Chats in a shearing shed or around the kitchen table are among the ways that mensplace team member Tim Carew-Reid tunes into rural concerns.

Tim, who has been visiting several Wheatbelt communities to meet men and their families, services the area from Moora in the north to Katanning in the south.

“I’m happy to make appointments for anybody,” he says, “whether they live in town or on a farm. I like to listen to people talk about what’s on their mind. If you’re having a tough time, it’s important to communicate your concerns instead of keeping it all inside.”

Tim, a professional counsellor and psychotherapist, emphasises the confidentiality of conversations through mensplace, which is a program of Relationships Australia.

“In small communities, people may have concerns around privacy, feeling they can’t talk to locals about problems because everyone wants to know everyone else’s business. If they do feel like this, I may be able to help because I come from outside the community.”

He will be offering community programs, determined by local needs, such as workshops and seminars on depression, communication, and how to recognise when a friend or family member needs help.

Mensplace and Relationships Australia offer services through the Federal Government’s Rural and Regional Family Support Services program to give support to rural residents affected by drought or other difficulties.