Kelleigh Ryan (L) and Associate Professor Yvonne Clark (R), current co-convenors of the APS Aboriginal and Torrest Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group (ATSIPP)
Two renowned experts share how the APS can provide better support to Indigenous psychologists.
Tuesday 15 September 2026 marks 10 years since the APS made a formal Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, acknowledging psychology’s role in contributing to their mistreatment and erosion of their culture.
In the lead-up to the anniversary of the Apology, we spoke to two leading Indigenous psychologists about what the Apology means, and what changes they’d like to see made in the future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists.
What is our Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples?
At the 2016 APS Congress, following the keynote speech by Australia’s first Indigenous psychologist, Professor Pat Dudgeon, Professor Tim Carey read our Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This reading signalled a significant milestone in our history that saw more than 1500 delegates join in standing ovation.
Meet the psychologists creating change and cultural awareness in psychology
Heralding a decade since the Apology was made, we spoke to Yvonne Clark and Kelleigh Ryan, the current co-convenors of the APS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group (ATSIPP), to learn about what more can be done to improve our cultural responsiveness.
The esteemed psychologists shared their insights on the evolution of the Interest Group and their hopes for the next generation of psychologists. Alongside their roles as co-convenors of the Interest Group, both are deeply connected within their field. Associate Professor Yvonne Clark is a Kokatha/Wirangu woman from South Australia, AIPA Director, an APS Fellow, the first clinically endorsed Aboriginal psychologist, and has a research focus on lateral violence and Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing for Aboriginal children, young people and families. Kelleigh Ryan is a Kabi Kabi and Australian South Sea Islander psychologist who focuses on cultural safety in trauma-informed practice, is a co-founder of The Seedling Group, winner of the IAHA Lifetime Achievement Award, an APS Fellow, and a past co-vice Chair of AIPA.
Both Yvonne and Kelleigh credit their mothers and formative life experiences as the inspiration behind their career choices and motivation to create change.
Before becoming a psychologist, Kelleigh says, “I was always aware of the two cultural world views I lived in. My mother made sure I knew my cultural connections to family, mob, place or, as you say, 'way of knowing, being and doing' and my father explained the laws, rules and history of his non-Indigenous culture. It was not until working with individuals, families and organisations going through major change events that I became painfully aware of limitations of systems that privilege only one worldview to the detriment of the communities they are assigned to serve. These experiences challenged my moral compass and fueled my desire to know more about psychological practices and healing. This is my third career and I love it.”
It was during university that Kelleigh says she discovered a lack of cultural visibility that started in the classroom. Those she considered experts in their fields demonstrated little understanding of culture, but her mother guided her through those days.
Having become experts in their own rights, Kelleigh and Yvonne say they have the privilege and responsibility of sharing cultural knowledge and influencing a safer, stronger psychology field for those using the system and those younger ones coming into psychology.
Kelleigh explains, “There’s a weight to carrying the responsibility of being aware. I talk to so many psychologists who are at the same place in their careers and lives, but they just don’t have the colonial load that we carry. The APS Apology started making space for discussions and changes about these topics without blame and fear.”
“But it strengthens you as well,” adds Yvonne, who says the passing of her mother when she was in her early twenties meant that she had to take on more family responsibilities quickly propelling her toward leadership. “The trauma impact can strengthen you, or it can take away or destroy you. I’ve tried to carry the good things and draw strength from the bad experiences.”
Kelleigh agrees, “I guess it’s the fuel that gave me the desire to understand more about healing from trauma, mind, body, spirit and environment. I focus on working with trauma responses, which is influenced by my psychological training and my connection to collective cultures' holistic view of wellbeing, balance and belonging. History shows us the ongoing detrimental influence of systemic racism and trauma on wellbeing, but we are only starting to document the positive impact of First Nations Peoples’ holistic, practice-based evidence and other evidence-based practices of social and emotional wellbeing approaches to healing. Holding space for safety and sharing knowledge gives me the drive to make things better.”
The impact of the APS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group
Yvonne joined the newly reformed APS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group (ATSIPP) as a student in the 1990s, during a time in which she says, “A group of like-minded people came together to challenge things and were very proactive. There wasn’t a voice for us in psychology before then, and ATSIPP provided a voice.
“Dr Pat Dudgeon was leading that and there were lots of allies, and it was quite a significant new group that made lots of changes. ATSIPP is still a strong group and aligns well with AIPA and now we have the APS Indigenous Taskforce. It’s all part of our passion and drive to improve things for our mob. My involvement in all the different groups is a natural fit and all part of the bigger picture.”
