Services

I attended the 2 day Cultural Competency for Supervisors of Aboriginal People workshop and what an eye opener it was. The safe space created by Tracy to be able to learn about matters of culture and racism in a way that the participants could fully embrace the topics and enter into reflection was an amazing and challenging experience all in one. It’s impossible to sum up the experience but it would be hands down one of the best trainings I have ever completed on both a personal and professional level.

I wished this workshop would have been a 5 day timeline as I really enjoyed listening to Tracy. She is an asset to us all and I am very happy I had the chance to meet her.

Thank you very much for the information and the most empowering workshop I have attended. Tracy has shown the light very brightly on a way forward and given myself permission to work within a healing context incorporating all that was shared and researched. There is no going back to the way it was for myself in my own clinical practices and how I supervise my team of clinicians in their work. This training has demonstrated to me that there is much, much more to take into consideration and especially the deep hidden impacts of racism and the trauma relationship.

Thanks again or providing such an informative and inspiring training package last week in Mt Isa. Within hours of arriving back in the community this week I had multiple cases of suicidal ideation and behaviour to deal with. Although I have dealt with such presentations for years now, I have never felt so confident and effective in my capacity to understand the presentation and how best to approach and work through the precipitating issues.

I have been working as a consultant and psychologist in Aboriginal communities for over 5 years. I really wish I had done Dr Westerman’s workshop before I started this work. The workshop was a mix of Dr Westerman’s wonderful ability to translate the ways of another culture into something that helps practitioners to work respectfully and effectively with Indigenous people, as well as a strong overview of evidence-based ways of working with Indigenous clients. This was invaluable information that anyone who wants to work in the mental health arena with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities should know BEFORE they engage in this rewarding journey.

I found the training extremely valuable personally, academically, and professionally. I have been processing ever since! I also found it quite an emotional experience and extremely inspirational for my own research. I spent last weekend furiously adding and rewriting sections as you helped me consolidate some ideas and look at things differently. Also, I have already had the opportunity to use some of the learnings in my work with young people in custody.

I attended your training and I would like to take this opportunity to say how much I enjoyed your training and that I got valuable information and this will enable me to get a service delivery to all the young aboriginal people that come in Custody.

I can’t express how much I liked your presentation. Although I already work in the area, you still offered much insight.

Thank your for the absolutely wonderful training you provided. I think I can honestly say that it was the best workshop/training that I have ever been to!

Wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the workshop. The workshop and the work you do is truly inspiring.

Just a quick note to say thank you for a most amazing 3 days, your knowledge and passion were truly inspirational. My head was just about ready to explode with all the new things I have to explore and put into practice. Tracy you are an amazing person, Thank you again, and hope to see you in the Riverland soon.

From the minute that I stepped into that training room there was a sense of dignity, pride and calmness; Dr Westerman has the most remarkable calming presence that makes learning enjoyable, fulfilling and unforgettable.   Dr Westerman is a spiritually, culturally and respectful  role model for all those men and women that desire positive holistic outcomes not only for themselves; but also for their family and Community. As an Aboriginal woman the journey of cultural and mental health learning that I had the opportunity to experience over the past few days filled me with great pride and admiration for Dr Westerman and her work. Through Dr Westerman’s engagement of training, education and awareness; the cultural knowledge and assessments used in consolidation to assist our Aboriginal  countrymen, women and youth is a blessing of empowerment and understanding for both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous workers alike.Overall the training is an educational blessing that now allows me to work with my clients in a culturally safe and responsive way that encourages better outcomes.

Just wanted to get in touch and thank you again for your time and energy at the training in Cairns. Simply brilliant. Also wanted to let you know how valuable your engagement strategies, as well as your suicide assessment processes, were in the very first two days I got back to community. I used your 100% money back guaranteed engagement strategies with a new client and they worked a treat. I also had a suicidal client and was very grateful that I had the opportunity I had to learn some strategies around that.

I attended your two day training and continue to refer to some of the training in ways I can. I equally promote your training across the youth justice directorate and in fact to all those who express a desire to improve knowledge in the uniqueness of culture in safely working with young Aboriginal people. I strongly encourage and support the cultural assessment WASC-Y for all Aboriginal young people in this system. Your program and its true value to service providers such as Youth Justice is it is practice oriented a process that is an outcome for those staff who are assigned this work. In closing I thank you for the opportunity to have been through your training.

Thank you very much.  The training was probably the most beneficial that I have ever been a part of.  Tracey was wonderful and has inspired me to push harder within my service (a residential support service) to develop an outreach model for Aboriginal families living in our community.  I cannot be thankful enough for having had the opportunity to have my mind opened to so many possibilities by her.

I just wanted to say thank you so much for the training you facilitated here in Adelaide this week. It has meant a lot to me on so many different levels and I have come away feeling inspired…by you, by the material covered, by the tools we now have in terms of more knowledge, and a growing confidence to put those tools into use. The value of all your training is inestimable. I truly believe it has the power to change a nation, the more people who access it, are informed and given the opportunity to move from ignorance and racism to a true sense of respect, culture and community. And I know, for me, I always want to learn and to grow, and I truly value those challenges that ask me to think about what underpins my values, my beliefs and has afforded me “white privilege” in this society. How else can we move forward?  Anyway, I am sorry if I have rambled on but I truly did want to thank you for who you are, what you do and what you stand for. Truly inspiring. I have grown this week and I am grateful. Thank you!

Just wanted to let you know that I got a lot out of that training with you. You inspired me to share this story and I was busting to tell you more at the training. I will hopefully hear from you soon sis you are just a deadly sister from the west that stands up with so much passion for her people and that’s what I love about you even though I only spent two days with you.