On this week’s episode, I am pleased to introduce you to our next special guest, Shannon Calvert. Shannon is an independent Lived Experience Educator and Advisor. Her personal journey, spanning over three decades, is marked by her battle with longstanding eating disorders and the management of multiple health and mental health challenges. Her personal experiences, including caring for her mother, who received palliative care until her end of life, have profoundly shaped her commitment to systemic reform. Shannon is dedicated to improving access to high-quality care and support, emphasising the importance of compassion and dignity in treatment and care.

Shannon has made significant contributions to both government and non-government sectors in an advisory capacity. Her expertise covers a broad spectrum of areas, including eating disorders, mental health, suicide prevention, and palliative care. She has provided training and support to multidisciplinary teams, focusing on trauma-informed interventions. She has facilitated lived experience partnerships and co-designed policy development, research initiatives, and educational programs. Shannon has presented at national and international forums, discussing the importance of compassion in treatment interventions, the role of lived experience in policy design and education, and the Lived Experience (Peer) workforce. She has also shared her personal lived experience, providing invaluable insights into the realities of living with an eating disorder and trauma.

Shannon has held several roles, including the Lived Experience and Co-Production Co-Lead of the Australian Eating Disorder Research and Translation Centre, Co-Chair of the WA Eating Disorder Network, and Co-Chair of the Eating Disorder Peer Workforce Guidelines Working Group with the Butterfly Foundation. She has contributed to expert advisory panels for the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission and the MRFF Childhood Mental Health Research Plan. She is also a special adviser to the National Women’s Health Advisory Council.

Podcast Summary:

1.  The role and significance of family connections and experiences through shared meals.

2. Navigating the trials and challenging intersections of puberty, school, and family dynamics

3. Managing the interplay between various co-occurring mental health and health conditions.

4. Unpacking the health ramifications of eating disorders.

5. Embedding compassion and empathy in treatment practices.

6. The transformative process of reconnecting with your heart, finding self-worth and healing.

Links from the episode: 

BodyMatters Australasia Website: ⁠⁠https://bodymatters.com.au/⁠⁠

BodyMatters Instagram: bodymattersau

Butterfly Foundation Helpline:  Call their National Helpline on ⁠⁠1800 33 4673⁠⁠. You can also ⁠⁠chat online⁠⁠