Rural Aid’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Team

Roger Hitchcock

Roger Hitchcock is a down-to-earth counsellor with deep roots in West Australia’s farming history.Roger is based in Wagin and calls Narrogin home. Roger knows the wheatbelt like the back of his hand. He’s also spent time working in remote parts of the NT.

“Living in regional West Australia, I know the on-ground services are sparse. I hope I am the person that when locals need help with their current situation, I can assist them face to face, which we country people prefer,” Roger says.

“As a trained counsellor I will ensure that I will adapt to what the individual needs and I will listen and walk along aside you. I will never judge anyone.”

Roger has experience dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters, and recently spent six weeks visiting farmers impacted by Cyclone Seroja.

Phone: 0460 310 661
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Jo Ashworth

Jo Ashworth is a qualified counsellor and farmer living on the edge of the Wheatbelt.  Born and bred in Kalannie, Jo produces grain and livestock with her family and brings real, lived experience of farming life and the bush into her counselling work.

Jo understands the unique pressures that come with farming and rural life and takes a practical, down‑to‑earth approach, meeting people where they’re at.  She recognises that people know their own lives best and works alongside them with whatever they bring to the table.

“Counselling can help when times are extremely tough, and it can also help people build resilience to cope with whatever comes their way - it’s for everyone, at any stage,” Jo says.

Jo cares deeply about making mental health support easier to access for rural and farming communities.

Phone: 0475 556 680
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Chris Gibbs

Chris Gibbs lives in York, Western Australia, where he has been part of the community since 2017. His life has taken him across much of regional WA, from growing up in a family who ran country hotels to travelling widely as a touring musician. These experiences have given him a genuine appreciation for the people and communities that make up rural Australia.

Chris discovered a deep interest in mental health while lecturing in music, where he supported students through challenges both in and out of the classroom. This experience led him to complete a Diploma of Counselling and to continue building his skills in supporting others.

After several years working in mental health and wellbeing roles across the Wheatbelt, Chris brings a calm, compassionate and down‑to‑earth approach to his work with Rural Aid. He is committed to walking alongside farmers, families and rural communities, offering empathy, understanding and a sense of hope during tough times.

Phone: 0475 555 406
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Louise O’Neill

Louise O’Neill is a qualified counsellor and farmer based in Denmark, Western Australia, where she works alongside her husband and two boys. With experience across the Wheatbelt and South West, Louise understands the realities of farming life, including the rewards, the pressures and the seasons that test even the strongest families.

Louise is committed to supporting farmers, their families and rural communities in staying connected to the land, to each other and to their own wellbeing. She values practical, down to earth conversations and often meets people where they live and work to help them find the next step forward.

With a background in sports physiotherapy, Louise believes in the power of movement to support mental health. Her own experiences with running and swimming during challenging times continue to inform her approach. Louise feels privileged to hear people’s stories and considers it an honour to support rural communities with compassion, respect and genuine care.

Phone: 0475 558 706
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Dorothy Crosby

Dorothy Crosby lives in the foothills of the Flinders Rangers, in the picturesque agricultural town of Quorn.

After starting her working life as a nurse, she now has more than 12 years’ experience improving the mental health of her counselling clients. Dorothy cares deeply for others and is experienced in helping people through relationship challenges, improving their self-worth and communication skills.

Dorothy is a compassionate person with experience supporting families on their grief and loss journey.

She greatly admires farmers’ ingenuity in the face of serious challenges. She knows how hard it is to find healthcare in the regions, and loves how Rural Aid makes seeking help a little easier.

“Farmers are often so busy managing their properties that they don’t make seeking help for their mental health a priority,” Dorothy says.

“By being available and flexible to meet the farmers at the farm gate, it is helping to diminish some of those barriers.”

Phone: 0460 316 802
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Nicole Galvin

Nicole Galvin calls the Central Queensland town of Calliope home. She’s done her share of moving across this wide brown land, but she’s always had country air in her lungs, and a horse in a paddock nearby. Horses are a huge part of Nicole’s life. She loves working with horses and nature in her counselling sessions when possible.

“As a person who is passionate about mental health, wellbeing, farmers, and the land, I feel there are so many nuances in the farming environment that offer opportunities for therapy outside the clinical setting,” Nicole said.

