Creating healthier, resilient communities.
Our Facilitators
Sarah McQuillan
Who is Sarah McQuillan?
Sarah is the founder of Healthy Minds and is no stranger to mental health challenges and understands the impact a mental illness can have on one's quality of life.
Sarah is a qualified trainer, coach, facilitator and mum to four children.
Initially completing a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a double major in Public Relations and Advertising. Sarah spent her early career in Marketing and Communications.
After having children Sarah’s career path changed trajectory and she made the decision to enter the mental health space. This decision was driven by a long-standing struggle with heightened anxiety. After Sarah committed to a journey of internal healing, she decided that giving back and helping fellow sufferers was to become her passion and purpose.
Sarah not only has significant lived experience around anxiety disorders, but she has also supported family and friends through depression, psychotic illness and substance use disorders.
Sarah prides herself on excellent presentation and communication skills. She ensures effective planning, guiding and group management is maintained to create a comfortable and safe learning environment.
Sarah shares many of her lived experience stories when training and during keynote presentations, in a hope to normalise the conversation of mental illness and to allow others to empathise and show compassion to not only themselves but others.
Go to Karaoke song?
The Best – Queen Tina
What’s your favourite quote or motto that you live by?
When you replace judgment with curiosity, you open yourself up to deeper understanding, empathy, and growth. Instead of making assumptions, you start asking questions. Instead of reacting, you start exploring.
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
For my singing to sound as good as it does in the shower with my hairbrush microphone!
Andrew Palacios
Who is Andrew Palacios?
Andrew served for 16 years in the Australian Army within both the Regular and Special Forces community. Andrew has served with others who were experiencing mental health concerns and has an understanding in the rehabilitation processes used to help and manage mental health illnesses. Through his own experience and working with other veterans, Andrew understands the importance of being proactive with mental health for long term success and well-being.
Since leaving in defence, Andrew has had experience providing services to private and government organisations which includes mining, security, emergency services, health and education.
Andrew is an enthusiastic presenter that ensures he conveys information respectfully, and in a way that is engaging for all learning styles. Andrew is passionate about reducing stigma associated with mental health concerns by using a proactive, preventive and strength-based approach.
Go to Karaoke song?
Cold chisel Khe Sanh
What’s your favourite quote or motto that you live by?
Begin with the end in mind…
“ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
The skill of communication
Brooke Haseldine
Who is Brooke Haseldine?
Brooke is an energetic, forward-thinking, and experienced trainer and public speaker. She has an extensive and proven background in the not-for-profit sector, working alongside many organisations to educate their teams. As a subject matter expert in crisis support, suicide prevention, family and domestic violence, mental health and leadership, Brooke dedicates her life to empowering the community. She is exceptionally skilled at building rapport with people from all walks of life and supporting them to be confident in their understanding and response to an array of complex subject matter. Often described as "sunshine in human form," she is committed to bringing her light to difficult conversations, making even the most challenging subjects approachable.
With an extensive understanding of the dynamics of various societal issues and how they impact individuals, families and communities, Brooke is firmly committed to creating safe and supportive learning environments and communities. Strongly focused on trauma-informed practice ensuring that everyone she works with feels safe and supported as they enhance their knowledge and skills.
Brooke's highly determined nature is a testament to her motivation and commitment to her work. She is looking to continue utilising her skills in the not-for-profit sector, where she can make a meaningful impact.
Go to Karaoke song?
Man, I feel like a woman - Shania Twain
What’s your favourite quote or motto that you live by?
In Coach Carter (2005), the speech is a shortened version of Marianne Williamson’s passage.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were all meant to shine, as children do.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
If I could instantly master any skill, it would be stand-up comedy. I’d love the ability to make people laugh and see them smile. Humour has such a powerful way of connecting people and the ability to bring moments of joy to difficult days in this way would be special.
Carolyn Walters
Who is Carolyn Walters?
Carolyn is an experienced and empathetic Mental Health First Aid instructor, passionate about supporting those who face mental health challenges and addressing the stigma that surrounds mental ill-health.
A family history of mental health issues, including psychosis, dementia, depression and anxiety propelled her into the Mental Health First Aid space.
Carolyn has delivered public and private courses, in-person and online ever since, both in the UK and Australia, addressing key topics of depression, suicide, anxiety, substance use and psychosis with care.
Carolyn’s delivery style is informative and engaging, leaving participants with a more compassionate outlook and a newfound confidence on the topic of mental health. Her ability to connect with her participants and her passion for the subject is regularly reflected in her glowing course feedback.
