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 Carolyn
Thompson
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Hi, my name is Carolyn Thompson. I was born and raised in Darwin, I
am of Walpiri/Gurindji descent on my mother's side. I have a
daughter and a granddaughter.
I commenced working with the Top End Mental Health Service in
1989 at Tamarind Centre as an Administrative Officer for 11 years.
In 1997 I attended Batchelor College where I studied Indigenous
Mental Health, obtaining a Certificate III in Social and
Behavioural Issues and graduated in April 1999. I have been
employed as an Aboriginal Mental Health Worker since October 2000.
Currently my role is part-time Aboriginal Mental Health Worker and
part-time Indigenous Research Officer with Australian
Integrated Mental Health Initiative (AIMhi NT) based at Menzies
School of Health Research.
In my role as Aboriginal Mental Health Worker, it was
frustrating seeing patients relapsing so soon after being
discharged from hospital and having no culturally appropriate
information/resources on mental illness for Indigenous people so
that they could better understand mental health.
When I heard about the AIMhi project I saw it as an opportunity
to work with remote communities, create culturally appropriate
resources, and to educate patients, family/carers and the community
about mental illness. So that the patient, with support from their
family or carer, could better manage their illness, and lower the
number of times they get sick and have to go to hospital. It is
also a way to help them to become skilled and to be in charge when
it comes to their illness. In 2003 I was appointed to the position
of Indigenous Research Officer with AIMhi NT.
From CRCAH
Annual Report 2004/2005
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