Tribal Psychology

11/09/2026

⚠️ **A longer post than I usually write — but one worth reading if you’re willing to sit with uncomfortable truth.**

This isn’t simply a post about two award nominations.

It’s about **identity, colour, colonisation, belonging — and the uncomfortable space I have lived in between Black and white Australia.**

Today, I discovered I have been nominated for **TWO Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network Blak Business Awards:**

🏆 **Blak Consultancy of the Year — Tribal Psychology**
🏆 **Blak Female Business Owner of the Year — Tammy Hatherill**

I am overwhelmed.

Because I am Aboriginal.

And I am also a very light-skinned Aboriginal woman.

I was raised on a small Aboriginal island community. My Aboriginality isn’t something I discovered later, adopted, or chose because it was convenient.

**It is my blood. My family. My upbringing. My culture. My lived experience.**

Yet I have spent much of my life in the uncomfortable space of being **too Aboriginal for some white Australians, and not Aboriginal enough for some Aboriginal people.**

I have been mocked for calling myself Aboriginal because of my skin colour.

I have also been questioned and mocked within Aboriginal spaces because I am light-skinned.

And here is the uncomfortable truth:

**I am a product of colonisation.**

My skin is light because of the very history that sought to control, assimilate and ultimately eliminate Aboriginal identity.

But they didn’t eliminate us.

They didn’t eliminate my family.

They didn’t eliminate my culture.

They didn’t eliminate our ways of knowing, being and doing.

And they certainly didn’t eliminate my determination to fight for our people.

**I am not simply an ally.**

**I am mob.**

That is why Tribal Psychology is so deeply personal.

Traditional healing. Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing. Cultural safety. Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing.

These aren’t just areas of professional interest.

**They are part of who I am.**

And right now, the work is hard.

I have lost my office and am working from my veranda while new plans are developed. My PhD has been slowed by systems and supervisors. There are days when continuing the fight is exhausting.

So these nominations mean more than I can explain.

Especially because I had only just been told that a Director of an organisation I subcontract to had nominated me for another award — and then, completely unexpectedly, I received news of **these two NTIBN nominations.**

I don’t know if I will win.

And I know my skin colour may not be what people expect when they hear “Aboriginal business owner.”

But **being nominated is already something worth celebrating.**

Because despite everything, I keep showing up.

I keep speaking.

I keep challenging systems.

I keep advocating for Aboriginal rights.

I keep fighting for our people and our ways of knowing, being and doing.

So take me as you will.

You may look at my skin and decide what you think I am.

But **my skin does not tell my whole story.**

My history does.
My family does.
My upbringing does.
My culture does.
My blood does.
**My heart does.**

**My skin may be light.
My Aboriginality is not.**

You reminded me that even when the work is exhausting, **it matters.**

And I will keep going.

For our people.
For our culture.
For the generations coming behind us.

And if any of this makes you uncomfortable — Black or white — perhaps sit with that discomfort.

Because sometimes the truth challenges the assumptions we have been taught.

**I am not an ally to my own people.**

**I am mob.**

And I am proud to be here, doing the work.

08/09/2026

🌿An exciting milestone for the SEWB Reflection Cards…

When I created the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Reflection Cards, my hope was that they would become a practical, culturally responsive resource to support clinicians to have deeper, safer and more meaningful conversations about wellbeing.

What I didn’t necessarily expect was for them to start making their way into university research and training conversations. 💚

I’ve recently been contacted by a research team working on a project focused on developing the cultural sensitivity and capability of mental health professionals to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health outcomes.

They were referred to my SEWB Reflection Cards by an academic working in the field and have asked for permission to use the cards as a training and teaching tool within their project.

Of course, I said yes. ❤️

It is incredibly encouraging to see the cards being recognised as something that can contribute to the education and development of mental health professionals — particularly when the intention behind creating them was always to help bridge the gap between the SEWB Framework and everyday clinical practice.

And perhaps one of the most exciting parts?

The cards are now being discussed across multiple universities and academic settings.

What started as an idea, developed through my own clinical practice and passion for culturally responsive psychology, is slowly becoming something much bigger.

I’m incredibly proud of how far they are travelling. 🌿

From an idea… to a clinical resource… to research and university training.

And this is only the beginning.

28/08/2026

🌿 **A Little Reminder, September is Time for Me** 🌿

September is almost here, and I’ve already started my break!

For the **entire month of September**, I’m stepping away from Tribal Psychology and taking some much-needed time for myself. 💛

There are a few medical procedures to get through, but there will also be plenty of **rest, R&R, slowing down and simply taking some time to breathe.**

I spend my working life supporting other people, listening to their stories, helping them navigate difficult times and encouraging them to prioritise their own wellbeing.

And I genuinely believe in what I tell my clients:

**We need to make time for ourselves.**
**We need to rest.**
**We need to recharge.**
**And looking after ourselves isn't selfish — it's necessary.**

So, this September, I’m taking my own advice. 🌱

I want to come back to my clients feeling rested, recharged, and ready to give them the same energy, presence, and care I strive to bring to every appointment.

I’m incredibly grateful for all of my beautiful clients, colleagues, referrers and supporters, and I really appreciate your understanding while I take this time away.

Sometimes life gets busy, and we keep putting ourselves at the bottom of the list.

