From super mum to mental health advocate

After 11 years as a stay-at-home mum of five, Tamara Solien has successfully turned her compassionate and caring nature into a career supporting others as a mental health support worker with Staying Deadly Hub – a service run by the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health that provides specialised mental health care to mob across South East Queensland.

Drawn to the Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315) after witnessing her brothers struggle with their own mental health, the 37-year-old initially enrolled in online study under the Queensland Government's Fee-Free TAFE Funding as a way to keep her mind active while trying to better understand her siblings’ experiences and challenges.

“Like many people who haven’t experienced mental illness themselves, I’d often find myself getting frustrated. The solution seemed so simple and I’d think, ‘why don’t you just stop these behaviours, or just do things this way?’. So, initially I wanted to learn more so I could gain more insight into what my brothers were going through,” Tamara said.

“The idea of returning to study and work was so scary after being out of the workforce for so long, so I wanted to make sure I was pursing something I was passionate about. If I was going to be stepping back from being a fulltime mum to my kids, it needed to be worth it – I had to get real fulfilment from it. I really loved this course and found it super interesting.”

Balancing her studies alongside parenting, Tamara said the flexibility of studying online made the completion of her course in June 2025 manageable.

“The online space was great and enabled me to have my youngest with me while I studied. While it was hard work, the fact that I could catch up on classes and do it at my own pace was perfect. I would even play my class recordings and listen to them while I was in the car driving,” she said.

“The teachers were amazing too, and if I didn’t understand something or needed that extra guidance, they were always so supportive and helpful.”

However, it wasn’t without its challenges, with Tamara juggling motherhood, grieving the loss of several family members, supporting her father, mother and brothers, and planning her wedding, all within the 12 months of her studies.

“My dad is staying with me as he has some health issues, and my mother, who lives in far north Queensland, has been having health issues as well. We also lost my aunty, uncle and cousin on my dad’s side, so I was trying to support my dad and grieve, while supporting my mum with her health and my brothers with their mental health at the same time. And that’s all while trying to be the best mum I could be for my five children,” Tamara says.

“I was trying to be an anchor for everyone while achieving my own goals and planning a wedding on top of all of that, so it was incredibly stressful. There were many times where I almost dropped the course so I could just focus on everything else that was going on, but I’m so glad I pushed through.”

It was during her vocational placement with The Murri School that Tamara—a proud Torres Strait Islander woman with a connection to Badu Island—realised just how much it meant to her to be able to support those most vulnerable in her community.

“I felt particularly drawn to helping Indigenous mums. Being a mum myself and going back to study, I lacked confidence in myself and worried I wasn’t smart enough, so I wanted to support other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers who felt the same,” Tamara said.

She then completed a placement with Ipswich-based First Nations mental health service, Staying Deadly Hub, where she left a lasting impression that earned her a job upon graduation.

“When I stepped into placement with Staying Deadly, I was terrified, but it felt so amazing to play a role in supporting the clients they let me sit in on. I honestly feel so lucky to have a job I love with a team who are doing such amazing work. This is my reward for sticking it out with my studies, despite the challenges. I absolutely love it,” Tamara said.

Currently a mental health wellbeing support worker, Tamara’s role sees her sit in with clients when they meet with psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses and care coordinators, to offer support in what can be a difficult and emotionally-charged situation.

“I’m like the in-between bridge so our clients aren’t so overwhelmed when they come in seeking support. I’m there to give them emotional support and help them feel comfortable,” she explains.

“It’s about letting them vent without judgement. Seeing someone leave a session in a lighter mood and better headspace, and knowing that I helped, is just so rewarding.”

With Beyond Blue reporting that First Nations people are twice as likely to experience psychological distress than non-indigenous Australians, and 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide, the support Tamara and her colleagues at Staying Deadly Hub offer is crucial.

“For a lot of Indigenous Australians, there is a lot of distrust in the system, and a fear of hospitals and institutions, so having a service like this that is in a more relaxed space and that provides support from people who understand and have that lived experience is so important,” Tamara said.

While still early on in her career, Tamara is adamant she’s found her path, and is keen to work her way up to becoming a care coordinator.

“I would love to get to that point. It’s been amazing to put everything I’ve learned into practise,” Tamara said.

According to Jobs Queensland data, employment opportunities for social workers are anticipated to grow state-wide by nine per cent over the five years from 2023-2028.