PUB HLTH 7033 - Trauma-informed counselling for CALD and Indigenous populations

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2024

Most current conceptualizations and treatments of trauma have not accounted for the unique circumstances faced by Indigenous people or CALD clients but have assumed there is a universal trauma response. This neglects the fact that trauma is not experienced independently of cultural context and is influenced by cultural and societal configurations. First Nations people and CALD groups (including refugees) face unique issues and stressors that impact their emotions, learning, behaviour, and psychosocial health. First Nations people?s experiences of ongoing colonisation, discrimination, lack of acceptance, racism, and stigma can significantly and negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing. In addition, many Indigenous people have experienced historical and ongoing trauma related to genocide, stolen generations and colonisation. People from CALD backgrounds, particularly those seeking asylum and refugees, experience greater stress and trauma compared to other groups. Refugees are likely to have faced traumatic experiences in the context of persecution, political conflict, organised violence, separation from family, forced displacement, and exposure to long periods of war. Understanding how culture and social position shape how trauma is experienced and healed is central to developing cultural responsiveness in the work with Indigenous people and CALD clients. This course will explore the unique challenges involved in supporting Indigenous people and CALD clients to heal from trauma as well as address issues that have relevance in their communities. Participants will gain an understanding of the impacts of the systemic and intergenerational trauma faced by these communities and learn to apply the principles of culturally responsive practice when working with these clients. By learning to apply Indigenous social, and emotional wellbeing principles, practices and healing frameworks, utilising Aboriginal and culturally sensitive concepts of trauma, graduates will gain specific skills that enable them to respond to trauma in individuals and communities.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PUB HLTH 7033
    Course Trauma-informed counselling for CALD and Indigenous populations
    Coordinating Unit Public Health
    Term Semester 2
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 Hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Restrictions Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy (MCP) or the Graduate Certificate in Trauma Counselling (the Program proposal for the latter is currently being developed for APEAC and Academic Board approval)
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Alexandra Bloch-Atefi

    Dr Alexandra Bloch-Atefi
    Phone: 8313 6228
    Email: alexandra.bloch-atefi@adelaide.edu.au 
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Understand that impacts of systemic and intergenerational trauma are central to developing cultural responsiveness and to work effectively with Indigenous people and CALD clients
    2 Understand the impact of privilege, colonialism, oppression and racism on personal experiences and the need to consider these impacts when developing guidelines for trauma treatment.
    3 Critically appraise the role of Indigenous cultural healing modalities in trauma recovery and apply these in collaboration with the individual, family and community.
    4 Understand and apply principles of cultural responsiveness and cultural safety and how these relate to trauma recovery when working with Indigenous people and CALD clients
    5 Apply the principles of culturally responsive practice when working with diverse populations who have experienced trauma and understand how to create culturally safe environments
    6 Utilise culturally sensitive concepts of trauma such that graduates will gain specific skills that enables them to respond to trauma in individuals and communities.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1, 4, 5

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    3, 5

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    6

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    N/A

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1-6

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    1-6

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    N/A

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1, 2, 3
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., & Walker, R. (Eds.). (2014).Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice. Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia
    Recommended Resources
    Brown, L. S. (2008). Cultural competence in trauma therapy: Beyond the flashback. American Psychological Association.

    Hinton, D. E., & Good, B. J. (Eds.). (2016). Culture and PTSD: Trauma in global and historical perspective. University of Pennsylvania Press.

    Selected online resources, including journal articles and reading lists will be disseminated via MyUni. Students may also be listed as a cohort within the Whole of Counselling Program MyUni site (PUB HLTH 003) which provides resources targeting and designed for academic writing in a counselling context.
    Online Learning
    MyUni
    MyUni is used extensively for announcements, discussion boards, recordings of seminar/workshops and practicals, external web-links, readings, details of assignments, as well as online quizzes and essay submission. Material will be sequentially released in line with the teaching and learning activities in each week. MyUni is accessible from the University of Adelaide’s home-page: www.adelaide.edu.au
    You will need your student login name and a password.

    If you do not have access, then either you are not enrolled or the administrators of MyUni do not know of your enrolment. Please call Ask Adelaide on 8313 5208 (University extension 35208) or the IT help desk on 8313 3000 (University extension 33000) for assistance with MyUni difficulties.

    Course materials will be placed on MyUni. Note also that Announcements about a course are often made on the relevant page of the MyUni site for the course. For example, notifications of a change in lecture venue, updates on availability of course material etc. will be made on the MyUni site.

