Josh Toole

EPISODE 9: Amber Rules, Rough Patch @roughpatchcounselling

In this episode of Sobah Life, Dr Clinton Schultz yarns to another mental health professional and founder of Rough Patch, Amber Rules.
While Sydney-sider Amber is passionate about pickles, punk music, non-alcoholic spicy margaritas, Stevie Nicks and her cranky old toothless dog Baxter, she is driven by her purpose to create affordable, accessible and compassionate mental healthcare; destigmatising mental health and addiction issues; building connection and community; uplifting marginalised voices; and radical community care.
"As a kid who had a rough childhood, learning how to maintain relationships has been hard, because I didn’t have some of the important foundational skills to be a good friend. I had to unlearn some shitty behaviours and learn how to show up for people, be compassionate, supportive, forgiving and trustworthy, and at times have difficult conversations," says Amber.
"In my opinion, adversity isn’t a good thing for growth - that cliché of “my pain is what made me strong” doesn’t feel right to me. I had to work harder and suffer more as a result of my painful experiences; I survived in spite of it, but honestly, I’d have preferred to not have experienced it at all." Despite having grown up surrounded by abuse and having experienced mental health concerns for most of her young life, Amber is so full of positive energy, compassion and empathy.
At Rough Patch, Amber is helping create an entirely new mental health service model in Australia - one that will no doubt increase access for people seeking affordable service and will also better working conditions for counsellors.
"I wish I’d had the practical support and care I needed, and I don’t know any advice would have made that easier. I think I would have liked to have known that eventually, I would be able to create a life that felt safer than it was then. I might have told myself “This is going to be really awful for quite some time, but it will get better eventually”," says Amber in reflection.
Hearing about her work, life philosophies and future desires was inspiring. An important theme to come out of the yarn was that of self-care and it's connection to caring for others.
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Disclaimer: Sobah Life Podcasts may contain explicit content relating to social-emotional wellbeing concerns such as abuse, addiction, self-harm and suicide. If you are likely to be offended or triggered by the discussion of these topics we recommend you do not listen to our podcasts. Sobah Life is not intended to replace professional help. If you have any concerns about your social and emotional wellbeing, you should consult your doctor or mental health practitioner. If you are triggered by any of the content of our podcasts and need immediate assistance you can call Lifeline (13 11 14), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) or if you are a young person, Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800). A further list of crisis hotlines can be reached at:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-services-infographic✊🏽