Aboriginal Culture and Alcohol Abuse Report

The report discusses the meaning of aboriginal culture and its impact on individuals struggling with alcohol abuse. It highlights various issues related to alcohol abuse in TSI communities and emphasizes the importance of family and cultural safety in addressing these problems. The report also recommends several support services, including physiological counseling, which can help clients overcome their issues and improve their overall well-being.

WORKING WITH
DIFFERENT CULTURES
SCENARIO

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Aboriginal culture is a culture which varies according to change in region and beliefs of
communities. Moreover, this report will highlight about relationship about the alcohol use and
TSI communities. Further the project will outline the importance of family for clients like
financial support service, social support service, mental support service, community health
service, addictive counselling service, physiological services etc.
MAIN BODY
Aboriginal culture includes variety of languages, art, music, ceremonies, practices,
religions and beliefs. It is a culture which changes according change in geographical areas and
attitude of individuals. This culture is not rigid individuals have to adapt changes in climate,
culture of other people and change in innovations. This culture is base on beliefs & concepts of
Torres Strait Islander (TSI). Concepts of TSI is also known as aboriginal dreaming according to
which experience & knowledge of ancestors are collected as a resource. This culture is the oldest
culture followed in across world(Kingsley and Thorpe, 2018).
Torres Strait Islander Communities have their own customary Laws, language, cultural &
spiritual values and trade practices. Most of the citizens living in indigenous culture are
youngsters and they live in urban areas than individual of non-indigenous culture. Thus, they are
more addicted to alcohol which creates issues related to alcohol abuse like they do domestic
violence when they get drunk. As Mel is an aboriginal client who drinks a lot and does domestic
violence. High level of alcohol consumption by Mel and other individuals of Torres strait
islanders affects their health, education, employment and life expectancy. So, there is a need of
reducing excess consumption of alcohol in TSI communities. I am counsellor and Mel is an
aboriginal client, an aboriginal client is one who is from different culture.
As a counsellor I have to build a strong relationship of trust with my clients so that they
can easily share all their problems and habits with me and it is easy for me to solve their
problems. Beside that I have to collect all the necessary information from family members of
Mel as what type of violence they are facing, how often he drinks and how it affects to their
family conditions. Rapport with Mel is to be build by establishing a friendly relationship with
him so he becomes comfortable in sharing everything and also follow clients advice(Sandall,
2018). As a counsellor I also have to talk to the aboriginal client and find out that at what extent

Mel loves his family and what is the importance of family. If he does violent behaviour only
while he is drunk than it is an alcohol abuse and it can be solved by reducing his habits.
For reducing domestic violence of Mel I have to show him that his family is important for
him and without them he is unable to get money or remain uneducated. Family is something
which gives happiness and without it he will be alone which further causes negative effect to his
health and life(Le Maître, Dhanabalan and Druid, 2018).
As a counsellor I have to analyse various issues arises from alcohol abuse & domestic
violence so that I can resolve them easily. Alcohol abuse creates issues for communities such as
they are not feeling safe, it destroys families & buildings. Individuals of TSI community are also
facing issue of not being able to gain knowledge as this does not allow them to attain classes.
Issues related to unemployment also arises due to violent behaviour of alcoholic people no one is
ready to give them work. Their family & society is not able to live a peaceful life with violent
behaviour. Alcohol abuse also creates various problems related to physical injuries and it also
creates suicidal issues. It further affects relationship with families & friends.
As a counsellor I have to deal with my client by adapting his cultural differences. Thus, I
have to adjust according to language, attitude, beliefs, thinking and ideas of Mel as he is an
aboriginal client of mine. If I am able to treat Mel according to his culture & beliefs than his
problem related to alcohol abuse can be resolved easily. All the services offered by me as a
counsellor of Mel is in language so I have knowledge of his language and communication style is
also one which is easily understandable by client(Abracen and Looman, 2016).
Cultural safety is an activity provided by counsellor to clients for improving their life and
life of their family which belongs to a different culture. Mel is an aboriginal client of mine so
there is difference between our culture which creates various type of cultural safety risk for both
me & my client these risks are cultural awareness risk & risk related to cultural competency. I
am suffering from risk of not being able to understand culture of client in depth which creates a
problem in delivering services to him. On the other hand client is unable to understand services if
I do not follow his culture.
Various laws are made by government of Australia for eliminating domestic violence in
Torres Strait Islander Communities which helps in protecting individuals from this and
government also provides various guidelines & health care services so that individuals suffering

