The voice of lived experience
I am a passionate spirit committed to showing up and raising my voice. As I am; here and now. All that I have been behind me. All that I will be in front of me.I have the ability to speak from multiple perspectives – personally, professionally and politically – and integrate all of my skills and knowledge into what I share and facilitate with others. This adds depth to the content I share and allows it to be highly tailored to the audience I am with. It makes a difference.
Until we get real about these experiences and respond to personal accounts proactively and compassionately, sustainable and life-giving change will be less available than it could, should and needs to be
I share my experience through:
-> purposefully sharing my story
-> speaking at events and conferences
-> facilitating workshop / training sessions or discussion groups
-> attending staff / student meetings or seminars
-> consulting with therapists – in a peer:peer consultation session or to attend a single therapy session with someone you are supporting
-> sitting on organisational and governmental policy and practice review committee’s or reference group’s
-> consultancy
-> and other mutually agreed ways of providing support, guidance, representation and consultation
Committee and panel experience:
-> Lived Experience Advisor to the South Australian Mental Health Commission. Includes being: co-chair of the Community Advisory Committee; Chair of the Prevention, Promotion, Early Intervention & Research Reference Group; and Lived Experience Member of the Project Steering Group for the development of the SA Mental Health Strategic Plan 2017-2022
-> Member, National Mental Health Consumer & Carer Register
-> Member, South Australian Lived Experience Register
-> Member, Office of the Chief Psychiatrist’s Lived Experience Reference Group for SA Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. June 2016 – ongoing. Elected Co-Chair in September 2016
-> Consumer Advocate, Trauma-Informed Care Committee for SA Women’s & Children’s Health Network. September 2016 – ongoing
-> Suicide Prevention Grants Scheme 2016 Assessment Panel for the SA Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. May-June 2016