Award-winning social worker and national advisor Michael Elwan is a finalist in the R U OK? Barbara Hocking Memorial Award 2025 for his leadership in lived-experience conversations.

I’m honoured to share that I’ve recently been appointed as a Digital Health Adviser - Consumer and Carer  with the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) , a role that brings lived experience to the forefront of digital transformation in Australia’s health system. So, what does this role involve? Over the next 12 months, I’ll be participating in a wide range of activities - reviewing communications materials, co-designing digital tools, contributing to strategic conversatio

Before a migrant man from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) background walks through the door of a mental health service in Australia, he has already carried more than many of us realise. When I was first invited to contribute to Roses in the Ocean's PEERnet’s Community Contributor series , I saw an opportunity - not just to share a story, but to illuminate a reality that too often goes unspoken. The result was my piece, Layer Upon Layer: Understanding the Invis

There are moments in our professional journey that feel deeply personal - where lived experience, cultural identity, and social work practice meet at the heart of transformation. Delivering a national webinar through the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)  is one such moment; an opportunity to explore CALD men’s mental health in Australia  and strengthen how social workers engage with culture, masculinity, and wellbeing. From Silence to Strength: Supporting Menta

This week, something happened that still feels surreal to write. I have been appointed to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) Board’s Accreditation Committee ; a role that brings lived experience leadership and cultural safety into the heart of national health governance. Even as I type these words, I pause. Because this isn’t just a professional milestone - it’s a deeply personal one. It’s a reflection of a journey that began not in boardrooms or le

I was recently invited to participate in an on-camera SafeSide interview  with the team at SafeSide Prevention Australia , as part of their commitment to strengthening culturally responsive suicide prevention approaches across Western Australia. This opportunity was more than just an interview; it was a meaningful dialogue about what safety, support, and connection truly mean for people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD)  backgrounds who may be experiencing sui

I’m honoured to share that I’ve been appointed as the Western Australian representative of the Multicultural Mental Health Expert Panel , a national initiative co-led by the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (NMHCA)   and the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) . This group brings together people with lived experience from across Australia to offer strategic advice on national multicultural mental health policy . The intention is clear: to

I’m deeply humbled to share that I’ve been featured in the WA Mental Health Commission’s Understanding Lived Experience  series, where I speak about organisational readiness and lived experience leadership  - and what it truly means to commit to the WA lived experience peer workforce . As an Egyptian-Australian mental health professional and someone whose life has been profoundly shaped by trauma, caregiving, loss and cultural dislocation , I’ve come to understand that chang

Award-winning social worker and PhD researcher Michael Elwan joins the ALIVE National Centre as Writer-in-Residence, bridging lived experience, culture, and mental health research.

Yesterday was a great day. On Tuesday, I stood beside Poster #159 at the National Suicide Prevention Conference 2025 and presented a program I’ve carried in my heart for decades: “Building Bridges: Fostering Intergenerational Dialogue on Mental Health and Suicide in CaLD Families.” I had many conversations, but one stood out. A woman approached me slowly. She didn’t say much at first - just stood with the poster. After a pause, she whispered: “That was my story too. We never

This week, I had the honour of being featured by Suicide Prevention Australia in a national video spotlighting members of the National Lived and Living Experience Panel. It’s a short but powerful reflection piece, asking each of us: What are your hopes for the upcoming National Suicide Prevention Conference? It’s more than just a video. It’s a reminder that voices like ours - those who carry the pain, the memory, and the insight of lived experience - are not just being heard.

I’m deeply honoured to announce that I will be presenting at this year’s National Suicide Prevention Conference (NSPC25)  in Perth - Australia’s flagship gathering of lived experience leaders, researchers, policymakers, and frontline advocates. My presentation is titled: Building Bridges: Fostering Intergenerational Dialogue on Mental Health and Suicide in CaLD Families 📍 Poster Session 2 | Tuesday 20 May, 5:30 PM | Poster #159 This presentation is more than a professional m

Great relationships don’t just happen. They’re not stumbled upon in perfect form. They are intentionally shaped, much like a sculptor revealing beauty hidden within stone. In the world of therapy, this idea is captured in what researchers call the Michelangelo effect - a concept that describes how partners can support one another to grow into their best selves over time. In my work with couples, I often witness the profound shift that occurs when partners choose to uncover ra

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to trust that your story is powerful enough to build something real from. It was a true honour to join Natasha Siryj and Janine Defontaine on this Finding North panel, facilitated with heart (and some epic tech resilience!) by Hayley Harris. Together, we unpacked what it means to bring our whole selves into self-employment - the grief, the fire, the faith, and the freedom. In this session, I shared how my journey into lived experien

Today , I had the privilege of standing alongside 30 other people with lived and living experience of suicide to co-sign an open letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, calling for urgent suicide prevention funding in Australia . This moment was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when those with firsthand experience speak with clarity, courage, and collective intent. This letter is more than a statement - it is a plea. A plea from those who have los

What does it mean to start your own lived experience business ? For many of us, this decision is more than a professional shift - it’s a personal revolution. It's about reclaiming our stories, challenging systems that excluded us, and transforming pain into purpose. I’m proud to be joining Janine Defontaine and Natasha Siryj for an upcoming panel discussion titled "Starting Your Own Lived Experience Business" , part of the Rights in Action Webinar Series , hosted by Finding N

Childhood experiences shape our perceptions, behaviors, and emotional responses. When those experiences involve trauma, they can leave lasting imprints that influence our adult lives. However, healing from childhood trauma  is possible - and across Australia, more people are reclaiming their inner strength through compassionate, evidence-based support. Traumatic events in childhood, such as abuse, neglect, or loss, can lead to challenges like anxiety, trust issues, and emotio

Grief is a deeply personal experience that encompasses a range of emotions, from profound sadness to unexpected moments of peace. It’s not a linear process but rather a journey that unfolds uniquely for each individual. At Lived Experience Solutions (LEXs), we provide grief counselling in Australia  to help people navigate this journey with compassion, understanding, and evidence-informed care. Grief can manifest in various ways, including physical symptoms like fatigue, chan

I’m honoured to share that I’ll be speaking at Perspectives 2025 , a national Lived Experience e-Symposium hosted by the Finding North Network  in partnership with the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) . My presentation will explore CaLD mental health transformation  through lived experience leadership and culturally grounded systems change. This event is a powerful annual gathering of lived experience leaders, truth-tellers, advocates, and allies from across the

Our earliest interactions with caregivers lay the foundation for our attachment styles in adult relationships , profoundly shaping how we connect with others later in life. Understanding these styles can offer valuable insight into relationship patterns and help foster healthier, more fulfilling connections. The Four Attachment Styles Secure Attachment:  Individuals with a secure attachment style are comfortable with intimacy and autonomy. They trust their partners, communica