About Simon Rolph
Counsellor, support worker and therapeutic horticulture practitioner in Perth, Western Australia
I’m Simon Rolph, the founder of Cultivating Care WA.
I’m a Perth-based counsellor and support worker with a background in counselling, disability support, horticulture and community gardening.
Cultivating Care WA brings these parts of my life and work together: therapeutic conversation, practical support, garden-based activity, community participation and care for the living world.
A grounded, practical way of working
I grew up on a farm, where daily life was closely connected to land, seasons, animals and practical outdoor work.
Care was often something active and hands-on: tending, growing, fixing, feeding, maintaining and working with what was around us.
After moving to Australia, I found meaningful work in counselling and disability support. I have always valued sitting with people, hearing their stories, understanding their struggles, and supporting them to make sense of their lives and choices.
Over time, I became more aware that support does not always need to happen only through conversation or in a therapy room. For many people, meaningful support can also happen while walking, gardening, caring for plants, spending time outdoors, or working alongside someone on something practical.
Cultivating Care WA grew from bringing these parts together: counselling, support work, gardens, community connection and care for the living world.
At the heart of the service is a simple belief: care can be cultivated through our relationship with self, community and nature.
Experience and approach
My professional background includes more than 14 years as a counsellor and more than 16 years as a support worker.
Counselling
14+ years counselling experience, including clinical counselling work with a major WA-based neurological disability organisation.
Support work
16+ years practical disability and community support, including community-based support and working alongside families, support teams and allied health professionals.
Nature-based practice
Over the past three years, I have also worked as a nature-based counsellor, supporting people in outdoor settings and continuing to develop my interest in how counselling, support work, gardens and nature can come together.
Awareness, choice and meaningful action
My approach is respectful, person-centred and guided by what is helpful for the person. I aim to meet people where they are, work at a pace that feels manageable, and keep support practical, relevant and connected to everyday life.
My counselling work is strongly informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often known as ACT, while also drawing from different counselling approaches depending on the person’s needs, goals and preferences.
The aim is to support greater awareness, self-understanding and self-compassion, so each person has more choice in how they respond to life’s challenges.
For me, this connects closely with one of the core ideas behind Cultivating Care WA: cultivating care for self. Support can help people notice what is happening, respond to themselves with more kindness, and take small, meaningful steps towards the life they want to live.
Meaningful support does not always need to happen in a therapy room. For many people, it can also happen while walking, gardening, sitting outdoors, caring for plants, travelling in the community, or working alongside someone on something practical.
Support work
16+ years practical disability and community support, including community-based support and working alongside families, support teams and allied health professionals.
Counselling
14+ years counselling experience, including clinical counselling work with a major WA-based neurological disability organisation.
Garden-based practice
Over the past three years, I have also worked as a nature-based counsellor, supporting people in outdoor settings and continuing to develop my interest in how counselling, support work, gardens and nature can come together.
Qualifications and checks
Bachelor of Counselling
Graduate Diploma in Family and Relationship Therapy
ACA Level 3 Counsellor
Therapeutic Horticulture Australia member - full member
Relevant qualifications, memberships and checks include:
Counselling and therapeutic practice
Certificate III in Horticulture
Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management
Permaculture Design Course through Permaculture Educators Alliance
Community garden involvement, including committee work and sustainability projects
Safety and screening
NDIS Worker Screening Check
Working with Children Check
National Police Clearance
First Aid and CPR
Horticulture and garden-based work
Interested in working with Simon?
You are welcome to contact Simon to discuss what you are looking for, whether Cultivating Care WA may be a good fit, and what the next steps could look like.