Meet the ConnectWell team

Kate, Digital Peer Support Worker

Kate began her career in lived experience in 2011, sparking her passion for advocating for person-centred recovery anchored in mutuality, shared learning, and growth.

She joined Lives Lived Well in 2023, working in peer support at NSW's Dianella Cottage service. Kate moved into the ConnectWell team in late 2024 and describes her role as one that focuses on helping clients to navigate the online support space.

“Consider me your ConnectWell cheerleader! I’m here to help you navigate the platform and get the most out of your experience,” Kate says.

Grace, Clinical Psychologist and Content Lead

Grace joined Lives Lived Well in 2021, as part of the team who opened Binbi Yadubay, our residential rehabilitation and withdrawal facility in Central Queensland.

As a clinical psychologist, she’s worked with people to improve their mental health and relationship with substance use in a few different ways—through hospitals, running programs in corrections and working with people in community clinics.

Grace works in research and program content development for various Lives Lived Well programs, including ConnectWell.

“I try to use my clinical experience and the wisdom of the clients I’ve worked with to create content for ConnectWell that is practical and more on-demand than traditional counselling,” she says.

Grace highlights ConnectWell’s easy-to-access resources as a great benefit if face-to-face services are unavailable in your area, the wait or costs are too high, or it just doesn’t suit your learning style.

“Everyone deserves access to resources to help you get unstuck. I hope that you find that through ConnectWell, whether it is a small or large part of your recovery," she says.

Xan, Digital Counsellor Case Manager

Prior to joining the ConnectWell team, Xan supported many of our clients in-person at our regional Lives Lived Well offices.

"I worked together with individuals in supporting them to make positive changes in their lives to improve their mental health and relationship with alcohol and other drug use,” Xan says.

Within the ConnectWell team, Xan provides personalised alternatives to traditional face-to-face counselling and treatment. This could be treatment via phone, video, or through messaging – whatever enables you to experience non-judgmental care in a flexible setting.

“Part of my role is to explore new approaches, tools, and features to continually improve ConnectWell so that we can best meet your needs and preferences,” she says.

Xan’s passionate about harm reduction and advocacy in reducing stigma, discrimination, and barriers to accessing care and treatment. She notes that ConnectWell is an ideal program to reduce these barriers, and enable people to get support whenever they need it.

“You have the autonomy to choose how much you want to use ConnectWell and when—it puts you in the driver’s seat of your wellbeing and recovery from the start," she says.

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