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.

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.”

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.”

Jemma Michael

Jemma looks after Rural Aid farmers on the Darling Downs, having completed a Masters in Counselling and Honours Degree in Education. Originally hailing from Victoria, Jemma has worked in the High Country as a Jillaroo and now spends her time in the saddle as a trainer of Arabian endurance horses and her showjumper Finn.

Jemma is most at home travelling the vast Australian landscape, meeting with people of the land, and lending a hand to farming families to help them get back on their feet.

She has many tools in her counselling repertoire that can be used in a farmgate setting. Jemma is well versed in traditional approaches like CBT and ACT, and is also an advocate for expressive therapies like journaling, art therapy and song writing.

“When disaster strikes, and there is a succession of environmental and personal impacts, people’s livelihoods are affected in diverse ways,” Jemma said.

“There is opportunity for positive outcomes after devastation and there are ways to come back with resilience, fortitude and redefined strategies that can assist with mental health.”

Jemma has the bush in her blood and loves sharing stories about her horses and high-jumping farm dogs that visit her ‘office’ to ‘help’. Jemma hopes to incorporate equines into more of her counselling work in the future.

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.”

Rani Morgan

Rani Morgan now calls the central west of New South Wales home. Rani grew up on a mixed farming operation with cattle, sheep and cropping in the Riverina, just outside of Hillston. She then made the move to Broken Hill in far west NSW. Rani worked in agribusiness in the 2017-2019 drought and witnessed how natural disasters and extreme, adverse weather events impacted the wellbeing of entire farming communities.

She then moved into the mental health space and decided almost immediately that it was her calling.

“Working with Rural Aid allows me to work within two industries I love; mental health and agriculture,” Rani said.

Rani is passionate about taking a holistic approach to wellbeing and mental health by ensuring our farmers are supported during any natural disasters. She has firsthand experience understanding the challenges faced by rural and isolated people accessing mental health support.

“I understand that having practical and tangible solutions can reduce our stress and allow for longer term wellbeing.”

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.