A long history of trauma, grief, loss and cultural disconnection means mental health issues for Indigenous people can be complex. Culturally appropriate support that recognises the connection between physical health, mental health, spiritual needs and social and emotional wellbeing is crucial.

This week’s guest Chelsea Watego is a Munanjahli and South Sea Islander woman with over 20 years of experience working within Indigenous health as a health worker and researcher.

Her work has drawn attention to the role of race in the production of health inequalities.

She is a prolific writer and public intellectual, having written for IndigenousX, NITV, The Guardian, and The Conversation. She is a founding board member of Inala Wangarra, an Indigenous community organisation within her own community, and a Director of the Institute for Collaborative Race Research.

Chelsea believes that by sharing lived experiences to create change, power can be restored to victims in foregrounding Indigenous sovereignty over settler sensibilities.

Stay tuned as Chelsea joins me to share her experiences as an Indigenous woman, reflects on her upbringing, and delves into the importance of story telling in our approach to Indigenous wellbeing.