AAFT Conference Sydney 11/12th October

Reliance on the medical-model of ‘mental illness’ typically hides social adversity that is often at the root of distress. Psychological practice can therefore inadvertently play a role in implementing social policies and practices which serve to maintain this unjust status quo.

The presentation will provide opportunity for attendees to think critically about the dominant discourses in psychology, and to develop an understanding of how a pragmatic, values-based approach can be more useful for people who are experiencing distress. The speaker will make the case that concepts such as power and social inclusion should be central to the work of all psychologists and therapists. Consideration will be given to how the ideas and values of community psychology can be applied to the work of psychologists in individual, community-based and sociopolitical contexts.

The speaker will illustrate the value of these approaches by drawing on local and international examples of how he and others have applied ideas from community psychology to preventing and managing psychological distress. The presentation will provide opportunities for attendees to engage in dialogue with each other and with the speaker throughout.