Instagram story viewer> @groundandgrow_aus> Posts

1.1K

followers

598

following

Helping rural women through overwhelm, burnout, anxiety & isolation.
Feel calmer, connected & more like yourself.
Online counselling
Booking link ⬇️

POSTS STORIES REELS

$I used to think strength meant pushing through. Performing. Achieving. Coping. Holding it all together no matter the cost. But strength without steadiness? It nearly broke me. Burnout. Injury. Anxiety. Family fractures. Bullying when I was already at my lowest. It stripped back the ego. And showed me who I really was underneath it all. Not broken. Not weak. Just human. Ground & Grow was built from that place. Not from perfection. But from lived experience, deep reflection, and a commitment to integrity over image. If you’ve ever felt capable but exhausted… Strong but stretched… Loyal to everyone but yourself… You’re not alone here. This space is for anyone who is done performing strength and ready to feel steady instead. If that’s you, welcome. 🌿 #GroundAndGrow #ruralhealth #GrowStrong #NervousSystemHealing #womensupportingwomen by @groundandgrow_aus$

POV you hop on to share a very profound, very important thought and Chatty Cathy goes rogue 😂

Sunday fun day on a Wednesday, apparently.

Is this the universe telling me to start a podcast? Would you listen? 🎙️ by @groundandgrow_aus

Can you trust someone and still be disappointed in them?

I think yes & I’m feeling more comfortable to sit in that for a bit.

My first instinct (when I feel let down) can be to pull back & go, “Rightio, now I know where I stand.”

& sometimes a bit of distance is exactly what’s required, but there are times, I’ve made up my mind about where I stand before I’ve even told the other person what hurt.

I’m learning to take a pause before deciding what to do next & that can mean having the awkward conversation!

I’d love to hear yours. What helps you trust someone? by @groundandgrow_aus

“Guys, she puts a filter on for these videos!” 🤣

Yes guys, she did. If I waited for my perimenopause skin to clear, you’d never get a video.

But I didn’t wait until I felt completely confident to post.

Sometimes you just got to have a good crack, give it a go & let the confidence catch up. Nerves, filter and commentary from my kids included 🫣 by @groundandgrow_aus

October, you asked a fair bit of me 😮‍💨

Big feelings, good people, another birthday and so many moments leaning in to those who show up, celebrate & genuinely support me & my community.

I’m finishing the month proud of what I’ve done, but also of how much more comfortable I’m becoming with being myself. In my work, my relationships and even in wearing whatever I want!

Still learning. Still growing. Still making room for the good stuff (this room needs expanding TBH). by @groundandgrow_aus

It’s often the little things that help us trust someone.
& over time, those moments add up.

In small communities, our lives overlap. We work together, raise kids together, sit on committees and cross paths at the shops. How we treat each other matters.

We all have a part in creating communities where people feel safe, valued and connected. And we don’t have to get everything right to be someone others can trust. Being willing to listen, take responsibility and follow through counts for a lot.

What helps you trust someone? I’d love to hear the little things that make a difference for you 🤎 by @groundandgrow_aus

Ever heard yourself and thought, “Gee I’m really picking at everyone today…”?

Sometimes the voice we use with the people we love sounds a lot like the one running inside our own head.

I know mine can be tough, critical even.

So I’m practising noticing the effort and actually saying it out loud. What’s been done. What I appreciate. What I’d love to see more of!

It’s a small shift we can practise with our families and ourselves.

Do you catch the good, or does the unfinished stuff grab your attention first? by @groundandgrow_aus

Being needed feels good. Until you realise there’s very little of you left for yourself.

I’m Mel, a counsellor helping rural women find a little more calm, clarity and room for themselves.

You can bring the messy, frustrated, don’t-know-where-to-start version. I’ll meet you right there.

Online counselling | Ground & Grow | Link in bio. by @groundandgrow_aus

Green paddocks and fresh foals. I’ll take these office distractions any day of the week. by @groundandgrow_aus

A little look back at a pretty special evening. ✨

Connected by Country was everything we hoped it would be and more. An evening full of incredible rural women, meaningful conversations, new connections and a whole lot of community spirit.

We’re still feeling incredibly grateful to everyone who came along, shared their stories, supported the event and helped bring it all together.

Here are a few of our favourite moments from the evening - a little reminder of just how special it is when people come together in the country.

To everyone who was part of it, thank you. This is exactly why we started Red Dirt Social - to create more opportunities for connection, culture and community right here in our own backyard.

A huge thank you to our event partners @rrrwomenqueensland and @groundandgrow_aus for making this the best possible event 🥹 we can’t wait until next year!

Here’s to more nights like this. 🤎 by @groundandgrow_aus

The thoughtful message you skimmed over deserves just as much (probably more!) attention as the comment you’ve dissected twelve times, over analysed & really carried for far too long!

Go back. Read it again. Let yourself feel appreciated.

Giving more energy to the good takes practice, especially when replaying the hurt feels familiar. But you can make room for both.

Save this for when your mind gets stuck on the unkind stuff xx by @groundandgrow_aus

Do you consider yourself self-aware and still find yourself repeating the same patterns?

People pleasing. Overcommitting. Struggling with boundaries. Feeling guilty for putting yourself first.

Knowing what needs to change doesn’t always mean understanding WHY you keep doing it.

Our experiences, learned behaviours and core beliefs can influence how we think, feel and respond.

& that’s where counselling can help.

Not by telling you what to do, but by helping you understand yourself and make meaningful changes.

As a rural Queensland counsellor, I support women through overwhelm, anxiety and life’s many moving parts!

If this resonates, I’d love you to stick around. And if you’re ready to explore counselling, link in bio.

#GroundAndGrow #OnlineCounsellingAustralia #RuralWomensWellbeing PeoplePleasing SelfAwareness by @groundandgrow_aus

Melanie McNaughton | Counsellor for Rural Women | Online

@groundandgrow_aus