When Dr Zoe Wyatt-Potage first travelled to Vanuatu in 2009 as part of an Australian Government teaching project, she didn’t imagine that a passing encounter would shape the course of her professional life. But meeting a Ni-Vanuatu school social worker—whose quiet, determined practice was strengthening not just a classroom but an entire community—left a lasting impression. “I realised how much difference one social worker could make, not just in a single classroom but across a whole community. The experience opened my eyes to the idea that social work is a universal language, needed everywhere, in every culture,” she recalls.

Returning to Australia with a new sense of direction, Zoe began studying social work at Deakin University in 2012, completing her Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) in 2016. Her Honours year took her to Cambodia on a study tour, where she partnered with Hagar International to explore their trauma-informed school curriculum and examine how safe, predictable learning environments can help young people recover from adversity. It was an early sign of the global lens that would come to define her career.

Zoe’s final placement brought her to an inpatient treatment setting in Thailand, where she supported people living with trauma, alcohol and other drug use, and complex mental health needs. After graduation she accepted a permanent role and spent more than four years working across Southeast Asia. In Chiang Mai she worked as a primary therapist before relocating to Bangkok to continue clinical practice while undertaking doctoral research. Her work expanded into global intake assessments and program design, contributing trauma-specific modules for LGBTQIA+ clients, non-violent communication workshops for men’s behaviour change, and culturally responsive trauma content for Arabic-speaking clients. Her PhD research in Cambodia centred on interviewing survivors of trafficking and modern slavery, examining resilience and meaning-making in the aftermath of trauma.

In 2020 Zoe relocated to Mauritius, continuing her global practice as a clinical consultant. She supported clients and organisations across health, technology, humanitarian and education sectors, and developed evidence-based training on trauma, psychological safety and workplace wellbeing for multinational teams. Her days often stretched across continents, with mornings in APAC, afternoons in EMEA and evenings in the Americas.

Now based in Cairns, Zoe has returned to Australia and transferred her AASW membership to the Clinical category. “For me, Clinical registration is a way of aligning my professional identity with the practice I’ve developed globally, one grounded in evidence, trauma-informed care, and the understanding that wellbeing is both individual and systemic.” She remains active in the profession through writing, supervision and presenting. She presented remotely from Mauritius at the 26th Asia-Pacific Regional Social Work Conference in 2021, offering insights into trauma-informed practice across international settings. Her reflections on her work with Hagar International continue to support students and practitioners interested in global social work, and her recent publications include Supporting Vulnerable Students: The Role of Personal Safety Plans in Trauma-Informed Classrooms in Teachers Matter (2024). She has also contributed to sector conversations on burnout, workplace resilience and cross-cultural clinical practice, and presented at the Asia-Pacific Behavioural and Addictions Medicine Conference.

After more than a decade of practice across cultures, Zoe’s guiding principle remains clear. “Social work has never been limited by geography, our values travel with us.” Her career demonstrates how cultural humility, evidence-based practice and a commitment to social justice can cross borders, linking individual healing with broader system-level change.