I am a fully qualified and registered counsellor with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC), operating in Te Anau, Southland, and online nationally.

I have been studying the topic of rural mental health for ten years: I hold a Master of Professional Practice degree (counselling), a BA in Psychology and Sociology, plus a Bachelor of Social Services in professional counselling. My master’s research was around young rural men (16-30 year old’s) and why they are reluctant to seek help for mental health issues. You can access my thesis here. I am currently enrolled as a PhD student at University of Otago - my research is on the mental health of our small rural communities and what helps and harms them.

Funding is available from multiple sources, including ACC Sensitive Claims, WINZ, Gumboot Friday, Rural Change Fund and more - I will help you to find out if you qualify for any of these funding sources.

I have won two major awards for my work and my research: I was the 2022 recipient of the Educational Excellence Award for Otago Polytechnic for my research on young rural men., and in 2023 I was the winner of the Rural Women’s Business Award, in the Health and Wellbeing category - please see more information on the awards here .

In addition to my work and study, I am a member of the Community Health Council for Te Whatu Ora Southern, and I am on the Youth Mortality Review panel for Otago and Southland.

Along with working privately, I have also been honoured to be guest speaker at many different events around the topic of rural mental health, often incorporating engaging and useful information around stress, anxiety and depression. If you are interested in having me as a guest speaker at your next function, please contact me.

To follow me on Instagram for relatable mental health help and information, please click here

Media Articles:

Rural Guardian, 11 February 2024, Finding happiness. Click here.

Rural Guardian, 11 December 2023, Rural business women recognised at awards. Click here

Rural Life, Monday, 28 February 2022. Survey offers hope to young rural men. Click here.

Farmer’s Weekly, March 2, 2022. Prioritising men’s mental health. Click here.

Farmer’s Weekly, May 16 2022. No lessons in shaming and bullying farmers. Click here.

Farmer’s Weekly, June 29, 2022. Nurture community, as well as environment. Click here.

Newsroom, 8 July 2022. Mental health’s ‘hell of a ride’ for rodeo lover. Click here.

Stuff, 8th May 2021. Lands of loneliness: The unbearable pressures of farm life. Click here.

Otago Daily Times/New Zealand Herald. 1st August 2022. Learning to spot the warning signs. Click here.

Otago Daily Times, 7 September 2022. Firearms licence fears often unwarranted. Click here.

Otago Daily Times, 14 November 2022. New taxes put rural communities at risk. Click here.

Otago Daily Times, 31st October 2022. Let’s have a little more respect for the farmers who put food on our tables. Click here.