Kathy McCormick

About me

This supervisor has been approved to provide supervision under the ACCESS TO SUPERVISION PROJECT.

For my entire adult life my lived experience has fuelled my passion for social change and found expression through activism, community arts and development. From coordinating community arts festivals, working alongside First Nations communities to share creation stories and supporting dialogue between diverse groups I have focused on the ways people can be true to themselves whilst seeking connection with others. As much I love grass roots approaches, learning about ‘the system’ has expanded my horizons and forced me to be curious about finding the levers to influence change.
I am interested in contemplative practices, gardening, upcycling furniture and indulging my rescue dog.

This supervisor has been approved to provide supervision under the ACCESS TO SUPERVISION PROJECT. If you are a supervisee who has received an approval email/letter from the CMHL you may contact this supervisor for supervision for this project, then follow the stated processes for supervision payment.

My experience

With over 9 years in various lived experience roles I have an understanding of both peer practice in direct service contexts and strategic planning and implementation on systemic level. I worked as a peer support worker in community outreach and lived experience trainer in suicide prevention. Most of the tasks I have done in the last few years have been focused on organisation and sector issues, including policy, training, governance and project work to improve conditions for the lived experience workforce and consumers. Networking has been central to my efforts, knowing that we are more effective through sharing resources and offering mutual support to each other.
However, like many LE workers I have experienced the common challenges of unsupportive environments, lack of role clarity and organisational understanding, under-resourcing and tokenistic efforts in this space. Navigating these circumstances, from reactionary responses to sheer survival to building relationships, honing reflective, communication and advocacy skills, has been a massive journey that allows me to empathise with other LE workers. Self reflection, heart focused creativity, research and cultivating a solution focused attitude allows me to keep advocating for change in a sustainable way.

My current role/work

I currently work part time as the Consumer Participation Advisor at Neami National. The role is vast and ranges from developing policies, writing reports, creating training and resources, establishing consumer register and providing oversight on projects. One of the key areas of work has been researching and developing a thorough understanding of the complexities of consumer payments. Also, as part of the Design, Participation and Inclusion team I have been involved in planning and facilitating various co-design projects.
In order to stay on top of emerging issues in the sector and the consumer movement, I am involved as an organiser in the Consumer Participation Practice Network (CPPN), a member of the Live Learn Lead Collective at CMHL and a participant in the VMIAC Consumer Leadership in Governance program. I provide consumer perspective supervision on a casual basis as a private contractor.

My training

As part of my peer support role I did training in both motivational interviewing, coaching, facilitation and have participated in various codesign training programs run by TACSI and Co-design in Complex Systems. Most recently, I have begun a certificate in Initiatic Art Therapy as another way of connecting with and expressing the felt experiences that inform this work.
I completed the Consumer Perspective Supervision training in 2020.

My approach to supervision

I believe that cultivating our emotional intelligence is key to doing justice to lived experience work. It is both deeply personal and political – this is both its power and inherent challenge. And as something that we hold as individuals and a collective, lived experience is a discipline that requires constant nurturing and refining.
I draw on a range of methods including coaching, literature searches and self reflective and expressive arts activities to support people to come to their own conclusions and find their own way of processing and integrating. This might mean exploring personal strengths, values, belief systems to help situate a supervisee in the broader collective and recognise their unique contribution.
My personal goal for supervision is balance – to bring the right blend of head, heart and hands into the supervision space to work through the big and small challenges we face together.