Paul Martin

Professional biography

Paul Martin was born and raised in north Queensland. He is a descendant of the Butchulla and Goreng Goreng people on his mother’s side, with Greek and Irish heritage from his father.

Guided by his passion to help people believe in their own capabilities, Paul has worked as a youth, family, and community counsellor for more than 15 years. This has included youth suicide prevention, Indigenous family counselling and advocacy, working with youth at risk and managing a range of programs for clients and staff at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service.

Paul holds master’s degree in Narrative Therapy and Community Work. Narrative therapy focusses on the stories people create about themselves to define their sense of identity and how those stories can be re-written to help clients deal with problematic issues in their lives. Paul believes narrative therapy is an amazing tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, naturally aligning with their long cultural history of storytelling through art and yarning.