Overview
Growing evidence suggests that the impacts of isolation, loneliness, transition, grief and loss are often best mitigated by meaningful human connection.
At Social Health Australia, human connection is the basis for the kind of social-emotional-existential support we’re helping make available in a wide range of settings, from the Australian Royal Navy to your local neighbourhood house.
Our work draws inspiration from spiritual companioning, the time-honoured art of compassionate listening, re-imagined as non-theistic, and evolving as a new way of mediating meaning, holding hope and building resiliency in times of crisis.
We are committed to ensuring that this support becomes increasingly accessible for anyone who may need it, regardless of age, culture, disability, gender identity, or belief system.
” MAN ISN’T DESTROYED BY SUFFERING; HE’S DESTROYED BY SUFFERING WITHOUT MEANING “
Viktor Frankl
” MAN ISN’T DESTROYED BY SUFFERING; HE’S DESTROYED BY SUFFERING WITHOUT MEANING “
Viktor Frankl
Our Patron
Hugh Mackay (OAM)
Australia’s pre-eminent social researcher, Hugh Mackay has authored 20 books and been awarded five honorary doctorates and an Order of Australia medal. Hugh has also emerged as our country’s leading kindness advocates. His latest book, The Kindness Revolution, makes the case for human decency as the key to solving a wide range of problems impacting us today. Social Health is honoured to have Hugh inform and inspire our work.
Our Executive Team
JOE SEHEE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Joe has a providing sub-clinical social-emotional-existential in a wide range of contexts including support including serving for four years as a lay chaplain at the University of San Francisco. A Peabody Award-winning journalist, Joe is founder of the Green Burial Council, director of Earth Funerals, chairman of the Bendoc Cemetery Trust and a senior fellow at the Environmental Leadership Program.
TERRY TEOH, SECRETARY
An accomplished business executive with strong commercial, managerial and organisational experience, along with intrinsic knowledge of strategy/governance. While his early career involved Terry working with large corporates, he has begun serving on boards of purpose-driven organisations, including one that has brought forward Australia’s first urban co-housing development.
VANESSA CROSLAND, TREASURER
Vanessa is a recently retired Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants ANZ and the Tax Institute of Australia. In addition to having extensive experience problem solving and bringing together diverse stakeholders, has a deep passion for horses, sport and mentoring young people.
BRETT ELLIOTT, DIRECTOR
Brett has extensive experience in the marketing and media sectors, having worked in advertising agencies and as a trusted adviser to both government and major corporations for over 20 years. He enjoys building communications strategies, unique challenges and solving problems in a measured and resilient way. Brett has also worked as a university lecturer, and is a member of The Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Our Networks
Social Health Australia is a member of:
“Social Impact End-of-Life Network” is a highly connected network of change-makers with a common goal to create impact and change by acting in aligned, independent, and collaborative ways, focusing on seeing/thinking and acting differently.
“Friendship Alliance” is a group of people from organisations large and small who are passionate about working on the issues of loneliness and social isolation.
“Ending Loneliness Together” is a national network of members working together to tackle chronic loneliness in Australia.
