Get Real: Talking mental health & disability

The team at ermha365
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MENTAL HEALTH

Get Real presents frank and fearless conversations about mental health and disability, including people with lived experience, frontline workers in the sector, as well as policymakers and advocates. Get Real is produced and hosted by Emily Webb and co-hosted by Karenza Louis-Smith on behalf of ermha365 Complex Mental Health and Disability Services provider (https://www.ermha.org/). 

  1. Promoting enabling environments in custodial settings

    MAR 5

    Promoting enabling environments in custodial settings

    Send a text Chelsea Troutman is a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst and Clinical Supervisor, and Director of a Behaviour Support Practice Elements ABC. Chelsea has extensive experience working within Government and Community Service Sectors with expertise in disability services, children and family services, out of home care, and forensic disability.  She presented at the Complex Needs Conference last year on the topic Promoting 'enabling environments' in restrictive settings to progress treatment and meaningful outcomes for all.   Enabling environments are defined as "places where good relationships are upheld and facilitate well-being for all participants, staff and service users alike, and where new ways of relating can be learned through mutual respect and recognition, nurturing a sense of belonging".  Karenza Louis-Smith spoke with Chelsea after the presentation and the pair spoke more about this, particularly in the context of custodial settings, like prisons and youth justice centres - and why it is so important. More info: Hear from Chelsea about Elements ABC's approachenabling environments (ee) resources Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK) Architectures of Harm or Architectures of Hope? - The effects of carceral space on the wellbeing of prisoners  ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    26 min
  2. Safety for Support Workers: Part 1

    FEB 12

    Safety for Support Workers: Part 1

    Send a text OVA is a matter for everyone to understand and report but in particular for frontline support workers who work with NDIS participants and provide mental health support in community programs. Awareness of, education about and the importance of reporting Occupational Violence and Aggression (OVA) has been a concerted focus for ermha365. Our work on OVA reduction was recognised in a big way in October 2025 at the Australian Workplace Health and Safety Awards with our OVA taskforce named Team of the Year. Our guest for this episode is Clare Hutton, ermha365's Manager Work, Health and safety and Emergency response to explain more about what we've been doing about OVA and why.  More info: Incident-reporting education critical to WHS outcomes (OHS Alert, 2 December, 2025 and republished by ermha365 with permission.) Workplace violence and aggression - why training is crucial (Podcast episode) Australian Work Health and Safety Award Winners 2025  ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    45 min
  3. The Aussie Psychologist who ended up running a New Orleans Prison

    11/03/2025

    The Aussie Psychologist who ended up running a New Orleans Prison

    Send a text Dr Astrid Birgden is a consultant Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and NDIS Behaviour Support Specialist who has years of experience working in corrections and disability settings.  Astrid's career is quite extraordinary. She is a trailblazer in behaviour intervention support in Australia and worked overseas on international projects. She has even been an assistant sheriff/warden of a remand centre in New Orleans. We caught up with Astrid at the Complex Needs Conference in March 2025 where she was part of a panel discussion on Integrating mental health, disability, and human rights for comprehensive support. ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    29 min
  4. Hearing Voices: support for voice hearers

    09/18/2025

    Hearing Voices: support for voice hearers

    Send a text Hearing voices is often assumed to be a symptom of a mental health condition. However this is not always the case and up to 1 in 10 people hear voices, making it not an uncommon human experience.  The Voices Vic program is led by peers with lived and living experience in hearing voices, seeing visions or having other sensory experiences. This program offers recovery groups, mentoring and support across Victoria. Our guests for this episode are Janet Karagounis, Senior Peer Mentor and Tali Brash, AOD & Mental Health, Lived & Living Experience for Uniting Vic Tas. We spoke at the Complex needs conference in March 2025 after they gave a presentation "Overcoming barriers and simplifying support for people who hear voices and experience unusual sensory events". More info (not an exhaustive list): Voices Vic support for hearing voices  The Voices Clinic (Swinburne University) Hearing Voices (QLD) Hearing Voices Network (WA) Hearing Voices Community Group (Darwin, NT) Voices and Visions peer support group (Sunshine Coast, Qld) Hearing Voices Network (UK)  ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    27 min
  5. Forensic Disability Services with Dr Matt Frize

