Since 2019 SHA in partnership with the Victoria Transcultural Mental Health (VTMH) has facilitated a reflective practice program that aims to develop a mental health workforce who are responsive to people’s spiritual care needs. SHA and VTMH facilitate webinars and online reflective practice sessions for mental health workers in peer, clinical, and community settings.

The 2023 program commenced with a webinar Spirituality matters: What clinicians need to know. The panel discussion between members of the project team, Justin Kuay and Rohan Souter representing a service provider perspective, and Tess Marotta and Naomi Chapman representing the lived experience voice of receiving mental health care.

The presentation was attended by 60 mental health sector workers from across Victoria and took the form of a conversation about how & why spirituality is important to personal recovery, with an exploration of what services did well in response to personal spiritual needs and improvements and suggestions for how clinicians and services may address these needs more comprehensively in future.

The regular Spirituality & Diversity Discussion monthly reflective practice program will resume in coming months. Visit the VTMH online education program for details.

Pictured below are project team members Sylvia Piazza (VTMH), Jenny Greenham (SHA), Justin Kuay (VTMH), Rohan Souter (Bendigo Health), Tess Marotta (SHLEAC), Naomi Chapman (VTMH), Natasha Rajagopalan (VTMH).