Perth Indymedia

Dr Sandra Bloom is an American mental health activist, psychiatrist and Associate Professor of Health Management and Policy at Drexel University. She is the creator of the "Sanctuary model" of therapeutic care which is now a prevalent approach to mental health in the USA, Australia and around the world.

"A traumatic experience impacts the entire person – the way we think, the way we learn, the way we remember things, the way we feel about ourselves, the way we feel about other people, and the way we make sense of the world..."

The Sanctuary model is an approach to mental health care which promotes safety and recovery from adversity through the active creation of a trauma-informed community. A recognition that trauma is pervasive in the experience of human beings forms the basis for the Sanctuary Model's focus not only on the people who seek treatment, but equally on the people and systems who provide that treatment.

Karun Cowper spoke to Dr Bloom about the unfolding paradigm shift in our understanding and treatment of mental health towards "trauma informed care" as embodied in models such as the Sanctuary model and also about the importance of political activism to challenge powerful interests that create trauma in the first place.

Indymedia's Raymond Grenfell speaks to Julien Vincent from Market Forces regarding Westpac's decision to not fund new coal, including Adani's Carmichael project. A project that, if built, would be the largest coal mine in the southern hemisphere.

Indymedia's Raymond Grenfell speaks to Greens Senator Scott Ludlam regarding the implications of changes to government policy on metadata retention and the recent breach by the Australian Federal Police.

The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) is currently circulating a public statement to Keep Australia out of U.S. wars - A public call for an Independent and Peaceful Australian foreign policy. The statement will be published in national media outlets, including on-line journals and newsletters.

Karun Cowper speaks with former Greens Senator, long-time peace activist and IPAN member Jo Vallentine.

It seems an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement is further away than ever, with the Netanyahu government approving late last week the first new illegal colonial outpost, commonly referred to as a settlement, in the West Bank in 20 years. Military occupation remains a daily reality for millions of Palestinians, and the people of Gaza continue to go about their lives under conditions of siege. There are fragile signs of hope however, perhaps none more so than in the West Bank village of Nabi Salih, for seven long years home to weekly peaceful protests against the Israeli occupation. The key leader of these protests is Nabi Salih resident Bassem Tamimi. Bassem was due to arrive in Perth this Wednesday evening to begin a speaking tour of Australia, but his entry visa has thus far been denied by the Turnbull government. Alex Whisson began by asking Bassem why he felt it was so important for the people of his village to so defiantly maintain weekly protests against the occupation over such a long period of time.

In the wake of Mark McGowan's crushing victory in last weekend's Western Australian election, MUA State Secretary Chris Cain was quick to remind the Premier-elect of the contribution made by the union movement to his win, telling the press, "We've delivered for them so it's not too much to expect them to deliver for working-class people."

Alex Whisson began by asking the long-standing union leader what confidence he had in McGowan's ability to deliver on his promises, especially with respect to keeping Western Power and the Fremantle Port in public hands.

Emma June aka Mumm Ghi on her epic tree sit protesting #Roe8 and #NakedforNature.

Ms Dhu family spokeperson and Deaths In Custody Watch Committee (WA)co-chair Carolyn Lewis on the WA coroner's report into Ms Dhu's death who died after being locked up at South Hedland Police Station in August 2014.

Father Chris Bedding on his participation in recent creative action in support of asylum seekers with a entourage of the Holy Family greeting shoppers in Garden City.

Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie on the roe 8 madness and why WA can be doing so much more to support real innovation