TLS Indigenous Consultancy

22/05/2026

My week began in Perth and ended in Dunwich on North Stradbroke Island. Feeling humble to work with amazing people with the Centre of Best Practice showcasing the 2-day Training. Feeling privileged to share knowledge and experience through the I-ASIST program in Dunwich thanks to Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council Aboriginal Corporation. Even better to have family in the workshop which made it even more special - we was remembering when we were just kids back home in Charleville to now all adults and have our own families. Congratulations to Lockie for delivering his first workshop back in his home Island. And as always great to work with Wayne.

21/05/2026

Great to be part of this article on Social and Emotional Wellbeing for Survivors and Worforce with

01/05/2026

This is why this work matters 👇🏾👇🏾

A participant from a recent I-ASIST workshop shared that the training gave them confidence — confidence to ask directly about su***de, confidence to step in, and confidence to know they can actually help save a life.

Before the training, their responses showed uncertainty. After just two and a half days, that shifted to strong agreement across the board that they now feel ready, willing and able to intervene.

That’s not just “good feedback.” That’s real, measurable change in someone’s ability to respond when it matters most.

But just as important as what is delivered is how it’s delivered.

I-ASIST training is delivered by Indigenous Trainers creating culturally safe spaces. It allows our mob to yarn openly about su***de — in a room full of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — without shame, without judgement, and with shared understanding.

That kind of space can’t be replicated through mainstream delivery alone.

It’s in those spaces that our mob feel seen, that truth is spoken, and it’s also in those spaces that healing and skill-building happen side by side.

This is exactly why we need greater investment from government and funding bodies towards Indigenous owned businesses like TLS Indigenous Consultancy who has been leading in delivering I-ASIST and safeYARN workshops through partnering with local ACCHOs and ACCOs.

In communities experiencing high rates of su***de, compounded by ongoing grief and loss, we don’t just need awareness — we need practical, life-saving skills delivered in ways that are culturally grounded and community-led.

When people are equipped to:

🟢 Ask directly about su***de

🟤 Recognise the signs

🟣 Stay present in hard conversations

🔵 Support someone to safety

And when that learning happens in culturally safe, Indigenous-led environments — we strengthen not just individuals, but whole communities.

This feedback is a reminder that su***de intervention skills training works. When it’s done right, it builds confidence, builds capacity, and saves lives.

The question isn’t whether we should invest in this work. It’s why we aren’t investing more, especially where it’s needed most.
***de

28/04/2026

10/04/2026

Reciprocity has been on my mind lately and this is just a reflection of how I've seen it and not seen it.

Not everyone who says they’re in your corner will show up when it counts. Some people will make time for you—consistently, without conditions. Others will only reach out when it suits them, when it’s convenient, or when they need something. Some are just busy and forget to return your call.

I’m learning to notice the differences!

If you are someone who checks in, who holds space, who shows up for others without being asked twice. It's important you remember, you can step back from those relationships that feel one-sided. Because it is also about you looking after your social and emotional wellbeing.

Who we surround ourselves with impacts how we feel, how we heal, and how we carry ourselves. When relationships lack reciprocity, it can be draining—emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually.

Self-care isn’t always about rest or time away. Sometimes, it’s about boundaries. It’s about choosing who gets access to your time, your energy, and your story. Reciprocity isn’t about keeping score and if someone owes you one or did you a favor - it's about energy, respect, and mutual care.

A quiet reminder:
🟪Pay attention to who makes time for you, and who only finds time when it works for them.
🟦Protect your energy. Value your time. And invest in the relationships that invest in you.

If you are someone who believes in reciprocity and have been on both sides, this might be a reminder to slow down and make time for those who make time for you.

26/03/2026

At the 6th Gathering held in Walyalup (Fremantle).
🟣 Facilitated the Stolen Generations workshop with the Healing Foundation.
🟡 Sat on a panel discussion with women in leadership roles to discuss translating policy and research into programs.
🟤 Listened and reflected with the attendees.

Great few days!



aust

17/03/2026

Last year I wrote about the need for Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) workforce development training — highlighting the gaps in SEWB workforce and the absence of training pathways, role definitions and structured support.

Attending the recent 6th Gathering reinforced just how urgent this need is.
Across panels, yarning sessions and reflections, a common theme kept surfacing: the SEWB workforce is carrying enormous responsibility, yet many workers are navigating this space without training, supervision, or support structures that reflect the realities of the work.

SEWB workers sit in a unique space. They are often supporting people through grief, trauma, su***de, family violence and intergenerational pain — while at the same time being deeply connected to those same communities. The boundaries between professional role and community responsibility are rarely clear. Many workers are carrying the emotional load both inside and outside of their jobs.

