Michelle Paloma-Hernandez

My bachelor’s degree Was Stolen (with only three subjects remaining) by Government Systemic and Oversight Failures. Now I’m Fighting for My Rights — from education to discrimination — as a sole, neurodivergent parent.

Springwood, Queensland, Australia

About

My bachelor’s degree was stolen — with only three subjects remaining — through government systemic and oversight failures. Now I’m fighting for my rights, from education to discrimination, as a sole, neurodivergent parent. I recognise and pay respect to the First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which I live and work, and I acknowledge their enduring connection to land, waters, and culture. I am an aspiring mental‑health and resilience‑building counsellor and a sole parent, navigating life as the Federal Circuit and Family Court–mandated primary parent while rebuilding through education, community contribution, and lived experience. Any understanding I have of administrative systems comes from lived experience, personal research, and years of navigating complex processes on my own. These experiences now drive my commitment to supporting vulnerable people who face similar barriers. My journey has included significant personal challenges: a serious car accident in 2022, repeated barriers to assessment and adjustment, four years of engagement with the AAT and now the ART, and the loss of two significant family members — most recently my father on 7 February 2026. These experiences have shaped my commitment to compassionate practice, procedural fairness, and trauma‑informed support. As I work toward a future in counselling, I draw on emerging understandings from mental health, neuroscience, and lived experience to support vulnerable people and advocate for fair, compassionate systems. My intention is to serve all community members with equal respect and dignity, fostering environments of trust and understanding. I aim to create safe, judgment‑free spaces where people can explore their challenges with honesty and self‑compassion. My focus isn’t on forcing “positivity,” but on helping people understand and integrate their experiences — even the difficult ones — into a grounded, authentic sense of self, growth, and resilience. I believe growth comes from honouring our stories and building versions of ourselves that are shaped, not defined, by what we’ve lived through.

Experience