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On this episode we hear from Susie Dash of the Brisbane-based company, Task Tamers.

We spend the first part of our adulthood working hard to accumulate things. Things we need, things we like just because, things that appeal to the collector in us, sentimental things passed from ancestors, gifts that we get given along the journey of life. Lots of things that can hold lots of meaning, or some things that are simply there around us and have no meaning or use at all. And they've blended into the background, so much so that we haven't even noticed them sitting in our house for the past five, 10, 15 years...And then for many of us, comes a time when we have to move out of our home and downsize. We have to stand back and look at our things and work out, "What shall I keep? What shall I shift out of my life and onto someone else who might be able to make more use of it?

About the Guest:

Susie Dash is the Owner and Managing Director of Task Tamers, a leading downsizing and relocation service dedicated to helping clients navigate one of life’s biggest transitions. With a compassionate and practical approach, Susie and her highly experienced team have supported more than one thousand families to declutter, downsize and relocate with confidence.

Task Tamers is known for its personalised service and attention to detail, guiding clients through every step of the process—from sorting and organising belongings to coordinating the move and setting up their new home. Susie and her team pride themselves on making what can often feel overwhelming into a smooth, stress-free transition from the family home to retirement living.

Susie grew up in Rockhampton before moving to Brisbane to study Commerce. This led to a successful career in banking and she gained valuable experience in financial management and client service. After raising her family, Susie saw a great opportunity to combine her commercial skills with her love of helping people and became the owner and managing Director of Task Tamers.

Over the past eight years, Task Tamers has grown into one of Brisbane’s leading downsizing and relocation businesses. Under Susie’s leadership, the highly experienced and dedicated Task Tamers team—comprising more than ten relocation experts and a network of trusted service providers—has helped over one thousand families declutter, downsize, and relocate with care and confidence.

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My big questions today is:

What happens to the mental health and wellbeing of whole rural communities when governments make decisions that negatively impact them?

High-quality government support acts as a buffer by fostering institutional trust and interpersonal trust, which in turn reduces mental distress.

Conversely, when citizens perceive government interventions as inadequate in managing economic or social uncertainty, their trust plummets, leading to a marked deterioration in mental health.

When governments and powerful institutions fail to protect people, deny reality, or cover up wrongdoing to protect their own reputations, it results in "institutional betrayal".

When these patterns continue over time, the effects compound.

We start to see:

1. Declining trust
People lose confidence in institutions, which affects everything from healthcare to elections –

2. Social fragmentation
Communities become divided, often along ideological lines.

3. Increased susceptibility to conspiracy thinking
When official narratives are inconsistent, alternative explanations become more appealing.

4. Learned helplessness
People feel that nothing they do will change outcomes, so they disengage.

This doesn’t just affect individuals—it weakens the functioning of society as a whole.

In this podcast, we’re joined by Zara Lowien, Chief Executive Officer of the National Irrigators’ Council—an organisation at the forefront of one of Australia’s most important and often complex conversations: water. About how she sees the extraction of water from rural communities affecting the very fabric of those communities and the mental health and wellbeing.

Zara brings a wealth of experience in public policy, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, working at the intersection of government decision-making and the real-world needs of rural and regional communities.

In her role as CEO, she helps guide the national voice of irrigators—supporting farmers and industries that quite literally help feed and clothe Australia, and millions more around the world.

Her leadership comes at a time when water policy is under increasing pressure—from climate variability, competing environmental and agricultural priorities, and the ongoing evolution of frameworks like those shaping the Murray–Darling Basin.

Under her leadership, the National Irrigators’ Council continues to play a critical role in shaping national conversations around water reform, climate policy, and the long-term resilience of irrigated agriculture.

We talk not just about policy, but about people—about what’s at stake for rural communities, and how leadership, collaboration, and innovation can help secure a strong future for Australia’s irrigation sector.

#theruralpsychologist #mentalhealth #ruralmentalhealth

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Chantal takes the opportunity to record a speech she gave at a rural women's event recently when she was asked to remind rural women that their communities are only as strong as they are...

And if your are waiting…Coaching Episode #3 will be out soon…