Learning through healing for Indigenous mental health workers Sunshine Coast PHN
The first trainees to participate in an innovative
‘We’re absolutely thrilled to celebrate the
mentoring program for Indigenous mental health
achievements for our first cohort; we are so proud
and drug and alcohol workers recently graduated
of all the trainees,’ Mr Mosby said.
in Central Queensland. The Professional Development Supervision
‘The PDSMS Program requires a high level of motivation and commitment from participants and
Mentoring Selfcare (PDSMS) Program is a training
brings together not just skills and knowledge but
initiative developed by a Rockhampton-based
an opportunity for their own self-empowerment
psychological service Wakai Waian Healing, with
and healing.
the aim of bolstering the Aboriginal and Torres
‘We first approached the PHN with the original
Strait Islander health workforce in the mental
proposal for the program because demand for
health, alcohol and other drug sector.
our own services was so high, and there was a
Principal psychologist Ed Mosby, the director
lack of other organisations in Central Queensland
of Wakai Waian Healing, said he was delighted
providing culturally specific mental health and
with the outcome of the innovative workforce
alcohol and other drug clinical therapies.
development initiative, funded by Commonwealth
‘We knew that workforce was a priority in
commissioning agency Central Queensland,
the region, and particularly Indigenous health
Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast PHN.
workforce, so what we’re doing with this training
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The Health Advocate • FEBRUARY 2021
