I have a master’ degree in counselling. I have experience in marriage and family counselling and was a youth worker for eight years.

Other areas of employment have been palliative care; support for men with prostate cancer; counselling on grief and loss, and aged care, including issues around retirement, loss of partner, facing residential aged care, and dementia.

My special interest now is in men’s health and wellbeing, anger management, fathering after separation, and step families.

Having worked with mensplace/Men and Family Relationships for two years, I now run the program in the Peel Region. I wrote and developed the Raising Girls series of workshops for Dads.

I have a varied work background that includes the public and private sector, community development, youth work and small business. I have degrees in physical education and psychology and have done postgraduate study in psychology.

As a separated father I became aware of the difficulties faced by many men in this situation, especially those seeking advice. I am sure there are many men like me who are not sure what our role is in the community. I am passionate about promoting the important role of fathers in their children’s lives.

I am a counsellor specialising in men’s issues, including psycho-education programs, group facilitation and accepting referrals from Domestic Violence programs and the Child Contact Service. I have also counselled families and couples.

I have experience facilitating groups with drug and alcohol addictions, and have written and presented programs for men which include fathering, separation and communication skills. I feel passionate about the diverse needs of men in this era of changing roles for males.

On the personal front, for 12 years I have been a sole parent of two sons who are now 16 and 19. I would like to see more services for fathers in this sort of situation.

Education: I have a double degree in counselling and applied psychology.

Rob Tiller

I work as a professional counsellor, group facilitator, and workshop presenter at Relationships Australia . I have experience in counselling couples, individuals, and children. At Mensplace I facilitate men’s groups like Anger Management, Sex and intimacy and Communication Skills.

One of my main interests is in helping men be more pro-active in taking better care of themselves both physically and emotionally.

I also have a special interest in men’s advocacy. I feel that modern men are constantly facing difficult issues that challenge our masculine identity. I believe that these challenges can offer us the opportunity to grow and expand our definitions of what it means to be a man.

Shannon Kearing

Shannon Kearing is a Community Support Worker within the Moorditj Yarning program.

He has a lot of experience running discussion and cultural groups for Aboriginal men and youth.

Marmun Wangkiny (Men Talking) is among the regular groups he has run at Banksia Grove Community Centre, near Joondalup.

Shannon is also experienced in encouraging and teaching Aboriginal culture, particularly dance.

Len Wilkinson

Len Wilkinson, a relationships educator and counsellor, works out of the Albany office. Since joining Relationships Australia last year he has coordinated several education courses.

He sees the main aim of the mensplace service as supporting men in addressing family and relationships issues. Other topics include workplace and financial issues.

“Mensplace is about enabling group conversations, for example, in which everyone gets a chance to speak,” he says. “There is a structure in place, but a key point is flexibility.”

Len, who says rapport with clients is among his priorities, has recently run an evening seminar on communications skills for men.

 Greg Navarro