Recovery from trauma in an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
Understanding resilience and recovery from trauma in an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
PhD thesis by Graham Gee – University of Melbourne
Graham’s PhD research focused on trauma recovery in urban Aboriginal communities, although he is interested in factors and processes related to trauma recovery and healing that are relevant for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and indeed all people. This work links with the research objectives of the Lowitja Institute through identifying the key risk and protective factors as they relate to trauma experiences, and using that knowledge to improve the mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Graham Gee is an Aboriginal man with Celtic heritage. He was born and raised in Darwin. His grandfather was born near Belyuen, a small community outside of Darwin, and his great-grandmother was originally from the Barkly Tablelands. He has been a registered psychologist since 2008 and has worked at the Family Counselling Services unit of the Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS) in Melbourne for over eight years. Graham recently successfully completed his PhD thesis and he holds a combined Masters/PhD degree in Clinical Psychology at Melbourne University. His research on ‘Resilience and Recovery from Trauma among Aboriginal Help Seeking Clients in an Urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation’ was conducted at VAHS. Graham is a past steering committee member of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association and was a founding board member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation.
Related resources:
- Kelly, K., Dudgeon, P., Gee, G. & Glaskin, B. 2009, Living on the Edge: Social and Emotional Wellbeing Risk and Protective Factors for Serious Psychological Distress among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, Discussion Paper Series No. 10, CRCAH, Darwin.
- Lowitja Institute Scholarship holders
