Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Professor Ellie Fossey is Head of Occupational Therapy in the School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University.
Professor Ellie Fossey completed her professional qualification in occupational therapy at Dorset House School of Occupational Therapy (now part of Oxford Brookes University) in England in 1980; graduated from City University, London with a Master degree in Health Psychology in 1993; and completed a Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Melbourne in 2009. She has worked as an occupational therapist in mental health services in London (UK), New Zealand and Australia, predominantly in community teams, supported housing and employment programs. Her academic career in occupational therapy began at the University of South Australia and includes undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research at Coventry University and La Trobe University, prior to joining Monash University in 2015.
She is a member of the Australia and New Zealand Occupational Therapy Mental Health Academics (ANZOTMHA) Steering Group; The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand (TheMHS) Network; and the National Mental Health Achievement Awards Assessment panel.
Research interests
Ellie's research is predominantly directed towards understanding participation and disability, experiences of everyday living with mental health issues, and the ways in which people's participation in occupations of daily life may be impacted by ongoing health conditions. She is particularly interested in qualitative, collaborative and participatory approaches to undertaking research.
Her recent funded projects have focused on tertiary education experiences and support of students with disabilities, implementation and evaluation of recovery-oriented practices in mental health care, and evaluation of Prevention and Recovery Care services in Victoria; and typically involve interdisciplinary and interagency collaborations.
Supervision interests
Professor Ellie Fossey currently supervises Honours, Masters and PhD students. Recent completed supervised research projects include:
- Constructing recovery through occupational engagement: a participatory Photo-Voice study with people experiencing persistent mental health issues (PhD thesis)
- Moving clients forward: a grounded theory study of employment specialists’ views and practices (PhD thesis)
- Work participation after spinal cord injury in Bangladesh and the usefulness of the Worker Role Interview (PhD thesis)
- Capable and different: A grounded theory of studying at university for students with mental ill-health (PhD thesis)
- Perspectives of student disclosure of mental illness in postsecondary education (PhD thesis)
- Factors influencing participation in the workforce: Perspectives of people with upper limb loss (ClinScD thesis)
- Play matters: Evaluation of a schoolyard based group intervention (ClinScD thesis)
- Implementing recovery-oriented practices in primary mental health care (Masters thesis)
- Use of CAPE in Early in Life Mental Health Services to evaluate the occupational participation (Masters thesis)
- Implementing the Action over Inertia program: perspectives of adults experiencing persistent mental illness and occupational therapists (Masters thesis)
- Program evaluation of vocationally-focused workshops to assist consumers with mental illness in their journey to employment (Masters thesis)
- Time use and occupational engagement of adults with intellectual disability in supported living (Masters thesis)
- A consumer and staff collaboration initiative in a community mental health service (Masters thesis)
- Mixed methods investigation of weight stigma and occupational engagement (Honours thesis)
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Participating as resisting: everyday life stories of people experiencing mental health issues, University of Melbourne
Award Date: 22 Aug 2009
Health Psychology, Master of Science (Health Psychology), Screening of referrals to a psychiatric day hospital: an exploration of the interview process, City University London
… → 1993
External positions
Adjunct Professor, La Trobe University
2015 → …
Honorary Research Associate, University of Melbourne
2007 → …
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Reaching out: A new pipeline for Australian mental health workforce training and development.
