In the Eye of the Storm: Community-led Indigenous Informed Healing Responses to Disaster Recovery

Abstract

In the aftermath of the catastrophic 2022 Northern Rivers floods, Caroline Atkinson, PhD, shares a powerful case study of Indigenous-led, community-driven healing efforts grounded in cultural wisdom and trauma-informed care. Through the creation of a Healing Hub, Aboriginal approaches to collective trauma recovery—focusing on connection, belonging, and embodied healing—offered an urgently needed alternative to clinical disaster responses. The Hub’s success highlights the importance of culturally responsive, relational models in supporting both immediate and long-term resilience. Drawing on Indigenous frameworks, the initiative demonstrates how culturally rooted healing practices can transform disaster recovery for entire communities.