Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Emeritus Professor Ellie Fossey is a former Head of the Department 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; and subsequently a Master degree in Health Psychology at City University, London and a Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Melbourne. She 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 included undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research at Coventry University and La Trobe University, prior to joining Monash University in 2015. She is an active contrbutor to the Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand (TheMHS) Network; the National Mental Health Achievement Awards Assessment panel; and the Section Chief Editor of Frontiers in Psychiatry, Mental Health Occupational Therapy section.
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. Her primary expertise is in use of qualitative and participatory methods in undertaking research.
Her competitive, government and industry-funded projects have primarily focused on implementation of occupational therapy and recovery-oriented practices in mental health care, including the evaluation of Prevention and Recovery Care services in Victoria; vocational interventions in health services; tertiary education experiences and support of students with disabilities; and have typically involved interdisciplinary collaborations and use of participatory research approaches.
Supervision interests
Professor Ellie Fossey has supervised many Honours, Masters and PhD students. Examples of supervised graduate research include:
- Recovery-oriented practices, use of digital personal recovery resources, and consumer-staff collaboration in primary and secondary mental health care (PhD & Masters theses)
- Photo-Voice studies: constructing recovery through occupational engagement; womens' experiences of mental health care (PhD & Masters theses)
- Time use, community engagement and disability; and implementing a time-use focused group program from participants and occupational therapists perspectives (PhD & Masters theses)
- Perspectives of student disclosure of mental illness and studying in tertiary education (PhD theses)
- Qualitative studies of educational and work participation: Persepctives of people disadvantaged in the labour market; employment specialists’ views and practices; usefulness of the Worker Role Interview; and evaluation of vocationally-focused supports (PhD & Masters theses)
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 → …
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):
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SDG 1 No Poverty -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
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 → 30/06/27
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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Development and evaluation of an innovative occupation-based program to promote participation and recovery for community-dwelling adults living with mental illness.
Doroud, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Fossey, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Dixon, K. (Chief Investigator (CI))
4/07/22 → 3/06/23
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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Increasing demand and persistent gaps in perceived need for mental health care: National findings from 2007 to 2021
Tian, Y., Rajit, D., Shawyer, F., Ozols, I., Price, K., Callander, E., Inder, B., Rosenberg, S., Lakra, V., Fossey, E., Meadows, G. & Enticott, J., 2026, In: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 60, 2, p. 171-183 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
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
23 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Early intervention vocational rehabilitation for return to work following traumatic injury: A randomized controlled trial
Ponsford, J. (Leading Author), Downing, M. G. (Leading Author), O'Kearney, E., Bedekar, Y., Hilton, G., Mortimer, D. (Leading Author), Fossey, E. (Leading Author), Barclay, L. (Leading Author), Olver, J., Castle, W., Nunn, A., McKenzie, D. (Leading Author) & Ross, P. (Leading Author), Jun 2025, In: Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 68, 5, 11 p., 101972.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
9 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Editorial: Editors’ showcase: mental health occupational therapy
Fossey, E. & Scanlan, J. N., 14 Aug 2025, In: Frontiers in Psychiatry. 16, 2 p., 1664227.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Meaning of Work Participation After Spinal Cord Injury in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study in a Low- and Middle-Income Country Context
Ullah, M. M., Fossey, E. & Stuckey, R., Dec 2025, In: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 35, 4, p. 848–859 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)
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