Substance use and other mental health disorders are two of the leading contributors to health disparities among First Nations peoples in Australia. While there is a lack of robust data on prevalence, current research illustrates the disproportionate rates of mental health conditions for First Nations people when compared to the general Australian population.
A recent research brief from The Hamilton Centre highlights the need for culturally safe, integrated, and strengths-based approaches to care. Integrated approaches that make First Nations peoples feel culturally safe and respected, while also helping with their mental health and addiction issues, leads to better health outcomes and more participation.
This Cracks in the Ice webinar will explore:
- Common barriers that First Nations peoples face when accessing care.
- What Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) means and how this differs from Western biomedical models of care.
- Key principles of culturally safe practice when working with First Nations peoples.
Following the presentation, there will be a live Q&A session with questions from webinar attendees. This webinar will be relevant for health workers, researchers, and community members.
This 1-hour free webinar will be held at 12pm Sydney time on Monday 30th of November 2026.
This webinar will be presented by Clarisse Slater. Clarisse is a Yorta Yorta, Kamilaroi, and Wiradjuri professional from Melbourne. She has over 20 years of experience in the Aboriginal service sector in learning and development across health and community services. She has worked at organisations including The Bouverie Centre, Beyond Blue, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and Dame Phyllis Frost Correction Centre.
As an Aboriginal Family Therapist, Clarisse empowers individuals and communities through a trauma-informed and culturally safe lens. Clarisse currently works at the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) as the Senior Program Manager for External Training and Relationships.
Clarisse also lectures at The Bouverie Centre and La Trobe University in the Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy: First Nations. In 2019, she founded Clarisse Slater Consulting to help organisations provide culturally safe, respectful, and effective services for Aboriginal communities. Through training, advisory, and reflective practices, she helps teams build confidence in professional judgement and embed culturally responsive practices across complex service systems. Her work focuses on mental health, trauma-informed care and culturally safe practice.
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