**This month, I’m moving myself back to the top.** ❤️

See you all in **October**!

🌿 **Tribal Psychology**

22/08/2026

One thing I've realised lately is how important it is to make time for the people who matter.

Yesterday I caught up with Tracey, who I hadn't seen in such a long time. Today it was Kristy, another beautiful friend I haven't had the chance to catch up with for ages.

The funny thing is, we all run our own businesses, so calendars fill up quickly and "we should catch up soon" can easily turn into months passing by. But when you finally sit down together, it's as though no time has passed at all.

With me heading away for a month (and feeling grateful that our lovely house sitter will be looking after the puppies), it felt important to reconnect before I leave.

It's a good reminder that while building a business is important, so is building a life. Friendships deserve time. Conversations deserve space. And sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is step away from work for a coffee, a laugh, and a genuine catch-up.

Here's to finding a little more balance between work and life, ambition and connection. ❤️

Image is AI created.

19/08/2026

You may have heard of the smiling assassin metaphor. It's very real.

17/08/2026

We often believe resilience means holding on. But there is another kind of strength—the wisdom to recognise when forcing something is costing your peace.

Sometimes, when the stars are not aligning, it's time to walk away completely. Not because you failed, but because your energy belongs where it can grow.

16/08/2026

Some days, the best place to think is outside.

Today I'm spending time in my little work space in nature, reflecting on life and sitting with some big questions.

I've been thinking about integrity. What does it really mean?

If someone makes a promise and later can't keep it because their circumstances change, is that a lack of integrity? Or is it simply the reality of being human? And for the person affected, what does responding with integrity look like?

I don't think these questions have easy answers.

Perhaps integrity isn't just about keeping every promise. Maybe it's also about honesty, accountability, compassion, and how we choose to respond when life doesn't unfold as expected.

Today is a day for slowing down, listening, and allowing space for reflection.

What does integrity mean to you?

15/08/2026

I've been sitting with a lot of grief today.

For the past 18 months, I've been dreaming, planning and preparing for what I thought would be the next chapter for me, including doing the online appointments for Tribal Psychology from a new space. The land was already cleared. The plans were in motion. Then came delay after delay—not because of the builder, but because of council approvals, engineering requirements, soil testing and everything else that comes with building.

When the revised quote finally came back, it was over $420,000.

I just can't justify that for a granny flat.

The hardest part is that I'm grieving more than a building. I'm grieving my old office too. It was my professional home for the past two years, and leaving it before I had somewhere else to go has been incredibly hard. The granny flat was never meant to replace an office for face-to-face clients—it was originally going to be a dedicated space for my online work. Losing my office unexpectedly changed everything.

Right now, I'm working from my verandah, trying to keep showing up for my clients while figuring out what comes next. I feel lost. Really lost.

But if there's one thing life has taught me, it's that answers always come. They don't always arrive when we want them to, and they rarely look like the plan we had, but somehow another path reveals itself.

So today I'm allowing myself to grieve. Tomorrow, I'll keep looking for the next door that's meant to open. ❤️

11/08/2026

07/08/2026

A Little Time for Me 💚

After much thought, I've decided that September will be my month.

I'll be taking the entire month of September away from Tribal Psychology to focus on my health, enjoy some leisure time, and make time for myself.

Before then, though, I'm really looking forward to spending the next few weeks with my clients. I'll be here throughout August, continuing to support you all before I head off for a well-earned break.

This year has been one I will never forget.

Professionally, it has been one of the most rewarding years of my career. There have been so many exciting milestones and opportunities, and I feel incredibly grateful for every one of them.

Personally... It's also been a really hard year.

After four long years, I was finally able to bring to an end, with the assistance of the courts, the ongoing stress of someone repeatedly targeting and harassing me. It has been a long journey, and being able to finally close that chapter has brought a sense of relief and allowed me to move forward.

I've also navigated some significant health concerns, with some still being investigated.

More recently, I unexpectedly lost my consulting room after the property was sold. I had been reassured that nothing would change under the new ownership, so it came as quite a shock when I was asked to vacate. While it wasn't the outcome I had hoped for, it has reminded me that sometimes life's unexpected detours lead us in new directions.

Despite all of that, I've been reminded time and again that there is always kindness waiting around the corner. My little clinic on the veranda has turned out to be such a lovely temporary space, and I'm incredibly grateful for everyone's support and understanding. I'm also currently in negotiations to rent a consulting room with another psychologist until my own purpose-built clinic is completed, which I'm really excited about.

Life has a funny way of reminding us that sometimes we have to pause.

As psychologists, we're always encouraging others to look after themselves—to rest, to heal, to listen to their bodies, and to prioritise their wellbeing. Sometimes, we need to take our own advice.

So that's exactly what I'm doing.

September will be about slowing down, focusing on my health, enjoying life a little, and filling my own cup so I can come back in October refreshed, healthy, and ready for the next exciting chapter of Tribal Psychology.

To every one of my clients, colleagues, friends, and supporters—thank you. Your encouragement, patience, and kindness have meant more to me than you'll ever know.

I'm looking forward to seeing many of you over the coming weeks before I head off, and then I'll see you all again in October.

Take care of yourselves... and don't forget to make time for you too. 💚