Michaela Cavuoto

Background

About Michaela Cavuoto

By empowering our communities to realise their full potential, take the initiative, and deal with issues that are significant to them, I promote and support the overall work of the amazing Community Team in my current position as Community Engagement Officer at Test Valley Borough Council. I assist council members in carrying out their local priorities by providing them my support in their role as local leaders. I currently lead on Health and Well-being within my team and represent the authority on relevant local partnerships and working groups. As a Domestic Abuse survivor, I used my faith in Jesus to overcome numerous obstacles, all the while exercising regularly and eating well for the mind, body and soul. I used my crisis as a springboard to start a new project in my current role which I lead on called Being You and Bouncing Back, which supports domestic abuse victims both outreach and living in refuge by getting them involved in exercise and our communities. Working in Partnership with Places Leisure, Finding Freedom from Abuse and the NHS Primary Care; they all share the same passion for helping our communities. I hold a Bachelors degree in Person-Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy, and a Postgraduate MSc in Clinical Psychology. I believe my life experiences positively influence my professionalism alongside my qualifications. I have previous experience offering Counselling and Psychotherapy for a wide range of issues within my own Private Practice as well as volunteering at a local charity for patients suffering addiction. I also have experience of working within challenging environments within government sectors. I feel my passion and motivation is contributing to the creation of constructive change within communities. I thrive on certain challenges and watching results, whether they seem positive or negative, because I consider this as a chance to learn and develop. I like to listen to ideas, whilst also contributing my own. I am also interested in EDI within the workforce. I enjoy high intensity cardio and strength workouts and love spending quality time with my beautiful children around the table eating some good food!