Her courses are enhanced by her own lived experience and include candid discussions around mental ill-health and its accompanying stigma in a supportive and judgement-free environment.
Go to Karaoke song?
Achy Breaky Heart
What’s your favourite quote or motto that you live by?
Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday and all is well.
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
Play a musical instrument really well
Eddie Enever
Who is Eddie Enever?
Eddie Enever is a highly experienced naturopath, psychotherapist, and integrative health practitioner with over 16 years of clinical expertise. A three-time cancer survivor, Eddie’s personal journey through illness reshaped his approach to healthcare, leading him to specialize in metabolic oncology, stress physiology, and trauma-informed healing. His work bridges the gap between science and holistic wellness, empowering his clients with evidence-based strategies to take control of their health.
Through his clinical practice, workshops, and online programs, Eddie helps people navigate complex health challenges, from chronic stress and autoimmune conditions to cancer recovery and men's health optimization. With a deep understanding of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), epigenetics, and the nervous system’s role in healing, Eddie provides personalized, cutting-edge support to those seeking extraordinary health outcomes.
Passionate about education and transformation, Eddie is committed to helping his clients rewrite their health stories—because extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary efforts
Go to Karaoke song?
Karaoke Song - Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
What’s your favourite quote or motto that you live by?
“It is more important to know what sort of patient has a disease than what disease a patient has“ - Maimonides (Hebrew Sage)
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
Getting my kids to get their shoes on the first time I ask them...
Renée Khalil
Who is Renée Khalil?
Renée is a dedicated to increasing mental health literacy and skills, emotional attunement and overall wellness, with a passion for promoting wellbeing and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. As a mother of two children, Renée also strives to normalise and integrate talking about mental health from a young age, as well as formally supporting adults in this space.
With a warm and approachable style, Renée endeavours to help individuals, groups and organisations cultivate environments that prioritise wellness and promote positive mental health outcomes. Renée fosters inclusive spaces where people feel safe, supported and well-informed about mental health, developing their capacity to support the mental health of themselves and others. Empathy, compassion, curiosity and kindness provide the humanistic foundation for Renée’s work.
Renée is an accredited Mental Health First Aid instructor, holds a Bachelor of Education, an Allied Health Assistance qualification, and is near completion of a Post-Graduate Diploma of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Renée combines her professional scope with her lived experience of mental health challenges (her own and in supporting others), and the value she places on diversity and learning from collective human experiences.
Go to Karaoke song?
Seriously can’t narrow down to one song; entirely dependent on my energy and mood! I only perform for myself, sometimes my dog and children… and probably to the amusement of many drivers when I’m in full driving concert mode. My solo “duets” are pretty impressive.
What’s your favourite quote or motto that you live by?
The concept of meliorism, as explained by Laura Dawn, “the belief that we can contribute to positive change and improve the world through acts of love, creativity, compassion and kindness.”
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
Immediately putting away the laundry and ironing without delay. Alternatively, developing the skill of expressive, creative and reflective writing to support my own growth and the ways in which I may be able to support others.
Samuel Nolthenius
Who is Samuel Nolthenius?
Samuel is a mental health facilitator who knows what it is like to go through mental health challenges. As an LGBTQI+ lived experience trainer, he's on a mission to shake up how we talk about mental health, making these conversations more real and more human to build more inclusive, supportive, and heart-led communities.
Drawing from his own journey and the trusted MHFA framework, Samuel creates spaces where stigma can melt away and real conversations, filled with empathy, can flourish.
His goal? To give you the confidence and practical tools support others and to have more of those important conversations, with more of an impact, more often, that can truly make a difference.
Join Samuel in transforming how we approach mental health, one conversation at a time.
Go to Karaoke song?
Proud Mary - Tina Turner
What’s your favourite quote or motto that you live by?
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction (but taking it to the metaphysical - I can stay in bed all weekend, but what is the corresponding reaction to that? Or i can push myself thru challenge, and what is the corresponding reaction to that - basically, everything has consequences / like a karma sort of vibe / or, you get back what you put out)
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
I would master the ability to sing! Not having the ability doesn’t stop me from singing now, but everyone around me might enjoy it more once i’ve mastered it!
Rosie McQuillan
Rosie, our beloved office dog!
Often found lounging in the comfiest chair, Rosie makes it clear that she is only available for meetings on her terms, she makes the occasional appearance on an online Mental Health First Aid course.
Rosie does not ‘fetch’ – it’s beneath her. She doesn’t make friends easily either, don’t be offended – she is simply too sophisticated for small talk, she does eventually warm to hugs and belly rubs.
She may not be everyone’s best friend but she certainly runs the office with an iron paw!