Support where it didn’t exist before
Meet Carol, supporting mental health carers in Townsville
When Carol Sheeren sits down with a carer for the first time, she notices the same moment.
“You can actually see it… they relax and just exhale.”
She calls it “the great exhale”, that instant when someone realises they finally have space just for them, and someone who will listen without judgement.
Carol is Arafmi’s Carer Gateway Carer Facilitator in Townsville. Since starting last August, she’s been quietly building connections, supporting carers one-on-one, linking them with resources, and offering support where it hasn’t always been available.
Her work is part of Arafmi’s partnership with Wellways Carer Gateway, bringing support into regional and remote communities.
Meeting carers where they are
Without a dedicated hub in Townsville, Carol meets carers where they feel most comfortable, a park, a café, or a quiet space away from home. She also spends one day a week at the Medicare Mental Health Centre, where she meets carers and connects them with other supports.
That choice gives carers a chance to step out of their role, even briefly, and focus on themselves.
“People often need that first… just to feel supported before they’re ready to connect with others.”
From there, conversations are simple and practical, talking through the week, what’s been challenging, and finding one small, positive thing to look forward to.
In a region as spread out as North Queensland, support like this hasn’t always been easy to access. But when carers find it, the impact is immediate.
“They’re just so relieved… there’s someone willing to listen.”
By the end of that hour, something shifts. Carers leave feeling more in control, and less alone.
Lived Experience
That understanding comes from more than training. Carol has lived it herself.
“I was a carer as a child and didn’t realise… like a lot of us.”
Caring has followed her through life, supporting her mum, and later her former partner through mental health challenges.
It’s this Lived Experience that shapes how she supports others now. She understands what it’s like when everything revolves around the person you’re caring for, and how it affects the whole household.
Small shifts, big impact
Over time, Carol sees small but meaningful changes. Carers feeling more in control. Starting to think about their own lives again. Reaching out after feeling alone.
One carer is now planning her wedding. Another, new to Townsville with no supports, is now connecting with others and getting involved in advocacy.
“Seeing that shift is the best part,” Carol says.
Finding her own space
Outside of work, Carol is learning to do the same for herself. After a car accident a few years ago, her perspective shifted.
She built a home near Forest Beach, close to the ocean and surrounded by rainforest.
“That moment you step out of the car, the air just feels fresher,” she says.
She’s also reconnecting with what she enjoys, especially music.
“I listen to heavier music… I’ve spent most of my adult life in the middle of big mosh pits and it’s wonderful… music is just so healing, it can be fun, sentimental, all the things.”
It’s a reminder that even small moments matter, something Carol encourages carers to make space for, too.
Making space for yourself
Carol often asks carers one simple question: what’s something you’re going to do for yourself this week?
“I don’t care if it’s an hour… just something that’s yours.”
And over time, carers start saying, “Before you even ask, yes, I did the thing,” she laughs.
If you’re a mental health carer in or around Townsville, you don’t have to do this alone. Connect with Carol for one-on-one coaching or a peer support group.
Email Carol to get started
