Michael Elwan

Hi, I’m 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗘𝗹𝘄𝗮𝗻 - a therapist, social worker, and mental-health advocate based in Australia. For over 15 years, I’ve supported people through grief, trauma, identity challenges, and major life transitions. My approach combines professional expertise with lived experience, creating a space where your story can be heard without judgement.

Before becoming a therapist, I cared for my father after a stroke and later experienced the profound grief of losing loved ones to suicide. Those experiences shaped my belief that healing begins with being seen, understood, and supported with empathy.

I’m an 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 with the Australian Association of Social Workers (𝗔𝗔𝗦𝗪) with experience across mental health, suicide prevention, disability, and community services. As a man from a multicultural background and a suicide-bereaved son, my practice is informed by both compassion and cultural humility.

I am also the 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗟𝗘𝗫𝘀), an an award-winning practice dedicated to embedding lived experience, cultural humility, and human dignity in therapy, Social Work Supervision, Peer Work Supervision, training, consultancy, and system transformation. Through LEXs, I partner with individuals, organisations, and governments to co-create 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮-𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆-𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 approaches to mental health and suicide prevention.

𝗜𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, I received the 𝗪𝗔 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 - 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 & 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, sponsored by the Mental Health Commission, recognising my contribution to expanding culturally responsive, lived-experience-led practice and policy reform. Later that year, I was awarded the 𝗔𝗔𝗦𝗪 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 (𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿) - the highest individual honour in Australian social work - and recognised as a 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 and the 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.

My qualifications include:

  • 𝗣𝗵𝗗 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 (𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵) - Charles Sturt University, Australia

  • 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 (𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘀 & 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳) [𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁] - University of New England, Australia

  • 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 (𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁) - Australian Catholic University

  • 𝗗𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 (𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁) - Austin Peay State University, USA

  • 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 (𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) - University of Canterbury, NZ

  • 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 (𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) - University of Queensland, Australia

  • 𝗠𝗕𝗔 (𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) - Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK

  • 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 (𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴) - Alexandria University, Egypt

In therapy, I aim to offer a calm, honest, and respectful space where you can explore what has shaped you, process what feels heavy, and begin to reconnect with your strength, values, and hope.

If my approach resonates, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you.