Meet two rising stars shaping the future of mental health promotion—one research-driven, one media-savvy—and discover how students are changing the wellbeing game.
Recently, I’ve had a few moments where I’ve thought, “I could imagine this person taking my job.” And I mean that in the best possible way.
Two standout examples come to mind.
First, meet Elli Kolovos – Mental Health Promoter, PhD Candidate in Psychology, and Associate Lecturer in Mental Health and Wellbeing (Workplaces and Communities). Elli is presenting at our inaugural Wellbeing in Practice session, hosted by BetterU. You can find more about the series here:
👉 Wellbeing in Practice
Elli’s mission is to work towards a future where the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of mental wellbeing are not just aspirational ideas, but everyday realities. She’s creating change through high-quality research, teaching, and community engagement.
She understands that the abundance of wellbeing advice—and the societal pressure to “live well”—can be overwhelming. She also recognises how frustrating it can be to find mental health support that’s both accessible and tailored to individual needs. That’s why her approach emphasises strategic action: helping people identify and focus on the handful of priorities that can make a real difference in their daily lives. It’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing what matters most, in a way that fits your context.
As part of her PhD, Elli is leading a series of studies exploring how wellbeing-related knowledge and behaviours influence positive mental health outcomes. She’s collaborating with researchers at Flinders University, Be Well Co, and the University of Twente in the Netherlands.
To bring her vision to life, Elli is currently developing and testing a new 7-day online program called Live Well Your Way. The program is designed to help people discover and act on their unique priorities for living well. Recruitment for the program will begin shortly—keep an eye out, or come along to the Wellbeing in Practice session to learn more.
Elli’s contributions already span designing and facilitating mental health interventions, contributing to a large-scale systematic review of positive mental health measures, and exploring how subjective age shaped people’s responses to COVID-19 disruptions. She’s also the co-creator and teacher of Flinders’ Certificate and Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and Wellbeing (Workplaces and Communities).
She’s an active member of both the Flinders Institute of Mental Health and Wellbeing (via The Generations Initiative) and the National Network of Mental Health Promotion Practitioners.
The second is Aria Bradley – a medical science student at the university who’s been steadily building a wellbeing-focused space across podcasting and digital content creation. You can explore her work via her Linktree:
👉 Aria’s Linktree
Aria very kindly invited me onto the podcast for an episode, which you can listen to here:
🎧 Spotify: Gareth on Aria’s Podcast
I apologise for any fruity language I used.
But in a short period of time, Aria has produced a lot more content than just that episode. Just check out some of Aria’s episode titles – it’s wellbeing in the context of academic life, right in the wheelhouse of your average uni student:
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habits of high achievers
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stay healthy while studying
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being burnt out and regaining motivation
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making an academic comeback after a bad grade
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gamify your studies
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how to study when you have no motivation
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romanticise your study life
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ace your exams
What’s clear is that Aria is building something practical, accessible, and real. Please show your support by checking out her work.
Quick disclaimer: While I support Aria’s wellbeing efforts, promotion of her work doesn’t mean a blanket endorsement of all her views.
What excites me about both Elli and Aria is how they represent the possible future of mental health promotion. We’re seeing a new era emerge—one where programs are designed with flexibility and personalisation in mind, and where digital platforms are being used to engage people where they already are.
It’s also a reminder to me of what’s possible in this field. I see people who are passionate about making a difference, who genuinely care about the wellbeing of others, and who are eager to grow their knowledge and skills in this space.
When I graduated as a psychologist back in 2007, the career pathways felt fairly narrow: you either went into research or clinical practice. I dabbled in both but never felt like I fully fit. It wasn’t until I found mental health promotion that I really felt like my skillset had found its home. It was the intersection of psychology, education, writing, creativity, and systems thinking—a mix that felt right.
Now, I’m seeing people like Elli and Aria carving out their own paths and bringing new energy and perspectives to the field. They’re showing what the next generation of mental health promotion can look like—not just reactive and treatment-focused, but proactive, creative, inclusive, and accessible.
(And no pressure on either of them! But I’m quietly cheering from the sidelines and preparing my retirement.)
Are you doing something similar?
Are you using your social media, your creativity, or your entrepreneurial energy to support the health and wellbeing of others? Let us know! One of the goals of BetterU is to showcase what’s happening around the uni – and that includes the amazing efforts of students like you.