Haines, T. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Maloney, S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Morphet, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Najm, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Harvey, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bullock, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lawrence, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wilson Rajaratnam, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Shlonsky, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fossey, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kent, F. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brown, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Petrakis, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bevilacqua, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Gullifer, J. (Associate Investigator (AI))
12/06/23 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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Repurposing the Mindfulness and Compassion program (MAC-P) using co-design to create a transdiagnostic online intervention for youth attending rural/regional mental health services
Nelson, B. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Meadows, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fossey, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Hickey, T. (Chief Investigator (CI))
15/05/23 → 15/05/24
Project: Research
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Consumer and Community Involvement in Health Professions Education
Bonnamy, J. (Project Manager), Fossey, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Ayton, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brand, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Soh, S.-E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Diug, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Petrakis, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Buus, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Dart, J. (Chief Investigator (CI))
21/07/22 → 28/02/23
Project: Research
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Contemporary practice horizon scanning program T062
Morgan, P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Fossey, E. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Callaway, L. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bould, E. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Barclay, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ayton, D. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Warren, N. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Barker, S. (Partner Investigator (PI))
1/06/22 → 31/05/23
Project: Research
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Evaluation of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule Initiative
Pirkis, J. E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Harris, M. G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mihalopolous, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Currier, D. M. (Project Manager), Banfield, M. A. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bassilios, B. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Buchanan, B. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Brophy, L. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Burgess, P. M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Eagar, K. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Fossey, E. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Ftanou, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Gunn, J. M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Le, L. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Spittal, M. J. (Associate Investigator (AI))
20/08/21 → 22/06/22
Project: Research
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Co-designing formal health professions curriculum in partnership with students: A scoping review
Abbonizio, J., Palermo, C., Brand, G., Buus, N., Fossey, E. & Dart, J., 2025, In: Medical Teacher. 47, 3, p. 413-424 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
9 Citations (Scopus) -
A longitudinal study of the impacts of a stay in a Prevention and Recovery Care service in Victoria, Australia
Brophy, L., Fletcher, J., Dawadi, S., Reece, J., Edan, V., Enticott, J., Farhall, J., Fossey, E., Hamilton, B., Harvey, C., Meadows, G., Mihalopoulos, C., Morrisroe, E., Newton, R., Palmer, V., Vine, R., Waks, S. & Pirkis, J., Jul 2024, In: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 58, 7, p. 615–626 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Caregiving occupations, health and well-being of Chinese mothers of children with disabilities living in Australia, Singapore and Taiwan
Sim, S. S., Bourke-Taylor, H., Yu, M.-L., Fossey, E. & Tirlea, L., Jan 2024, In: British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 87, 1, p. 49-60 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
Consumers lived experiences and satisfaction with sub-acute mental health residential services
Waks, S., Morrisroe, E., Reece, J., Fossey, E., Brophy, L. & Fletcher, J., Oct 2024, In: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 59, 10, p. 1849-1859 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Research Designs, Basic Statistical Principles, and Major Methods in Occupational Therapy: An Overview
Hewitt, A. E., Fossey, E. M., Brown, T. & Taylor, R. R., 2024, Kielhofner's Research in Occupational Therapy: Methods of Inquiry for Enhancing Practice. Taylor, R. R. (ed.). 3rd ed. Philadelphia PA USA: F.A. Davis Company, 53 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other
Prizes
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FMNHS Dean's Award for Excellence in Industry Education Programs (team)
Callaway, E. (Recipient), Bould, E. (Recipient), Brusco, N. (Recipient), Williams, C. (Recipient), Layton, N. (Recipient), Sloan, S. (Recipient), Morgan, P. (Recipient), Fossey, E. (Recipient), Ekegren, C. (Recipient), Shlonsky, A. (Recipient), Tregloan, K. (Recipient), Bangerter, M. (Recipient) & Martin, D. (Recipient), 6 Oct 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Monash University Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Fossey, E. (Recipient), 2024
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Vice-Chancellor's Education and Research Excellence Awards 2021
Callaway, E. (Recipient), Bould, E. (Recipient), Brusco, N. (Recipient), Williams, C. (Recipient), Layton, N. (Recipient), Sloan, S. (Recipient), Morgan, P. (Recipient), Fossey, E. (Recipient), Ekegren, C. (Recipient), Shlonsky, A. (Recipient), Tregloan, K. (Recipient), Bangerter, M. (Recipient) & Martin, D. (Recipient), 22 Nov 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
- 1 Contribution to conference
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International Federation of Psychiatric Epidemiology
Meadows, G. (Speaker), Brophy , L. (Organiser), Shawyer, F. (Speaker), Enticott, J. (Speaker), Fossey, E. (Speaker), Thornton, C. (Speaker), Weller, P. (Speaker), Wilson-Evered, E. (Speaker), Edan, V. (Speaker) & Slade, M. (Speaker)
10 Apr 2019Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference