supervision : lived experience perspective
Brook RED offers supervision for lived experience practitioners, people supervising peers, human service workers and peer workers in the mental health workforce.
Individual supervision provides a space and a process that encourages conversations and reflections about how we connect with others using our lived experience. You will be supported to reflect on your own values and how they intersect with lived experience workforce and organisational values. A Brook RED supervisor will support you to use your lived experience in different roles across health and community sectors. We will also share knowledge of working in a range of lived experience roles, offering our knowledge and perspective to assist you in finding your own solutions and strategies.
Group supervision is useful for smaller lived experience teams (2-10) and may involve sharing skills and knowledge amongst group members, discussing challenges and rewards of a particular program or lived experience work in general, and activities to support team relationships.
Lived Experience Communities of Practice (CoP) are groups who gather to share best practices and create new knowledge to advance the lived experience workforce. Activities may include joint activities, information sharing, discussions and relationship building. Brook RED is experienced in establishing and facilitating Communities of Practice for the lived experience workforce.
To discuss your team's supervision needs, please email supervision@brookred.org.au or call Kate O'Keefe on (07) 3343 9282
Cost for individual supervision : $110 including GST for 50-minute session
Cost for group supervision : from $220 inc GST for 90 minute session, dependant on numbers. Please contact us to discuss your team’s needs.
PLEASE NOTE : From 1 October 2023, the cost of our individual supervision sessions will increase to $120 + GST. Group supervision will increase from $240 + GST for 90 minutes, dependant on the number of participants.
Meet our lived experience supervisors
Blake Barber (They/Them)
I am a Queer, Non-binary Lived Experience worker with a keen interest in creating an affirming professional practice with LGBTQIAP+ folk. Most of my experience lies within community work with ongoing one-on-one peer work throughout. I completed a Bachelor of Arts with Psychology and Counselling majors and am about to undertake a Diploma of Leadership and Management – I definitely know what it’s like to have a full plate and the difficulties that can arise with balancing work, study and life in general! My own lived experience with mental health concerns has forced some valuable lessons in accepting myself, pushing myself through discomfort and also knowing when to take a breather. Supervision has been a valuable tool in this “getting to know myself” journey and managing the use of self in this work, and I am keen to share this space with others. I take on a trauma-informed, person centred approach in my practice. I enjoy engaging in reflective practice in a collaborative way – exploring ethical dilemmas and accepting that sometimes there is not a clear solution, but being open to reflecting on what could be done differently next time. In my free time I enjoy rock climbing, doing things with my partner and pals, and gaming.
Emma Faulkner (She/Her)
BSocSc(Psych) PGradDipSexology, Masters of Counselling
My approach to supervision
My passion for supervision is born out of the curiosity for the human experience and how we relate to the world around us. Supervision is a guiding light in our practice when we felt lost, overwhelmed or ready to challenge and grow our skills. It is important to be able to talk about how our lived experience is influencing our work and how we want to offer our lived experience to others. Supervision has allowed me to feel more comfortable and confident in my work, and aim to offer this to the people I work with.
Supervision is a space for humans to unpack and explore all things work and life in our work. It is a space for supervisees to reflect on themselves and create a framework of practice that is genuine and unique to them, that values the lived experience perspective. I am passionate about deep conversations and aim to create a space of curiosity to unpack how our lived experience is guiding our values and how it guides how we as individuals offer support. I aim to understand how this shapes our perceptions of mental health and what are the key message lived experience workers want to teach the people they work with. Supervision is a space to feel heard and understood, particularly in a world where change is vital for human experience and growth.
About me
I have been working in the Brook RED Highgate Hill community mental health centre for over 6 years as a peer worker, running groups and connecting with individuals and communities around mental health and recovery. During this time, I have also been practicing as the Senior Peer Worker, which has allowed me to create change within community, and influence a work force of peer workers who are passionate about creating change, embracing conversations about recovery and using their lived experience to guide principals of practice. I have also created and delivered training about our personal stories and how we can share them with purpose and intent. I am also currently working as a lived experience counsellor and supervisor in the mental health space.
Alongside my work, I have studied a Bachelor in Behavioural Science Psychology (QUT), Graduate Diploma in Sexology (Curtin) and a Masters in Counselling (QUT). In my own lived experience, I have learnt that I am the person responsible in creating change in my life and a supportive system and challenged perspectives, has been helpful to guide me. I use my own experience, passion and professional skills with the people I work with. I am curious about personal stories, I listen with empathy, inspire with hope, and challenge with perspective. In my work, I am genuinely interested in hearing people’s stories to find solutions. I am humorous, passionate and kind in my work. I spend my spare time with my two dogs, partner and four chickens. I like to water ski, make earrings and drink tea.
Kate O'Keefe (she/her)
kateo@brookred.org.au
My approach to supervision
I believe the purpose of supervision is to give a person the opportunity to step back and reflect on their work in a space free of judgment. Creating an environment where we can be curious and explore the joys and the challenges of working from our lived experiences is of the utmost importance. I believe in challenging from a place that’s safe and supportive and has your best interests at heart.
My lived experience of mental health/illness/big feelings informs my ability to be very comfortable with a range of emotions and frustrations related to life and work. Self-imposed (and sometimes outside imposed) pressure in the workplace has led to more than one life pause and re-evaluations, so I am very interested in supporting others to look after themselves in the intensely personal work we do.
My personal values that align with my approach to supervision are curiosity, creativity, authenticity, community, and responsibility. I love learning, and I love learning from and with others. I am interested in working with people who are at the beginning of their career and those who’ve worked with their lived experience for many years.
About me
I have worked in the mental health sector for over 16 years, in consumer consultant and service integration roles within clinical mental health services with Queensland Health and in project, training and group facilitation roles in community mental health services. I have experience in providing practice reflection and supervision for individuals and groups.
I’ve lived with big feelings for much of my life. At about the mid-point of my life, I feel as though I’m less afraid of those feelings and can even embrace them as the messengers they are. I have 2 kids, one cat and 3 chickens. In my quiet time, I love to look at the water, wander around the library, read, sew, get creative and look at birds.
I am very interested in how people are looking after themselves in this soul-baring, tough experience reliving, brick wall head beating, system frustrating work. And having worked in some of those systems, I am so invested in keeping us thriving to continue on in these vital roles!
Erin O'Shea (she/her)
About me
I am an experienced peer worker who is interested in providing mutual and authentic support to my fellow peer workers. My favourite thing about peer work is being able to provide a connection and understanding for people who are going through a system that is rife with disconnection and misunderstanding. I aim to bring this approach to supervision.
I have been a peer worker for 12 years at Brook RED, across roles including centre based peer worker, senior peer worker, centre coordinator and workshop facilitator. My current role involves community based one on one peer support with people in suicidal distress.
My approach to supervision
My approach to supervision is to provide a space for both supervisee and supervisor to be vulnerable and sometimes messy and not have all the answers. The values I hold as a supervisor are authenticity, curiosity, mutuality, and bringing a sense of humour and fun to the relationship.
I am particularly interested in supporting peer workers who are working with individuals providing one on one or group peer support.