Kelleigh says, “The Apology, the Interest Group, AIPA, these were all big movements in terms of our presence in psychology and having a voice in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and policy and programs.”
Since becoming co-conveners of the Interest Group, the pair has formed a harmonious working relationship.
Kelleigh says, “Our relationship, both culturally and professionally, is critically important and really powerful. When my burden is heavier, I know that Yvonne understands. That’s where the strength lies in the Interest Group, too. It’s about people who are interested in bettering things and actually want to work with us and understand more. And now with the Taskforce, it’s all about our relationships to each other and the ongoing benefits for all.”
What is our APS Indigenous Psychology Taskforce?
The APS Indigenous Psychology Taskforce brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, psychology representatives, and key partners to guide meaningful action and strengthen the role of psychology in supporting First Nations Peoples and communities. The Taskforce was established in 2026 and is chaired by Professor Patricia Dudgeon AM, and supported by the current APS President Dr Kelly Gough. Indigenous leadership is provided by Professor Dudgeon, the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA), ATSIPP, and the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP).
The Taskforce was created to guide key reconciliation initiatives across the profession, including recognising the 10-year anniversary of the APS Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and updating the APS Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
The importance of strong relationships across the psychology community
Alongside the strong working relationship between Yvonne and Kelleigh, both women agree it’s the relationships formed across the profession that have the potential to lead to significant change.
“The real impact of the Interest Group is that it continues to contribute to relationships with our non-Aboriginal psychologists and those who are interested in working in this space,” Clark says.
Kelleigh adds, “The Interest Group gives both APS and the Interest Group members access not only to AIPA board members, but also practitioners who are very respected and active in their fields. They’re privy to all that current knowledge, change and understanding.”
“Hopefully”, Kelleigh says, “Lots of things are changing, not only in this country but around the world. There’s a lot more desire for understanding. More people want to be culturally informed and culturally responsive. That said, there’s still a lot of hate, racism and othering too, and that places an extra burden on practitioners. It’s something that we don’t talk about enough. The APS has been great in its leadership, and the Interest Group has held steady in its desire to help people navigate all of this.”
Yvonne adds, “We’re also able to support students and new psychologists. That’s always a great thing when you hear stories of the students that ATSIPP sponsors, going to conferences and conveying who they’ve met, and what that’s meant to them in their growth as psychologists.”
Yvonne Clark and Kelleigh Ryan’s hopes for the future of psychology
The co-conveners of the Interest Group share many hopes for the future of psychology for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and are in alignment on the kind of representation they’d like to see within the profession.
Yvonne says, “I'm hoping that a younger person will take over the Interest Group in the future and push it forward in different directions and make something new of it”.
Both psychologists would like to see more knowledge being shared from the Interest Group and its members.
Kelleigh says, “We have access to Indigenous scholars that are putting out fantastic work. We’d like to see stronger relationships formed between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists and the APS to help share this information. I’d also like to see places held at conferences for yarning circles or discussions for more conversations.”
Both would also love to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples represented on the APS Board.
Kelleigh says, “I’d like to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists on the
Board. For cultural safety, it would be two people supported, to put in place some of the requests and recommendations that really need to happen for our profession.”
And, with a new RAP [Reconciliation Action Plan] in the works for the APS, Kelleigh and Yvonne say they’re prepared to raise hard questions about the next steps.
“I think this new RAP gives us space to have an open report card of what’s working and what’s not working, so we can make some adjustments,” Kelleigh says.
What did the Apology mean to the Interest Group in 2016?
Kelleigh remembers, “The Apology was huge in terms of what it meant, of the impact it had. It resonated across the globe. It drew a line in the sand where the APS went, ‘okay, we acknowledge what we did and here’s our intent to change’. There are so many parts to an apology, and you have to actually say what you're going to do and carry through with it. And I think this next part of the RAP is a really good time to do even better. We’ve had 10 years and it’s a good time to put things into practice. It’s really time to launch off.”
Yvonne agrees, “Now is the time to move with the RAP. This is happening now, and it coincides with the anniversary of the Apology. We’ve had 10 years to think about what it means and now it’s time to really take action.”
As we look to the future of psychology for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, APS members can also help support the next generation of psychologists through the Bendi Lango bursary. The bursary supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychology students to build connections, take part in professional learning opportunities and feel supported as they enter the profession. Learn more about the Bendi Lango bursary and how to support it here.