Come join the open space.
I acknowledge and pay my respects to the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I work, live and create. I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, traditions and hopes of Aboriginal Australia. Sovereignty was never ceded.
I recognise all people with a lived experience of trauma, neurodiversity, mental ill health and substance use or addiction, and their families, carers and supporters. I celebrate the strength of your recovery and acknoweldge the lived wisdom that you carry.
Hello and Welcome!
However you arrived, wherever you may be, I’m so glad you’ve made it this far and have come to visit my little corner of the internet.
Ever since I was a child, I’ve danced.
It’s been like the air to my lungs; a deep fabric of my existence.
There was never such thing as an empty space – each abandoned building, rental, corner store; a space simply made for movement, imagination, and creativity.
Dance has remained with me as my preferred modality of communication, even in the depths of my own distress - an unfolding path for healing.
During lockdowns here in Melbourne, we have been locked down.
We’ve been locked away from a world of wonder, with very little room to move.
I see our collective recovery as a journey of re(dis)covery, as we listen for our song in the breeze, and (re)discover our footing.
Yet to do this we must make some room for creativity, find open space and freedom to dance once again.
And so I invite you,
Will you join me in the open space?
I work as a Mental Health Consultant & Researcher, dancing through
the intersections of The Arts, Lived Experience,
Storytelling and Spirituality.
You can read more in my bio below
Hannah identifies as a Neurodivergent Survivor-turned-Thriver of the mental health system. She works as a Mental Health Consultant & Researcher at the intersection of The Arts, Consumer Perspective Lived Experience, Storytelling & Spirituality.
Between the years of 2021-2023, Hannah worked as a Consumer Consultant and Project Lead for the Consumer Choice Pilot at Monash Health, funded by the Department of Health to explore approaches to choice, codesign and consumer leadership across clinical mental health sector reforms.
Hannah has a focus on expanding the evidence base for Lived Experience through applied research translation - whereby she holds the roles of Adjunct Research Associate and Teaching Associate at Monash University. Here, Hannah contributes to the coproduction of a range of mental health courses, including an undergraduate certificate program for first responders, a Bachelor's level 'Introduction to Mental Health' elective unit and the Masters of Mental Health program, including a unit on Contemporary Approaches to Mental Health.
Complementing her work in the lived experience discipline, Hannah holds an interest in progressing the field of Spiritual Care and Mental Health. Hannah completed a Post-Graduate Diploma of Pastoral Care in 2021, which included Clinical Pastoral Education in the public mental health sector. During this time she received a scholarship to recognise her leadership in the area of Spiritual Care and Mental Health study. At the start of 2023, Hannah began a Masters with specialist research focus in Spiritual Care, Lived Experience and Mental Health. Within this Masters, Hannah has undertaken Specialist Clinical Pastoral Education studies at Royal Melbourne Hospital (with a focus on mental health). She was awarded the Spirituality and Mental Health Scholarship from Stirling Theological College and the Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart in 2023 for a second time. Hannah was a founding member of the Spiritual Health Association Lived Experience Advisory Committee, and more recently, has co-founded the emerging ‘Spirituality Lab’; a translational research hub exploring mental health and spirituality.
Hannah launched Grace Dance Company in 2020, with a mission to care for dancers and communities through artistic practice and cultural storytelling. Grace Dance has a strong focus on mental health inclusion and in 2022, piloted a peer led dance program in partnership with Schizy Inc, funded by Vic Health and the Ducas Paul Foundation.
My Qualifications
To my work I bring a mix of formal qualifications, professional workplace experience and my own lived/living experience of mental ill health, service use and recovery. My lived experiences include having to navigate the public mental health system as a neurodivergent young woman. I was involuntary admitted to the mental health system in 2015, which I found to be ‘stabilising’, but required a longer path to healing. I advocate for a biopsychosocial-spiritual framework to mental health care, and believe in the human dignity of every person - informed by human rights approaches. Over time I have learned that I don’t have to accept the stigma that comes with having a mental health diagnosis. My mission is to help people discover the fulness of mental health recovery - a full and rich living experience.
In order to be best equipped to help myself and help others find healing, I pursued training in Psychology and Spiritual Care. I have worked as a Peer Worker and Recovery Coach within the NDIS since 2020, and have been involved in grassroots lived experience advocacy since 2018. I worked as a Lived Experience Consumer Consultant at Monash Health, leading the Department of Health funded Consumer Choice Pilot - bringing to life the VMIAC Declaration for the inpatient context. You can listen to me share my story on the Virginia Trioli Show ABC Radio via my public speaking page.
I have a background as an artist, which informs not only my personal path for recovery, but also the way that I work with clients. Creativity is an integral part of recovery itself; empowering us to imagine a future better than the past.
My Qualifications are listed below
Intentional Peer Support (IPS) Certificate
Consumer Perspective Supervision course by inside out and associates, VMIAC and Centre for Mental Health Nursing (Certificate)
Consumers Leading in Governance Course by VMIAC, with placement at Victoria Legal Aid
Co-Design with Authenticity course by TACSI - The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (Certificate)
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology/Dance), Deakin University - Global Citizenship Award Recipient
Graduate Diploma of Pastoral and Spiritual Care (Mental Health), University of Divinity - Spiritual Care and Mental Health Scholarship Recipient 2021
Clinical Pastoral Education - Royal Melbourne Hospital (ASACPEV Certificate)
Certified Personal Medicine Coaching by Pat Deegan and Associates (deffered)
Clinical Pastoral Education (Specialist) - Royal Melbourne Hospital (ASACPEV Certificate) - Spiritual Care and Mental Health Scholarship Recipient 2023
Masters of Theological Studies (with minor thesis in spiritual care and mental health), Trinity College, University of Divinity (current)
“Revolutions begin when people, who are defined as problems, achieve the power to redefine the problem.”
— John McKnight
Testimonials
Hannah is exceptionally accomplished and talented as a Peer Worker and in her fields as a Mental Health Consultant, Researcher, Dancer and Performing Artist. She also has valued qualities to offer with her Lived Experience and interest in Spirituality.
Hannah has excellent active listening skills and draws attention to detail when working with clients and during this time she is organized, focused and dedicated.
I look forward to our weekly meetings
— Maria, NDIS Client
“Hannah is the most beautiful soul. She slotted into our lives seamlessly when she came to support my autistic daughter and her support was invaluable. Hannah is trustworthy, reliable, timely, very engaging and patient and she was a lot of fun for my little girl. She taught her dance and shared her passion for art and I would welcome Hannah back anytime.”
— Rachel, NDIS Client
In review of Sincerely Survivor Dance Film…“There are no words to truly describe that experience. You expressed what can’t be found in the writings, reports and rationales of countless people without lived experience.”
— Jeff, Sincerely Survivor Audience Member
“Hannah is an absolutely brilliant support worker, we could not have asked for a better support. She's knowledgeable and reliable, and really takes it upon herself to do her work well. We look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.”
— Sarah, NDIS Client
So what are you waiting for?
Join me in the open space.
Reach out today.