Writing on lived experience, mental health and practice

Ahead of ALIVE’s Emergent Ecosystems event, Michael Elwan reflects on lived experience leadership and what it means for people to recognise themselves in the research structures and statements intended to shape the future.

Mental health conversations can miss what is already in the room. Michael Elwan reflects on culture, migration, masculinity and why recognition must come before assessment.

Ethical frameworks organise complex social work decisions. Supervision helps practitioners test the judgement, assumptions and pressures shaping what they do next.

Award-winning social worker Michael Elwan on culturally responsive supervision, and three moves that change what a supervision note can see

A general guide to peer work supervision, including its purpose, boundaries and relationship with line management. LEXs does not currently offer this service.

Award-winning social worker and PhD researcher Michael Elwan on his article in Psychiatric Services, exploring certainty, treatment, and lived experience in psychiatry.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan on co-design, power and lived experience leadership, and who gets to decide what lived experience means.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan explores how organisations can embed lived and living experience in governance beyond advisory groups and consultation.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan explores why co-design in mental health often fails and what meaningful participation requires.

A practical question bank for social workers preparing for reflective supervision, with prompts for ethics, risk, culture, boundaries, use of self and professional judgement.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan reflects on his appointment as Carer/Family/Kinship Co-Lead at the ALIVE National Centre.

What to discuss in social work supervision, including ethics, risk, boundaries, culture, leadership, private practice and professional judgement.

Social work supervision fees vary across Australia depending on format, timing, experience, funding source, and the type of support required.

Reflective supervision helps social workers think beneath the surface of practice, including ethics, emotion, power, boundaries, risk, and professional judgement.

External supervision gives social workers a space outside line management to reflect on complex practice, ethics, role pressure, and professional judgement.

Social work supervision supports reflection, ethical decision-making, professional judgement, accountability, and clearer practice across complex roles.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan shares his appointment to Roses in the Ocean’s advisory group and related supervision and consultancy work.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan shares his Lifeline appointment and consultancy, supervision, and project work.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan shares his new ALIVE article on caregiving, migration, grief, and knowledge.

Michael Elwan recently facilitated an AASW workshop on mental health in CaLD families, giving social workers practical tools to reduce stigma, support intergenerational dialogue, and hold safer family conversations where culture, migration and silence matter.