“The Sergeant wants to acupuncture me”: a personal lens into the introduction of a traditional Eastern therapy to Indigenous Australians

Abstract

Objective: This paper introduces a project established between the Emotional, Social Wellbeing Centre and the Goldfields Ngunytju Tjitji Pirni (Caring for Women and Children) and the Western Australia Police in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

Conclusions: Members of the Indigenous community of Kalgoorlie have found benefit through consultation and treatment involving the use of acupuncture, dietary and lifestyle counselling. In addition, Indigenous persons have found benefit in an alternative means of accessing police services outside of a typical police environment.

• acupuncture
• emotional wellbeing
• Indigenous health
• social wellbeing