    Computers
    General information about University computer laboratories is available at https://www.adelaide.edu.au/technology/your-tools/academic/student-computer-suite 

    Email
    We assume that students access e-mail and that their address is the University of Adelaide student address that was assigned on enrolment. This is of the form: firstname.lastname@student.adelaide.edu.au A notice to a student by e-mail is considered to have been received and read by the student unless there is a transmission error and the postmaster bounces the message back to us. As discussed above, the Announcements page of the MyUni site for this course will also display relevant notices from time to time, so it is essential that students check their student e-mail and to log on to MyUni
    regularly.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The aim of this course is to enable students to develop a clear understanding of the guidelines and principles of culturally responsive and safe trauma counselling and how to apply them when working with diverse populations who have experienced trauma. Students will be encouraged to reflect on the impact of privilege, colonialism, oppression, and racism on personal experiences.

    During the class sessions, didactic material and experiential learning are integrated to introduce theoretical and practical concepts and illustrate their use. Scaffolded skill learning in groups with formative feedback provided by the lecturer/tutor will form a significant part of the face-to-face learning.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    In general, we recommend that students spend 3 hours of independent study for every contact hour. This includes reading the set text, wider reading, preparing answers to workshop questions, and making progress with assignments.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Detail is provided on MyUni.
    Specific Course Requirements
    Full attendance is required at all workshop sessions.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    Assessment Task Task Type Weighting Learning Outcome
    Class participation Summative 10% 1, 2, 6
    Group presentation Summative 20% 3, 4, 6
    Written case study Summative 30% 3, 5
    Reflective journal Summative 40% 1, 2, 3


    Assessment Related Requirements
    The weekly workshops are will contain a mix of small group discussion, role play, reflection and other workshop activities as well as didactic material to introduce theoretical, practical and reflective components. Student learning relies on student attendance and participation at all workshop sessions and will incur a 10% participation grade to reflect the important of this.
    Assessment Detail
    Participation (Weighting 10%): Students will attend and engage in workshop activities, demonstrating
    respectful engagement and cooperation with their lecturers and fellow students, and completion of practicebased
    learning tasks. Further opportunities to demonstrate participation will be available through contribution to
    online discussion via the Discussion Board on MyUni.

    Group presentation – Case conference (Weighting 20%): Students will be allocated into clinical teams to
    discuss and formulate a healing approach for a First Nation or CALD client experiencing trauma based on the
    principles of culturally responsive counselling.

    Case Conceptualisation - 1500 word Written paper (Weighting 30%): Based on a video recording of a
    counselling session, students will create a case conceptualisation employing a CALD / Indigenous healing
    practice trauma framework.

    Reflective journal & 1000 word summary (Weighting 40%): 10 journal entries required to capture students’
    learnings in regards to trauma-informed counselling with diverse populations. Journal entries can take the form
    of poetry, visual, art-based material or recordings of music material, movement, dance, or a combination of
    these. Following the completion of the 10 entries, a 1,000 word written summary will draw together the key
    learning, discoveries, and growth.
    Submission
    Extensions
    All extensions for assignments must be requested, at the latest, by the last working day before the due date of submission. Extensions will generally be granted only on medical or genuine compassionate grounds. Supporting documentation must be provided at the time a student requests an extension. Without documentation, extensions will not be granted. Late requests for extension will neither be accepted nor acknowledged.

    Only the Course Co-ordinator(s) may grant extensions.

    Supporting documentation will be required when requesting an extension. Examples of documents that are acceptable include: a medical certificate that specifies dates of incapacity, a police report (in the case of lost computers, car & household theft etc.), a letter from a Student Counsellor, Education and Welfare Officer (EWO) or Disability Liaison Officer that provides an assessment of compassionate circumstances, or a letter from an independent external counsellor or appropriate professional able to verify
    the student’s situation. The length of any extension granted will take into account the period and severity of any incapacity or impact on the student. Extensions of more than 10 days will not be granted except in exceptional circumstances.

    Late submission
    Marks will be deducted when assignments for which no extension has been granted are handed in late.

    All assignments, including those handed in late, will be assessed on their merits. In the case of late assignments where no extension has been granted, 5 percentage points of the total marks possible per day will be deducted. If an assignment that is 2 days late is awarded 65% on its merits, the mark will then be reduced by 10% (5% per day for 2 days) to 55%. If that same assignment is 4 days late, the mark will be reduced by 20% (5% per day for 4 days) to 45%, and so on.

    The School of Public Health reserves the right to refuse to accept an assignment that is more than 7 days late.

    Assignments submitted after the due date may not be graded in time to be returned on the listed return dates.

    Students submitting examinable written work who request (and receive) an extension that takes them beyond the examination period are advised that there is no guarantee that their grades will be processed in time to meet usual University deadlines.

    Resubmission
    If a student is dissatisfied with an assessment grade they should follow the Student Grievance Resolution Process
    https://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/grievance/. Students who are not satisfied with a partiular assessment result should raise their concerns with Course Co-ordinator(s) in the first instance. This must be done within 10 business days of the date of notification of the result. Resubmission of any assignment is subject to the agreement of the Course Co-ordinator(s) and will only be permitted for the most compelling of reasons.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.