Adolescence represents a time of significant physical, psychological and cognitive change for young people. With this, is a time of potential vulnerability for the development of mental health issues in the context of young people's lives.
Unfortunately for Indigenous people they have higher rates of issues stemming from multiple rumours that impact on social and emotional well-being. One of these is developmental trauma, increasingly recognised as a significant issue for children but in particular for young Indigenous Australians. Developmental trauma itself can present in multiple different ways. With that it can also unfortunately the misdiagnosed and therefore mistreated.
Dr Marshall Watson is an Aboriginal man and descendant of the Noongar people of the South West of Western Australia. Working as a child and adolescent forensic psychiatrist in South Australia, he is the clinical lead of the Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
Tune in Dr Watson delves into the impact of indigenous and non-indigenous practitioners being clinically and culturally aware of issues relating to developmental trauma in indigenous adolescents, and how to manage them appropriately whilst preserving self-care.