See What’s Beneath the Surface

Educating, Developing and Understanding.

Redefining Approaches to Domestic Abuse and Violence, Educational Disadvantage, Homelessness, and Mental Health.

Empowered by Lived Experience

Trauma can shape us, but it doesn’t have to define us.

Matt Vapor

Founder of Beneath the Surface

Hi, I’m Matt Vapor and I founded Beneath the Surface in 2018. I’ve overcome many challenges in my life and I want to use them to help you change your life. I’ve overcome domestic abuse, educational disadvantage, homelessness, violence, and mental health issues. I’ve gone from being homeless with limited education to earning my Masters and became a university lecturer.

I use these experiences to provide organisations and community groups with talks and workshops about mental health, domestic abuse and violence, educational disadvantage and homelessness. Beneath the Surface’s presentations and workshops are based on my lived experience and provides people with a greater understanding of issues beneath the surface of a diagnosis or condition.

I also provide a variety of professional development workshops on the same topics.

“Experiences that shape who we are are often unspoken, it’s what lies Beneath the Surface. This silence has profound effects on those that have experienced trauma. Firstly, silence can bring shame, which silences victim’s experiences. Secondly, this ongoing silence, combined with shame, means we’re are often unable to learn from the experiences of others. Beneath the Surface is here to change that.”

— Matt Vapor

“I’ve never been to a course before when so many staff were talking about it later. My perception was that the workshop had an impact on everyone and we all learnt something that should improve our customer interactions with not just homeless people but those with mental illness and even all customers. ”

Clive C.

City of Cockburn

“Matt’s candour about his lived experience ensures everyone who he shares this with understands how every interaction they have with a homeless person really matters. His suggestions for how our libraries can support people experiencing homelessness are now non-negotiable for any library I manage.”

D. Summers

Manager – Customer & Library Services

City of Swan

City of Swan Logo

“I have listened to Matt twice now and both times I have left feeling very motivated and inspired. His story has brought tears to my eyes and has completely changed my views on how I look at people, you have no idea why people are the way they are or what they are going through. Matt has showed great courage and dedication through out his life – despite what has been thrown his way, this is a story everyone needs to hear at least once.”

Mel S.

St Bart’s