At the Gathering, many people spoke about workforce burnout, colonial load and the lack of clear pathways for professional development in SEWB roles. Supervisors are often expected to support SEWB workers without necessarily having a strong understanding of SEWB themselves. Organisations talk about SEWB as a framework, yet many struggle to translate it into practice or workforce capability.

SEWB cannot simply exist as a concept in policy or a framework referenced in strategy documents. If we are serious about strengthening Social and Emotional Wellbeing outcomes for our communities, then we must also be serious about strengthening the workforce who carry this work every day.

What became clear at the Gathering is that the sector is ready for something more structured. We need workforce training that is culturally grounded, practical and designed specifically for SEWB roles. Training that supports workers to navigate complex community realities, while also protecting their own wellbeing.

We also need clearer role definitions, stronger supervision models, and culturally safe support systems that acknowledge the colonial and community load SEWB workers carry.

Strengthening the SEWB workforce is not just about professional development. It is about sustainability. It is about ensuring our people who are doing this work are supported to continue it without burning out.

When we invest in the SEWB workforce, we invest in the wellbeing of our communities.
This is exactly why we have begun developing a dedicated SEWB Workforce Training program.

The conversations at the SEWB Gathering made it clear — this work cannot wait and we look forward to delivering this program and seeing it grow in the sector.
Centre of Best Practice
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Gayaa Dhuwi - Proud Spirit - Australia

13/03/2026

Here's something I hear a lot in the training room or when I'm facilitating conversations - Cultural Responsibility and the Weight of Leadership.

It's a conversation we don’t have too often in our communities on the weight of cultural responsibility and what it means to be the one people turn to.

Being a leader in your family and/or community isn’t always a title. Sometimes it’s simply the role you carry because people trust you, because you care deeply, and because you were raised to look after others.

You become the one people call when things are falling apart. The one who holds space when someone is grieving. The one who steps in when family are struggling. The one expected to stay strong.

And while that responsibility comes from love, culture, and connection, it can also be heavy.

You may find yourself asking: Who is holding me?

Many of us feel a deep responsibility to care for our families because that’s what we were taught. Our cultures value kinship, reciprocity, and looking after one another. Walking away isn’t an option — and often we wouldn’t want to either.

But the challenge is that the people who are used to you being the strong one often don’t realise that you also carry grief, exhaustion, and your own struggles.

Leadership can be lonely when you hold everyone else’s pain, while quietly managing your own Social and Emotional Wellbeing in the background. And sometimes it can feel like no one notices when you’re tired.

Looking after our Social and Emotional Wellbeing as community leaders means we also need:

⚫️ Spaces where we don’t have to be the strong one
🔴 People who check in on us, not just rely on us
🟡 Permission to step back and rest without guilt
🟤 Cultural and community support that recognises the load we carry
🟢 Boundaries that allow us to care without burning ourselves out

Cultural responsibility should never mean carrying everything alone.

Strength in our communities has always come from collective care — from aunties, uncles, Elders, siblings, and friends holding each other up.

So if you are the one everyone turns to, this is a reminder:

🟢 You deserve support too
🟣 You deserve rest
⚪️ You deserve people who ask how YOU are doing

Even the strong ones need somewhere safe to put their load down.

Let me know your thoughts and how this resonates with you as a leader in your community and/or family. I know I've definitely felt this.

22/02/2026

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) are often the first place our mob turn to when things feel heavy. That means our workforce needs to feel confident and equipped to have the hard yarns — including conversations about su***de.

(Indigenous Applied Su***de Intervention Skills Training) and provides evidence-based su***de prevention and intervention skills in a way that honours cultural context and community languages. It’s not about clinical language. It’s about sitting down, listening deeply, and knowing how to walk alongside someone.

The Indigenous adaptations of ASIST and safeTALK ensures the training reflects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community realities, relational approaches, and culturally respectful engagement.

For , this means:

🔴 Strengthening frontline workforce confidence
🟣 Supporting culturally appropriate responses to su***de ideation
🟢 Building internal capacity
🟤 Demonstrating commitment to evidence-based practice

Su***de prevention in our communities requires more than awareness — it requires skills.

It requires safe spaces to yarn.
It requires culturally responsive intervention capability, and it requires services that are ready when someone says, “I’m not okay.”

If your service is looking to strengthen su***de intervention capability in a way that respects culture and community control, let’s have a yarn.



ACCHS SEWB Su***dePrevention CommunityControl WorkforceDevelopment