Understanding Trauma, Culture and Connection
Children do not leave culture, identity, trauma, or lived experience at the classroom door. Understanding Trauma, Culture and Connection in First Nations Education helps educators explore how intergenerational trauma, emotional safety, communication, belonging, and cultural understanding influence learning, behaviour, and connection within classrooms. Through First Nations perspectives, storytelling, reflection, and practical teaching insight, this course encourages educators to move beyond surface-level awareness and develop deeper understanding of how emotionally safe, culturally responsive classrooms support stronger engagement, trust, wellbeing, and learning outcomes for First Nations students.
International award-winning Australian Aboriginal artist, educator, and teacher.
On behalf of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child sexual abuse, Donna spent several years interviewing Aboriginal abuse victims in indigenous communities. As a trauma counsellor and community liaison, Donna supported many clients through this difficult process.
Donna has been teaching the latest counselling techniques to clients such as Gestalt Therapy Australia’s upcoming year three students, University Queensland Psychology students, and many more, bringing a modern approach to counselling that reduces stress and anxiety within clients.
Donna is a Wailwan/Wiradjuri woman from outback NSW. Donna is from the stolen generation, and she wanted to create training resources to educate mainstream Australians (without blame, guilt, or anger) about Aboriginal people and to bring Indigenous wisdom to the counselling field.