Maria Bradshaw

I am a lived experience practitioner, consultant and leader with experience across public and private mental health services in Victoria. My work has included peer support, consumer consultancy, co-design, service improvement, workforce development and supporting the establishment and growth of lived and living experience workforces. I have also held leadership roles within the peer workforce, including leading a large team of peer support workers and volunteers. I have a Bachelor in Psychology, a Post Grad in Consumer Engagement an a Masters of Public Health, which all strengthened my lived expertise practice, especially in systems, policy, power and organisational culture shape people’s experiences of mental health services and the lived experience workforce.

I am a Neurodivergent women in perimenopause , a mum to young neurodivergent kids, and a wife to a neuro-typical husband IYKYK :)

Alfred Health │ Project Consultant (Consumer LE), AMAH 2024 – Present

Epworth Rehabilitation and Mental Health Service │ LLEW Implementation Consultant 2026 - Present

Alfred Health │ Consumer Consultant, AMAH 2023 – 2024

Northern Health │ Consumer Consultant, Northern Area Mental Health Service 2022 – 2023

Safer Care Victoria │ Consumer Lead, National Preterm Birth Prevention Collaborative 2021 – Dec 2023

Birth Trauma Australia│ Peer Support Manager

Alfred Health │ Project Consultant (Consumer LE), AMAH 2024 – Present

Epworth Rehabilitation and Mental Health Service │ LLEW Implementation Consultant 2026 - Present

Consumer Perspective Supervision - VCCMHW 2026

Consumers Leading in Governance Part 1- VMIAC 2024

Intentional Peer Support Training - IPS.org 2023

Graduate Certificate Consumer Leadership - Health Issues Centre 2023

Graduate Certificate Consumer Engagement - Health Issue Centre 2022

I value curiosity, authenticity, compassion, social justice and the unique knowledge that comes from lived experience. I am particularly interested in supporting lived experience workers to develop and maintain a strong consumer perspective, navigate the complexities of working within clinical systems, recognise and respond to power and oppression, and remain connected to the values and purpose of lived experience work. My approach to Consumer Perspective Supervision is relational, reflective and strengths-focused. I see CPS as a space where people can think openly about their practice, explore challenges without judgement, recognise their own knowledge and strengths, and stay connected to the broader consumer movement and the transformative potential of lived experience work.