Louise Whitaker

Biography

When, in my early 20s, I discovered social work, it was a home coming. The culture of community, collaboration and social justice fitted. Having worked as a social worker in mental health, women's health, Legal Aid and cancer workforce development, I joined academe in 2010's. I am committed to the profession and its development.

Research

My research focuses on transformative mental health, acknowledging mental health social work is, and operates within, contested space. Transformative mental health is referred to in calls by the United Nations for changes to the conceptualisation of mental health, adopting a more rights-based approach to emotional well-being, acknowledging influences of social determinants on mental health and referring to Indigenous ways of knowing and being. My interest is primarily in social work practice with people who live with severe mental distress or mental health conditions that might result in diagnoses such as schizophrenia, complex post-traumatic stress disorder and bi polar disorder. This program of research is distinctive in that it occupies a tripartite nexus between:

1. research method of cooperative inquiry which is well aligned with social work values;
2. mental health social work practice and
3. mental health social work pedagogy.

Each arm of the research program informs, and is informed by, other arms. A key feature of this tripartite nexus is the integration of research impact. Findings from studies in mental health social work practice, mental health social work pedagogy and collaborative, inclusive research methods, directly influence practice, pedagogy and methods, as well as each other.

Community engagement

Australian Association of Social Workers National Research Committee

International Network for Cooperative Inquirers

Supervision

Principal Supervisor

Courtney du Plessis, PhD. Topic: Peer support workers in substance abuse treatment services: The influence on their recovery.

Nicole Graham. Topic: Interdisciplinary and lived experience understanding of Trauma-informed care and socio-ecological factors that influence training and implementation.

Jo Burnett, Master of Arts and Social Sciences. Topic: Social Work in Family Dispute Resolution; a practice framework for family violence cases

Co-supervisor

Clarissa Hitchcock, PhD. Topic: Developing and maintaining resilience in social work practitioners 

Teaching

Mental health social work

Other

1. Award for “Best pedagogical article for 2017” for the international peer reviewed journal Social Work Education
2. First prize for excellence, 2021 Annual Anglicare Australia Conference Awards - Empowering Practices.