Writing on lived experience, mental health and practice

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.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan reflects on multicultural mental health leadership and recognition in Australia.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan receives the Suicide Prevention Australia LiFE Award for Outstanding Contribution in Western Australia.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan explores self esteem therapy and how it supports people to move beyond self-criticism toward steadier self-worth.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan explores grief therapy for loss that reshapes identity, relationships, and meaning.

Award-winning Accredited Social Worker Michael Elwan offers trauma and PTSD therapy online across Australia. A trauma-informed, relational approach supporting safety, regulation, and reconnection after overwhelming experiences.

Award-winning Accredited Social Worker Michael Elwan offers depression therapy online across Australia. A trauma-informed, relational approach for people feeling flat, disconnected, or worn down by carrying too much for too long.

Award-winning Accredited Social Worker Michael Elwan offers anxiety or fears therapy online across Australia. A trauma-informed, relational approach for people feeling overwhelmed, vigilant, or stuck despite coping well on the outside.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan reflects on migration, masculinity and mental health in a new ALIVE Network essay.

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan presents on lived experience leadership in academia at the Service Users in Academia Symposium (SUAS) 2025.

A record of Michael Elwan’s AASW workshop delivered on 7 July 2026, with practical themes for culturally responsive supervision and organisational training.

I recently received news that I’ve been named a Finalist in the AASW National Excellence Awards 2025 for Social Worker of the Year, a recognition that honours lived-experience leadership and social work excellence across Australia. It took a while for the news to sink in. These things never start with applause - they start with small steps, hard days, and moments where you’re just trying to keep someone safe, including yourself. My path into social work wasn’t a straight line

Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan is appointed to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist WA, advancing multicultural mental health leadership.

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 lost

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 emotion

Award-winning social worker and therapist Michael Elwan explains attachment styles in adult relationships and how therapy at LEXs can build secure connections.