Professor Tim Carey, clinical psychologist, Centre for Remote Health, Flinders University
Tim Carey talks about how working in Alice Springs transformed his understanding of the social determinants of health. He explains Michael Marmot’s key theory about the social gradient, and argues that the social determinants of health should feature in the undergraduate psychology curriculum as it provides essential social context to people’s lives.
Carmel O’Brien, counselling psychologist, Director, Clinical Services, Doncare
Carmel O'Brien highlights the importance of recognising the context in which people live; she talks about how practitioners can better assist clients to understand how violence, poverty or other life experiences affect their mental health - and what they can or cannot change.
Associate Professor Dawn Darlaston-Jones, community psychologist, University of Notre Dame
Dawn Darlaston-Jones stresses the importance of understanding the macro issues when tackling the micro issues which are often the focus of psychology. She gives an example of the social determinants of health in practice - it is the discrimination that gay people experience that is problematic, not being gay itself.