actions.
• Listen and learn: Listen deeply to your clients’ stories, respecting their perspectives, and validating their experiences, so you can work more closely together to see the way forward.
• Advocate for change: Challenge systemic barriers and advocate for policies that prioritise equity, calling out racism and discrimination in all its forms.
• Build partnerships: Collaborate with Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Organisations and engage with local leaders to deepen your understanding, doing what you can to empower Aboriginal led health and wellbeing initiatives.

eMHPrac’s WellMob website team has developed Resource Sheets for Workers to help you further your learning on racism and supporting your client in culturally safe ways.

These Resource Sheets make it quick and easy for you to connect to the best resources on the WellMob website on a range of common wellbeing topics for First Nations clients.

Check out the sheets that link to resources on the topics of racism and allyship:

Racism Resource Sheet:

This resource sheet links to videos, podcasts, websites and factsheets on self-care when facing racism. For health professionals, it includes webinars, videos, guides, definitions and interactive tools on addressing racism.

How to be a Good Ally Resource Sheet:

This sheet links to resources on being a good ally, sharing Indigenous perspectives on allyship. It includes listening to Indigenous voices, cultural humility, truth-telling, self-determination, unconscious bias, privilege, power and responding to racism and inequity in various settings.

Non-Indigenous and ‘clinical allies’ can play a critical role in addressing the additional stress and trauma that racism and discrimination can cause your First Nations clients and colleagues. They can also contribute to the bigger picture of working to address the ongoing inequities resulting from colonisation and institutional racism. Together we can create meaningful change.