Enabling Recovery And Rebuilding After Domestic And Family Violence
Tracks
Room 4: In-Person Only
| Tuesday, November 25, 2025 |
| 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM |
Overview
Jo Mason, Workhaven Pty Ltd
Details
Attendees will leave this session with:
• An understanding of the essential considerations when designing recovery-focused support after DFV;
• A balanced perspective on the benefits and limitations of technology-based recovery solutions;
• Insights into how lived experience can be respectfully and effectively incorporated into program development.
This is a session for anyone seeking to create or support trauma-informed pathways for rebuilding—whether in a workplace, community setting, or support service context.
Speaker
Ms Jo Mason
CEO And Founder
Workhaven Pty Ltd
Enabling recovery and rebuilding after domestic and family violence
Presentation Overview
Rebuilding After Domestic and Family Violence: Insights from WorkHaven’s Journey
In this session, Jo shares her deeply personal and professional journey in supporting people to rebuild their lives after domestic and family violence (DFV). As the founder of WorkHaven and a survivor of DFV herself, Jo brings a unique and powerful perspective to the development of practical, scalable recovery solutions.
Over the past five years, WorkHaven has worked alongside employers, community organisations, and specialist services to deliver impactful, real-world support. Central to this work is Verdella—an innovative online DFV recovery program designed to help individuals regain their footing and move forward with strength and purpose. Verdella supports recovery across multiple domains, including career and financial rebuilding, restoring social connections, improving health, and rebuilding self-confidence.
The program was developed through extensive consultation with victim-survivors, academics, frontline practitioners, and employers, ensuring that the approach is evidence-informed, accessible, and responsive to real needs. In this presentation, Jo will share key themes that emerged from this engagement, offering valuable insights into what makes a DFV recovery program relevant, meaningful, and sustainable.
In this session, Jo shares her deeply personal and professional journey in supporting people to rebuild their lives after domestic and family violence (DFV). As the founder of WorkHaven and a survivor of DFV herself, Jo brings a unique and powerful perspective to the development of practical, scalable recovery solutions.
Over the past five years, WorkHaven has worked alongside employers, community organisations, and specialist services to deliver impactful, real-world support. Central to this work is Verdella—an innovative online DFV recovery program designed to help individuals regain their footing and move forward with strength and purpose. Verdella supports recovery across multiple domains, including career and financial rebuilding, restoring social connections, improving health, and rebuilding self-confidence.
The program was developed through extensive consultation with victim-survivors, academics, frontline practitioners, and employers, ensuring that the approach is evidence-informed, accessible, and responsive to real needs. In this presentation, Jo will share key themes that emerged from this engagement, offering valuable insights into what makes a DFV recovery program relevant, meaningful, and sustainable.
Biography
Jo Mason is a businesswoman, speaker, coach and writer. She is also a survivor of Domestic Violence and the Lead Advocate for Brisbane Domestic Violence Service.
Driven by her experience, Jo founded WorkHaven, an organisation that supports workplaces and communities to address Domestic Violence through awareness and action. To date, they have reached over 100,000 employees across Australia.
WorkHaven takes an innovative approach and has created “Verdella" - a unique, scalable online program that supports people who have experienced DV to move forward and rebuild.
Through public speaking, Jo shares practical insights and learnings from her lived and working experience.
