Pharus Wellbeing

Mental Health Training across Brisbane, Queensland and Australia-wide

Lighting the way to better conversations

Helping leaders, workplaces and communities in high-risk industries feel confident having mental health conversations.

Discover the story behind Pharus Wellbeing, and why helping people feel confident having a mental health conversation is what this is all about.

Ever had a mate say “I’m fine” when they clearly weren’t?

They’re late, snapping more than usual and just not themselves.

You know something’s off. But what do you say?

In blue-collar industries, like farming, construction and healthcare, most people just “get on with it”. No time for feelings. No space for a chat.

And even when you want to check in, your brain says:

  • “What if I stuff it up?”

  • “What if they don’t want to talk?”

  • “What if I say the wrong thing?”

So you stay quiet.
But silence doesn’t help.

The thing is, checking in doesn’t have to be awkward or complicated.

And you don’t need to be a mental health expert to do it.

At Pharus Wellbeing, we teach practical, real-world skills so you can support your team, mates or community – without second-guessing yourself.

Engaging mental health training for high-pressure industries

We’re not your stock-standard corporate trainer.

We work with high-pressure, high-stress, high-risk industries including:

  • Construction

  • Farming and agriculture

  • Transport and trucking

  • Manufacturing and logistics

  • Healthcare and emergency services.

We get the long shifts, the FIFO burnout and the “just get on with it” mindset.

And we get that good blokes care, they just don’t always know how to start the chat.

That’s what we teach: how to show up, say the right things and support someone without feeling out of your depth.

Our trainings and workshops

  • Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

    This one’s the full toolkit.

    This accredited course teaches you how to:

    - Spot the signs of mental health challenges.

    - Check in on someone without making it awkward.

    - Guide someone to support (without turning into their therapist).

    You’ll walk away with a nationally recognised Mental Health First aid certification and practical, proven skills to help your colleagues and community.

    Ideal for: Workplaces, HR teams, leaders and community.

    Learn more about MHFA training

  • Applied Suicide Prevention Skills Training (ASIST)

    Suicide is hard to talk about. But avoiding the conversation doesn’t help.

    This training teaches you how to:

    - Recognise warning signs early.

    - Have safe, supportive conversations.

    - Work with the person to build a safety plan.

    Because the right conversation at the right time can save a life.

    Ideal for: HR, healthcare workers, FIFO teams, first responders and community.

    Learn more about Suicide Prevention Training

  • Intro to Leading Mental Health Conversations

    Great leaders know how to spot when someone’s not doing okay and do something about it.

    This training helps leaders:

    - Support their teams with confidence.

    - Build a workplace culture where people feel safe to speak up.

    - Lead by example – because nothing says “we care” like actually caring.

    Ideal for: Managers, business leaders and decision-makers.

    Learn more about Leadership Training

We make mental health training easy (and dare we say, enjoyable?)

Because if it were easier, more people would have these conversations.

Our promise to you:

  • You don’t need to be an expert. We’ll show you how to support someone, not “fix” them.

  • No death-by-PowerPoint. Mental health training should be engaging, not boring.

  • We make it easy for you to book, manage and deliver training with our tech-driven systems.

Why ‘Pharus’?

Pharus means lighthouse in Latin.

When someone is going through a hard time, they don’t need someone to ‘fix’ them.

They need someone to show up—to listen, to guide, to support.

Because sometimes, the biggest difference you can make is simply being a guiding light.

Meet Daniel, Founder of Pharus Wellbeing

G’day, I’m Daniel.

A few years back, someone close to me was having a tough time. I saw the signs. I wanted to help, but I had no idea what to say. I feared saying the wrong thing.

But I soon realised I didn’t have to have all the answers. I just needed to start the conversation.

That experience stuck with me.

Since then, I have trained thousands of leaders, workplaces and communities across Brisbane, Queensland and Australia, giving them the confidence to have these conversations.

(And no, you don’t have to be some ‘naturally empathetic’ person who thrives in deep-and-meaningfuls. You just need a few simple skills.)

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From their words…

Hear from businesses, leaders and teams we’ve worked with.

  • Tom / Melbourne University Sport

    We have engaged Daniel for a number of years around mental health education for programs within Melbourne University Sport. The content of the courses are not only informative but delivered in an engaging manner for attendees. Daniel provides practical strategies for identifying mental health issues as well as ways of useful tools in managing conversations around mental health.

    The interactive nature of the sessions ensures that participants get a personalised experience and are engaged such they go away feeling they are well equipped to take action after any webinar/course. Daniel researches relevant resources and services that are specific for our cohort beforehand so that they are less foreign for attendees. I highly recommend Pharus Wellbeing for anyone looking to run a course.

  • Amos / Mittagundi Outdoor Education Centre

    To run this course was so important, and to have Daniel go to the extreme efforts he did to come all the way from Queensland to the high plains of Victoria was a big enough effort let alone the fact that Mittagundi is an off the grid, out of reception location. For our MHFA course to run so successfully over the 2 days was a sign of the huge effort Daniel and staff put into it. Dan delivered the content in such a brilliant, easy to understand and passionate way that it has since inspired me to use the tools learnt in everyday life. I have already recommended this course to several friends.

  • Cheryl / Princess Alexandra Hospital

    “The Mental Health First Aid workshops delivered by Pharus Wellbeing have been incredibly impactful for our nursing leadership team. What stood out most was how engaging, practical, and thoughtfully delivered the workshop was. The facilitator connected with the attendees and created a safe, open environment that encouraged real conversation, and the content was insightful and easy to apply in day-to-day interactions.

    Since the training, we've seen a noticeable shift in our team – there's a stronger sense of awareness, empathy, and confidence when it comes to supporting one another, helping us as work to build a more supportive, resilient workplace culture.

    I would absolutely recommend Pharus to any organisation looking to prioritise mental wellbeing in a meaningful and practical way. The value they bring goes far beyond the workshop itself.”

  • Eve / Participant

    Daniel is a wealth of knowledge on Mental Health and wellbeing in the workplace and provides some practical models to apply for better outcomes for people and businesses!

  • Richard / Participant

    The course was amazing and I took away so much more knowledge and tools that not only can I use to help people in a crisis (which I’ve had friends who’ve had psychotic episodes and I’ve felt useless), but now I feel equipped and not only can help others but i can use it to better my mental health.

  • Thomas / Participant

    The course went for two very intense days and really opened up my eyes to the mental health pandemic we have in Australia.

    I think many people like myself previously push it under the carpet and don’t give it much notice. Daniel was very interactive and positive in the way he delivered and had also had his own mental health issues which he openly shared. I enjoyed the tasks and open discussion which was done in a very relaxed manner.

    We can all do so much more and those 2 days have made me so much more aware of what to look for in my team and even myself. Thanks Daniel.

  • Daniel / Participant

    The MHFA course was an incredibly insightful opportunity to explore some prevalent health issues and how to support that population.

    The course was delivered in a professional and respectful manner with 'Chopper' (Daniel). He is both engaging and passionate about the course and content and overall the course was extremely valuable.

What happens when your team knows what to say?

  • Blokes speak up instead of bottling up.

  • Leaders step in early (not too late).

  • Teams look out for each other.

  • Less stress, fewer sick days, stronger culture.

It’s good for your people. It’s good for your business.
And it all starts with a conversation.

Bring mental health training to your workplace or community.