from alcohol addiction can overcome from it. Alcohol abuse is most concerned factor in TSI
communitee.
For resolving problems of client related to alcohol abuse I have to use various strategies
such as comparison of my cultural practices with the culture of client and evaluate affect of my
culture of Mel's culture. I have to gain a detailed knowledge & information about importance of
Torres Strait Islander Communities. For dealing in an efficient way with my client I have to keep
in mind all the risk related to cultural safety. All these practices & strategies further helps Mel in
self actualisation.
For giving better counselling service to Mel 1st I have to find out various support services
which are already available to him & his family members. These are discussed below-
 Financial Support Services- All monetary requirement of Mel is fulfilled by his parents
or family. Thus, he is not facing from any problem related to finance. This investigation
helps counsellor in providing advices and with this as a counsellor I also recommend him
to rehabilitation centre because he is capable in affording the treatment so that Mel can
recover easily. This services is also available to family members of client as they are able
to earn money(Backman and Marsk, 2016).
 Social Support Services- Community & society gives support to family members &
partners of clients which also motivates and encourage me in resolving the problems of
alcohol abuse.
Thus, all supportive services available to client helps me in giving further assistance to
him and gives positive results. Beside, all the available services some more support services are
recommended to Mel which are discussed below-
 Mental Health Support Services- Metal support services is given to individuals who are
mentally ill and need support for reducing mental disorder. Mel is suffering from alcohol
abuse and might be he is addicted to alcohol because he is suffering from some mental
issues.
 Community Care Services- Community care services helps Mel in getting over from his
sufferings. As in this support services he is get connected with other communities which
are not addicted to alcohol and they suggest him not to drunk or they become friends with
him which further helps in decreasing is violent attitude(Grant and Greenop, 2018).

 Addictive Counselling Services- Addictive counselling is most important support
service for Mel to follow because it helps him in reducing his addiction towards alcohol
and if this addiction gets reduces than his problem of domestic violence also gets reduces.
 Physiological Counselling Services- These counselling helps in resolving problem of
Mel if he is suffering from any kind of depression and other problem than with this
counselling he can share his problems with the counsellor and counsellor helps him in
reducing personal problems.
All this support services are beneficial for Mel because they are related to the problems of
alcohol abusing and they help him in easily getting over from all these problems.
According to my opinion Mell will follow all the recommended support services as this
all services are according to his culture and they all are beneficial for him(Funston and Herring,
2016).
CONCLUSION
This report outlined meaning of aboriginal culture. Further, this report summaries
relationship between alcohol abuse and TSI communities. Furthermore, this report outlined
importance of family to for client. Moreover, this report outlined various issues related to alcohol
abuse and various risk related to cultural safety. Further, this report conclude support servi9ces
available to client. At last this report outlined other support services which is recommended to
Mel and benefits of those services for client.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Liu, T.M. and Leung, K.K., 2019. Volunteer tourism, endangered species conservation, and
aboriginal culture shock. Biodiversity and Conservation. 28(1). pp.115-129.
Kingsley, J. and Thorpe, A., 2018. “Here we are part of a living culture”: Understanding
the cultural determinants of health in Aboriginal gathering places in Victoria,
Australia. Health & place. 54. pp.210-220.
Sandall, R., 2018. The culture cult: designer tribalism and other essays. Routledge.
Le Maître, T.W., Dhanabalan, G. and Druid, H., 2018. Effects of alcohol abuse on proliferating
cells, stem/progenitor cells, and immature neurons in the adult human
hippocampus. Neuropsychopharmacology. 43(4). p.690.
Abracen, J. and Looman, J., 2016. Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse, and Sexual
Offending. Treatment of High‐Risk Sexual Offenders, p.154.
Backman, O. and Marsk, R., 2016. Alcohol and substance abuse, depression and suicide
attempts after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass surgery. British journal of surgery. 103(10).
pp.1336-1342.
Grant, E. and Greenop, K., 2018. Affirming and reaffirming Indigenous presence: Contemporary
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, public and institutional architecture in
Australia. In The handbook of contemporary Indigenous architecture (pp. 57-105).
Springer, Singapore.
Funston, L. and Herring, S., 2016. When will the stolen generations end?: A qualitative critical
exploration of contemporary'child protection'practices in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities. Sexual Abuse in Australia and New Zealand. 7(1). p.51.
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