The Blue Wren Foundation Advisory Board
George Green - Chairperson        Andrew Drysdale - Deputy Chairperson
   Diane Viola - Treasurer       Karin Rule - Secretary
Click here to read more

Founder and Director - Adrian Hanks

Much of what has been developed for the Blue Wren Foundation is from Adrian Hanks’ experiences and insights from being involved with men’s work over the past 20 plus years and from his experiences of being a professional counsellor and psychotherapist for over a decade. Adrian’s journey into men’s work started in Tasmania 21 years ago after spending several days out in the bush with about 30 other men on a ‘Shamanic Journey’. From there he joined a weekly didgeridoo class so that he could learn how to play the didgeridoo. Whilst in the class he met several other men who were interested in starting a men’s group.

Their first men’s group meeting was held in the All Saints Church Hall in Hobart, Tasmania and the group of seven men who met almost every Tuesday night for two years, formed the ‘All Saints Men's Group’. Since then Adrian has sat in 100’s of men’s groups and circles; sometimes as a participant, but more often as a facilitator. He has also sat with 100’s of men in one-on-one ‘therapy’ sessions as a counsellor/psychotherapist.

Our Program Facilitators

Adrian Hanks  Blue Wren Founder and Director 
Facilitation Trainer, Facilitator, Coach, Counsellor and Psychotherapist
Adrian is an experienced counsellor, psychotherapist and trainer. He has been facilitating men's circles and personal development groups for over 20 years and loves to go beyond the ordinary in his work; encouraging, guiding and even positively challenging people to get even more out of life. Adrian works with men, youth, women and couples and specialises in topics such as: Habits and Addictions, Conscious Communication, Healthy Boundaries, Intimacy and Sexuality and Meditation and Spiritual Advancement. Adrian also loves to write, travel and play the didgeridoo!

Adrian is based north west of Sydney in Baulkham Hills and offers counselling, psychotherapy and coaching for individuals and couples from his studio or via phone Skype or Zoom. He also offers Counselling and Life Mastery Mentoring courses  and other personal and professional workshops and programs.
Click the link to watch Adrian's short 2 minute introduction video https://youtu.be/thyRejMvOVo


Rama Russell 
Facilitation Trainer, Facilitator, Counsellor and Psychotherapist
Rama is the Senior Facilitator for the Blue Wren Foundation. He has been been facilitating groups nationally and internationally, in the public and private sectors, for 30 years. He is a qualified and highly experienced counsellor, specialising in the areas of men's issues, intimate relationship, sexuality, and family dynamics. He brings compassion,wisdom, insight and deep optimism to all his work.
Rama is based in Byron Bay and offers counselling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples and families from his studio or via phone or Skype.

Barry Auchettl
Facilitator and Coach
Barry Auchettl is a Visionary who specialises in the areas of Vision Improvement, Mindful Communication and Intuitive Kinesiology. He is the creator of a transformational game called 'Conversations: an inspirational game', and author of 'One Vision', 'Eye Power' and 'The Scan Charts'. Click here to watch Barry's short video.  https://youtu.be/e2KxdBE6y5I

Robert Grimes
Facilitator, Coach and Counsellor
Robert has been facilitating men’s groups for awareness and change for 12 years. He has a passion for collective awareness and change within the community or group setting whether that be with a group of men, a group of women or mixed. His passion is relationships and understanding his own growth and healing that happens in relationships, especially intimate love relationships. He is the founder of LoveLifeMatters where he enables couples to grow and heal within their intimate love relationship through counselling, seminars and group workshops. He is registered with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and the Counselling And Psychotherapy Association of NSW (CAPANSW)

Jim Lord
Facilitator and Coach
Jim has spent many years as a self employed tradesman; decades spent with a strong Self Knowledge practice; a cancer diagnosis collected along the way; a love of peace and harmony — these are all formative experiences that have bought Jim to a group facilitation practice. A father of 4 and grandfather of 6 - life continues to evolve … such that I now name myself as a non violence and peace activist — very much working from the ground up! Effective change takes place in each individual - to reshape the groups we are in.” Also http://www.connectingelementsvic.com.au/

Mike Lowe
Facilitator and Coach
Mike Lowe has over 20 years international experience leading transformational workshops in the areas of trust-building and reconciliation. He has worked with politicians and young leaders in Eastern Europe after the fall of communism and has worked with police and former militia leaders in Solomon Islands. His particular gift is in creating safe spaces in which transformation can occur, and he has a particular interest in earth-based spirituality, indigenous wisdom, Process Work, Focusing, Voice-Dialogue, Archetypes, and supporting the rise of healthy and authentic Masculine and Feminine energies as we transition from Patriarchal and colonial ways of being.

Matt Smith
Facilitator and Coach
Matt has spent a large part of his career working with people in the corporate human resources and learning space, and has facilitated small and large groups on a wide range of topics. He has expanded his opportunities to work with people on the physical and emotional level through Kinesiology, Reiki and Remedial Massage. Matt is passionate about helping people find balance in all areas of life, and to “live the dream” that they have never realised.

Our Funding and Innovation Team
Adrian Hanks - Clive Hayes - Dave Hayes - Richard Lewis
Clive, Dave and Richard are partners with 'Grantwrite'

Our Research and Evaluation Team
Adrian Hanks - Kaveh Khan - Richard Lewis