To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2025 and its theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, this Expert Insights episode brings together an all First Nations panel to explore how the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Framework can be used to support and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.

Our panellists will discuss how the SEWB wheel can be a powerful tool in strengthening identity, connection, and resilience in young clients, as well as the role of protective factors in preventing suicide and fostering strong futures. Through a strengths-based lens, this conversation will highlight how the SEWB Framework is applicable across contexts and communities beyond First Nations communities, making it a valuable resource for all practitioners in both clinical and community settings.

Join us for this important discussion on how we can provide better wellbeing support and services to empower the next generation, ensuring they are supported to thrive, lead, and carry forward the strength and wisdom of their ancestors.

Panellists:

Dr Clinton Schultz – Director of First Nations Strategy and Partnerships and Head of First Nations Research at Black Dog Institute.

Eliza Kitchener – National Network Specialist, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre.

Aunty Karyn – Lived Experience Representative.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies carry the potential to revolutionise the delivery of mental health therapy in a way that benefits both clinicians and clients. For clinicians, this may involve a reduction in administrative burden. For clients, this might include developing more robust and cost-effective approaches to treatment. Given the rapidly evolving possibilities of AI in mental health therapy, many clinicians have raised questions regarding what this technology involves and how it can be effectively implemented.

In this webinar, Dr. Kathy O'Grady and Dr. Anthony Joffe discuss the current landscape of AI as it applies to mental health therapy. This includes looking at how mental health therapists are currently using AI, their reasons for doing so (including how it has changed their practice), and their concerns about, and perceived barriers to, effective AI implementation. The need for effective policy, guidelines, and training will also be discussed.

As part of the Centre for Research Excellence in Depression Treatment Precision, researchers at the Black Dog Institute are working to understand how we can personalise treatment through the use of technology. More information can be found at: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/cre-precision/

Burnout continues to be a critical challenge in the Australian healthcare system, impacting not only the wellbeing of individual health professionals but also the sustainability of the sector. Despite its prevalence, targeted treatment options have often been limited. As part of The Essential Network (TEN), a blended care mental health support service for Australian health professionals, Black Dog Institute developed Navigating Burnout – a digital cognitive-behavioural therapy program for health professional burnout. In this webinar, Dr. Jan Orman and Dr. Matthew Coleshill discuss treatment options available for health professionals though TEN, as well as ongoing research conducted by The Black Dog Institute examining the effectiveness of Navigating Burnout in reducing burnout among medical practitioners.

For more information about TEN, visit https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/the-essential-network/

With increasing rates of chronic disease and comorbidity, a cohesive, team-based approach to address a broad range of mental health and wellbeing issues has never been more crucial. This webinar explores how GPs can effectively collaborate with other healthcare professionals within integrated care teams, breaking down silos and ensuring better patient outcomes.

Whether you’re a GP looking to enhance collaboration with your team or simply seeking to understand the latest trends in integrated care, this webinar will provide you with the knowledge and tools to transform patient care in your practice.

Facilitator: Dr Phoebe Holdenson Kimura

Guest: Dr Paul Fung

People with mental health challenges, particularly those with complex needs, often require more support than conventional health services can provide. But where can they turn for additional help? In this insightful webinar, Dr. Jan Orman is joined by Rachel Green, CEO of SANE Australia, to explore the power of digital mental health services and online psychosocial support.

Learn about Guided Recovery programs, moderated, clinically governed online communities, and other accredited services that provide a safe, supportive environment for individuals and their families. These services, offered by trusted organizations like SANE Australia, can be an invaluable complement to primary care, offering more accessible and targeted support than unmonitored social media groups.

Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, a time of declining and erratic hormonal activity often impacting both physical and mental health. Common symptoms include fatigue, hot flushes, irritability, loss of joy, anxiety, depressed mood, intrusive thoughts, and insomnia. Only 1 in 5 women seek help for menopause, stigma and shame are common, anxiety and depression risk increase significantly, and this is the highest point of suicide risk in a woman’s life.

Join us for this short webinar where Clinical Psychologist Dr Sarah Barker and GP Dr Ceri Cashell will discuss how GPs can learn to consider whether perimenopause could be a contributing factor to mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression that patients are experiencing.

Discover the transformative impact of integrating digital mental health resources into clinical care. While these tools are effective on their own, their full potential is realised when clinicians play an active role in guiding, coaching, and engaging with patients. Join Dr. Jan Orman and clinical psychologist Dr. Sarah Barker as they explore how incorporating these resources into your practice can elevate patient outcomes, boost engagement, and offer a more holistic approach to mental health care.

This important webinar is designed to equip health professionals and leaders with the tools, insights, and strategies to foster mental wellbeing in their teams during crises and beyond.

This session will:

* Present key research findings on healthcare workers' mental health needs during crises like COVID-19.

* Introduce an insightful report and checklist as actionable resources for enhancing mental health support in healthcare settings.

* Demonstrate how addressing mental health can strengthen teams and improve organisational outcomes.

* Use compelling data to outline what needs to change and the steps leaders can take to drive improvement.

* Empower healthcare leaders with clear, implementable recommendations for creating mentally healthy workplaces.

Facilitator: Dr Peter Baldwin – Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist, Black Dog Institute | Co- Investigator, Future-Proofing the Frontline guide

Panellists: Prof Natasha Smallwood – Respiratory Physician, Department of Respiratory & Sleep Medicine at The Alfred Hospital; Head Chronic Respiratory Disease Group and Respiratory Research Training Lead Respiratory Research @ The Alfred School of Translational Medicine, Monash University; and Chief Investigator, Future-Proofing the Frontline report

Dr Bethan Richards – Chief Medical Wellness Officer / Director SLHD MDOK Centre | Rheumatologist, Co- Director Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, PhD Health Professional

Jess Maher- Lived Experience Representative, endorsed enrolled nurse

Future-Proofing the Frontline: Organisational strategies to support frontline healthcare workers and leaders during times of crisis, is a guide that brings together insights from diverse perspectives and multiple sources of data to understand the best organisational strategies for supporting the mental health of healthcare workers.

The guide and Organisational Checklist are available here: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/news/future-proofing-the-frontline/