“There is still work to do to help people in metropolitan Australia develop an appreciation of what our farmers do to take care of the land and provide food and fibre for the nation.”

Phone: 0400 216 965
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Mark Noller – Rural Aid Counsellor, Western Queensland

Based in Dalby, Mark Noller is Rural Aid’s dedicated counsellor supporting farmers and communities across Western Queensland. With a career spanning both agronomy and hands-on farming, Mark brings a deep understanding of rural life and the pressures faced by primary producers. As a qualified counsellor, he blends professional mental health expertise with practical agricultural insight to help families navigate stress, financial strain, and the long-term impacts of natural disasters.

Mark is passionate about strengthening community connections through on-farm visits, local events, and close collaboration with town networks. “I’m excited about this opportunity to tackle the unique challenges faced in our rural communities,” Mark says. “By listening, sharing ideas, and working together, we can create solutions that truly make a difference.”

Phone: 0456 666 436
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Myfanwy Pitcher

Myfanwy Pitcher is the Manager of Rural Aid’s Mental Health and Wellbeing team. Her strong connection and admiration for farmers started early, while growing up in a small South Australian town, spending time in the shearing sheds with her grandfather.

Myf loves the challenge of leading and developing the Mental Health and Wellbeing team, a task made easier thanks to how driven the team is to improve outcomes for those in the bush.

Myf is grateful to play a role in others’ lives, and loves highlighting her clients’ unique strengths.

“The people I meet are the experts in their own lives, and I’m privileged to be part of their journey.”

“As Disraeli stated, the greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.”

Phone: 0427 502 438
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Ian Larnach

Ian Larnach is based in New South Wales’ Central West. He is passionate about offering high-quality mental health services in the bush. Growing up on a family farm, he knows the ins and outs of rural life.

Ian is especially adept at helping farmers work through trauma, and is well-versed in men’s health issues.

“I believe the client is the expert in his or her own life. As a counsellor, I work to help the client find and own their own solutions to problems,” Ian said.

“Rural Aid offers such a flexible and accessible service to primary producers, who by nature tend to put their own wellbeing at the bottom of the list of things they need to tend to,” Ian said.

Phone: 0458 736 424
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Marg McKay

Marg McKay is a valued member of the Wodonga community. She visits farmers from Towong to Murrindindi to Bendigo. Growing up surrounded by sheep, Marg was later inspired to own a small property of her own and has dabbled in shearing and wool classing. These days, Marg leaves farming duties to her cattle-loving son.

Marg prides herself on being a wonderful listener. She’s great at helping people accept what they cannot change, and guiding them to a brighter future.

Her experience helping farmers and their families in times of crisis has led her to be a passionate advocate for better health services in the bush.

“Rural communities suffer from the lack of services to address many types of health issues, especially mental health. Waiting lists, if you can get onto one, are massive and the need is so great,” Marg says.

Phone: 0428 234 743
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Kylie Braes

Kylie Braes is a rural and remote counsellor, a nurse and fifth-generation grazier’s daughter based in North West Queensland. Living and working on a remote cattle station with her partner, Kylie understands the realities of isolation, loneliness, succession pressures, drought, floods, bush fires, raising children remotely, work demands and the mental load often carried by rural families and producers.

With experience across emergency healthcare, mining and agriculture, Kylie brings a practical, down-to-earth approach to supporting people through stress, burnout, grief and relationship pressures.

Kylie is passionate about making support accessible for rural communities and believes strong agriculture relies on healthy, resilient people.

Phone: 049 777 6567
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au

Lawrence Maskill

Lawrence Maskill lives where the Otways meet the ocean, drawing daily inspiration from the natural world that surrounds her. A qualified counsellor with a deep passion for human connection and wellbeing, Lawrence brings warmth, grounded insight and authenticity to her work. Her background includes tertiary education and traditional Oriental therapies, enriching her holistic approach to person-centred care.

Having lived rurally for most of her adult life, she understands the unique rhythms, challenges and strengths of country living. A lifelong horsewoman with experience in beef farming, Lawrence combines practical rural knowledge with compassionate support. Her connection to nature, animals and community informs a counselling approach that is calm, down-to-earth and deeply attuned to individual experience.

Phone: 0497 778 535
Email: mhwb@ruralaid.org.au