A bit about me

Hello, I’m Sarah. I grew up wild and free on a sheep farm in the Riverina. From roustabouting, being a station cook, to working as an artificial insemination technician at a sheep genetics company, I have worked right across the rural country before marrying into a dairy farming family and settling down in northeast Victoria.

I’ve always loved rural life; the work ethic, generosity and mateship of farming communities are second to none. In the early 2000s, however, our area – like so many others – was hit by the worst drought on record. The impact on the community was enormous. Laughter dried up at the pub, people stopped socialising and the overall mood in the area was low. I often asked myself who do you talk to when everyone is going through the same situation?

Feeling powerless to help and realising that there was virtually no specialised counselling support for farmers, I went back to study so that I could help fill that gap.

All these years of study and counselling experience later and I still love what I do. I’ve always been drawn to the stories that farmers share about life on the land, but having the opportunity to apply practical, evidence-based therapies to help them and their families live happier and healthier lives, is what I am all about.

Credentials

Accredited Social Worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)

Master of Social Work – La Trobe University

Graduate Certificate in Mental Health – La Trobe University

Healthy and Sustainable Agricultural Communities

Graduate Certificate – Deakin University

2023 Nuffield Scholar – Growing Support: Enhancing Mental Health and Wellbeing in Farming Communities