For Caroline Atkinson, social work is not a career, it’s a calling rooted in personal experience, cultural identity, and a profound commitment to healing. Growing up amid violence in her family and community, Caroline’s early life was shaped by trauma. But it was also shaped by the people who saw her potential before she could see it in herself.

“One person believing in me changed everything,” she recalls. “That moment planted a seed, not just that I could survive what I’d been through, but that I could transform it into something that helps others.”

Caroline’s journey into social work began at the University of South Australia, where she studied while navigating her own healing. With encouragement from mentors like Dr Adam Jamrozik and the quiet inspiration of her mother, Professor Judy Atkinson, she discovered a passion for trauma research and a deep curiosity about how cycles of harm could be interrupted through culturally informed practices.

Her research took her across Australia and to Tamil Nadu in India. Later, she returned to Papua New Guinea with her family, where her ideas began to take shape through community workshops. Today, Caroline leads We Al-li, an organisation delivering trauma-informed, culturally grounded healing programs across Australia and internationally.

At We Al-li, Caroline’s work is about more than supporting individuals, it’s about shifting systems. The programs she facilitates are built on deep listening, relational connection, and embodied practices that move trauma through the body, not just the mind.

“Trauma isolates people, but healing brings them back together,” she explains. “When we heal as individuals, we also heal our families, our communities, our future generations.”

Her approach incorporates somatic methods, yarning circles, and Indigenous practices like Dadirri—an ancient concept of deep, reflective listening that she says is at the heart of her work.

There are countless stories that affirm the power of this work. One that stays with her is of a young man sent to a workshop as part of a justice program. Initially closed off, he slowly began to share his story through the culturally grounded healing process. By the end of the program, he stood tall, laughing, and said, “No one’s ever listened to me like this before. I didn’t think healing was for me, but maybe it is.”

Caroline is candid about the emotional weight of trauma work.
“You can’t save anyone. That’s a hard thing to learn. But you can hold a space where someone feels safe enough to begin saving themselves,” she says.

Supervision, reflective practice, and cultural grounding are essential to staying resilient. They support not just professional development, but personal growth—ensuring social workers remain self-aware, ethical, and connected to their purpose.

She encourages aspiring social workers to know themselves deeply and not be afraid of their own wounds. “You can’t take others where you haven’t gone yourself,” she says. “Healing isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about presence, empathy, and walking alongside.”

Looking ahead, Caroline hopes to expand We Al-li’s reach and deepen the impact of trauma-informed, culturally led healing.

“I want to see social work led by communities, not imposed upon them. I want to see Indigenous knowledge systems at the centre—not as an add-on, but as the foundation.”

She envisions a future where social work evolves into something more holistic, strengths-based and community-led. That future involves shifting from Western, deficit-oriented models toward practices that honour collective knowledge, deep listening, and spiritual connection.

“Social work is not just about intervention,” she says. “It’s about justice. It’s about transformation. And if we’re brave enough to listen—really listen—I believe we can change everything.”