This presentation explores how First Nations communities understand and respond to grief through culturally grounded, collective approaches to healing. It provides an overview of the work of Thirrili as the only national First Nations postvention service supporting communities after suicide and traumatic loss, with a focus on culturally safe, trauma-informed care that prioritises immediate support, community leadership, and long-term capacity building.
Within this context, grief is not experienced in isolation. It is deeply connected to family, community, culture, and Country. The impacts of suicide and loss extend across entire communities, requiring responses that are collective, culturally informed, and sustained over time. While Western models often centre individual experiences of grief, First Nations approaches recognise healing as a shared responsibility grounded in relationships, cultural practice, and community strength.
Social and emotional wellbeing frameworks are central to this approach, emphasising the interconnected nature of wellbeing across body, mind and emotions, family and kinship, community, culture, Country, and spirituality. Healing is strengthened through practices that reconnect people to these domains, including yarning, ceremony, and the guidance of Elders. These approaches create culturally safe spaces for shared understanding, reduce stigma, and support communities to navigate sorry business in ways that honour cultural protocols.
Connection to culture, community, and Country remains central to healing and recovery. Strengthening these connections not only supports individuals and families through grief, but also builds resilience and empowers communities to lead their own healing journeys.