My name is Belle and my family descends from the Nyungar-Bibulmun people from the South West of Western Australia. I grew up in the Yallingup-Dunsborough area and went to school in Busselton. Throughout my school years I always knew I wanted to “help people”, so I moved to Perth almost seven years go to pursue a career in psychology.

I graduated from UWA at the end of 2005 with Honours in Psychology. I have just completed my Masters in Psychology (Clinical) and hope to begin my registration as a Clinical Psychologist very soon.

It has been a really long road to get where I am today and it hasn’t been without its challenges. Like many university students, I struggled with juggling study, part-time work, social life and family. However, the biggest difficulty was the absence of Aboriginal cultural perspectives being taught throughout the course, as there was a lot of content that seemed different to Aboriginal beliefs and world-views. So at the back of my mind I was often playing a balancing act of what fits and doesn’t fit for Aboriginal people.

Not so long ago, there were virtually no Aboriginal psychologists in the field, and there was little recognition of the importance of cultural perspectives in psychology and mental health. Yet today, I will be graduating into a field where cultural knowledge is highly valued and there are many Aboriginal psychologists who serve as great role models (although more are needed!). This gives me a great sense of optimism for the future, not only for my own career, but also for Aboriginal people in the community needing culturally appropriate services.