    08/27/2025

    Forensic Disability Services with Dr Matt Frize

    Send a text Our guest for this episode is Dr Matt Frize, Director of Forensic Disability Services, which sits within The Victorian State Government's Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH). Co-host Karenza Louis-Smith and I were lucky to catch some time with Matt at the Complex Needs Conference earlier this year. The sold out conference was co-hosted by ermha365 and ACSO Australia and funded by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. We talk to Matt, a senior specialist psychologist, about how Forensic Disability Services addresses the needs of people with a cognitive impairment who come into contact with the criminal justice system in Victoria. In this episode Matt mentions the ARMIDILO-S Assessment - the Assessment of Risk and manageability of Individuals with Developmental and Intellectual Limitations who Offend. More info at armidilo.net ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    24 min
  6. The real-life impacts of conspiracy theories with Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson

    08/16/2025

    The real-life impacts of conspiracy theories with Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson

    Send a text We’re diving into the topic of conspiracy theories for this episode, particularly on the impacts these beliefs have on an individual and the ripple effect on others.  Our guests for this episode are Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson who have written a book called CONSPIRACY NATION: Exposing the dangerous world of Australian Conspiracy Theories.  Ariel is an investigative journalist at the Guardian Australia who specialises on technology, extremism and internet policy. Cam is an Associate Editor at Crikey and his reporting and investigations focus on the intersection between internet culture, extremism and politics. Conspiracy Nation is published by Ultimo Press and available online and in bookstores now. ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    45 min
  7. NMT, trauma and childhood brain development with Dr Yvonne Maxwell

    07/28/2025

    NMT, trauma and childhood brain development with Dr Yvonne Maxwell

    Send a text Our guest for this episode is Dr Yvonne Maxwell, a forensic psychologist who specialises in working with individuals with a disability who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Get Real spoke with Yvonne at the Complex Needs Conference 2025 where she presented on the use of Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics assessment (NMT) to understand the interplay between factors like disability, trauma, and the current circumstances of a person with complex needs.  if you are not a clinician or familiar with this, like me, listen on because Yvonne, who is the Portfolio Manager, Forensic Practice for SAL Consulting explains what it is and broadly about the impact of trauma on brain development, especially in early childhood.  ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    24 min
  8. Mental health system reform in New South Wales

    07/09/2025

    Mental health system reform in New South Wales

    Send a text The mental health system in New South Wales has been in the spotlight of recent months. ABC’s recent Four Corners episode “Emergency” about the state’s mental health system highlighted the extreme system failures that happen when there is underinvestment in community-based mental health care. The program highlighted that people in deep psychological distress are being left in emergency departments for days, health workers are exhausted and the “missing middle”— those too unwell for a GP but not sick enough for hospital — are being left behind. Our guest for this episode is Dr Evelyne Tadros, CEO of the Mental Health Coordinating Council in NSW, a peak member-based organisation for the community mental health sector. We’ll be talking with Evelyne about where Mental Health system reform is at in NSW. You can also listen to our previous episode with Mental Health Victoria CEO Pip Thomas about the system in Victoria and federally. More info: MHCC submissions Course in Mental Health Peer Navigation  MHCC News ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website. Helplines (Australia): Lifeline 13 11 14 QLIFE 1800 184 527 13 YARN 13 92 76 Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467 ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities. We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.

    43 min
See All (120)

About

Get Real presents frank and fearless conversations about mental health and disability, including people with lived experience, frontline workers in the sector, as well as policymakers and advocates. Get Real is produced and hosted by Emily Webb and co-hosted by Karenza Louis-Smith on behalf of ermha365 Complex Mental Health and Disability Services provider (https://www.ermha.org/). 

Information

You Might Also Like