Susan Preece

About me

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

I have been using my lived experience in my work for many years as I believe sharing mutual concerns is life giving and adds to social connectedness and well being. I have been in the Lived Experience workforce in the adult and youth sectors. I have supported new colleagues in the field when there were no other supports for them. I believe passionately in hope and recovery and weave that through my work with those I support.

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

I have 17 years experience in the LE mental health workforce area coming from the
family/carer perspective.
Member of CLEW
Consultant to Tandem on carer issues
Carer Education & Peer Worker at MIND
Carer Peer Worker Eastern Health
Family Peer Support Worker, Orygen Youth Health
Carer Peer Consultant/Group Facilitator at Healthscope, Northpark Private Hospital
Facilitator of carer focus groups

My current role/work

Currently I lead a team of Family Peer Workers at Orygen. I have supervised and
mentored carer peer workers in the adult and youth mental health space. Also I have
been involved in recruiting, orientating and supervising peer workers at MIND and
Orygen.
Because the Lived Experience Workforce is emerging and I feel privileged to be a
part of its history. Supervising Lived Experience workers would be my ongoing way
to help grow this discipline. Because role clarity and organisational readiness are
often challenges, especially to new workers, I am particularly interested in working
through those issues with supervisees.

My training

Single Session Peer Work
Single Session Family Consultation
Development & delivery of professional development sessions for clinicians on
carer/families issues
Co design groups for Department of Health
Family Advisory Group development and engagement of carers

My approach to supervision

My approach is to explore with the supervisee what they want to focus on and create
a space for them to do that. My supervision approach of Individual and group
reflective practice supervision combines a practical, down to earth attitude
combined with compassion. My supervision mode can be for individuals, or
teams/groups (including videoconferencing).
I have been involved in the lived experience workforce since its inception and have
experienced the changes this discipline is going through, so I bring a rich
understanding to my supervision approach.
My approach is to create a reflective space, working with the person to identify areas
they wish to explore and support their wellbeing. These areas may include, but are
not limited to, self care, organisational challenges, career planning, workplace
relationships, navigating the challenges of working as a non clinician in a clinical
space. There are many challenges facing Lived Experience workers including
organisational readiness and “where do I fit?” and I believe co reflective external
supervision is critical to retaining the Lived Experience workforce and growing it.