Meet the Leader: Suzi Evans
After unimaginable loss, Suzi Evans turned personal heartbreak into a mission to strengthen mental fitness across Australia.
Today, as an author, speaker, Mental Health First Aid trainer, and founder of Workbench for the Mind, she’s helping individuals and workplaces build resilience from the inside out. We sat down with Suzi to hear her story, and the powerful lessons she's passing on through her speaking, her workshops, and her mission to make mental fitness a priority for all.
Suzi, today you're a speaker, facilitator, and author — but seven and a half years ago, life looked very different. Can you share what happened, and how your experience of grief led you to your purpose?
It was a typical hot, dry Mallee summer’s day in 2018. After dinner, we heard the dogs barking and saw a police car pulling into the driveway. At first, I thought they were there for a random farm gun check—we'd heard of that happening locally. But when the policeman slowly approached me, I knew something was wrong. He asked if I was Suzi Evans, if my son was Murray James Chesser—and then told me Murray had passed away. He had allegedly taken his own life. In that moment, my world froze.
I don’t believe you ever truly get through grief—it becomes part of you. But learning how to live alongside grief gave me a sense of purpose. When I studied positive psychology and wellbeing, I finally understood what was happening in my brain and body. I realised my responses were normal for what I’d been through—and that so many others were navigating similar experiences without the tools they needed. That realisation led me to become a facilitator and create Workbench for the Mind.,Helping others gave meaning to my pain. It made me feel closer to my son. For me, there has to be purpose. Otherwise, why are we here?
Grief stripped away the version of myself I had always known—I wasn’t just Muzza’s mum anymore. Piece by piece, I rebuilt myself into someone new. I learned to be kinder to myself, to heal on my own timeline, and to live by my own values rather than chasing others' expectations. Finding my purpose didn’t erase my grief—but it gave me a way to grow alongside it. And that has changed everything.
In your book Grief, you explore the complexities of loss. What was the process of writing it like, and how has sharing your story helped both you and others?
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d write a book. I’d written a few little kids’ books for family, but nothing like this. Then I had a sliding doors moment—I met someone who ran a self-publishing course, and I thought, why not? I’d been writing a lot through my studies, and I found the process incredibly healing. Grief is the book I wish I’d had when Muzz died. I wanted it to complement the work I do with organisations in resilience and mental health training, and I hoped it would help others feel less alone. The response has blown me away. I’ve received messages, emails, and letters from people all over the world. It’s overwhelming, but also comforting. Sharing my story with honesty and authenticity is making a difference—and that makes it all worthwhile.
Positive psychology has clearly shaped your career and journey. How did you first discover it — and how has it supported you differently to more traditional approaches to grief and healing?
It was actually a friend who suggested I study a Diploma of Positive Psychology & Wellbeing—she thought it might help with my grief. About 18 months later, it was offered online, and I enrolled. It just made sense. Understanding the brain—how it works, how it responds to trauma—was a revelation. I kept thinking, why aren’t we taught this in primary school? It was that simple, and that powerful. I learnt how to identify my triggers and how they affect my mental fitness. That doesn’t mean I don’t have bad days—I absolutely do—but I now know how to be kinder to myself, and how to create routines that support me: daily walks, watching what I eat, being mindful of my environment. I still enjoy chocolate and wine, of course! But when I’m feeling low, I now understand the link between what I’m feeling and what I’ve been doing. That awareness helps me manage my responses, rather than being ruled by them.
What’s one change you hope to influence through your work?
One of the biggest misunderstandings I see is the confusion between mental fitness and mental illness. Many people fear seeking help because they think they’ll be labelled, when in reality, what they’re feeling is often a completely normal response to a difficult situation. That’s where Workbench for the Mind comes in. It’s a tool to help people right now—to provide practical strategies while they wait for professional support, if that’s needed. And in some rural areas, that wait can be as long as eight weeks. There’s a lot of funding going into mental health, but often the support takes too long to reach those who need it. My hope is that Workbench for the Mind can have a ripple-up effect—helping people understand what’s happening in their brain, feel less alone, and take small steps toward better mental fitness. Some workplaces are even using it alongside EAP programs, because sometimes people aren’t ready to talk to a psychologist straight away—they just want to understand what’s going on for them first.
Looking back on your journey from grief to advocacy, what advice would you give to someone just starting to navigate their own loss?
Don’t rush it. Sit with it. Let yourself feel what you need to feel. And don’t be afraid to get professional help—whether that’s therapy, medication, or both. It doesn’t have to be forever, but support is there, and you deserve it.Most of all: be kind to yourself. Keep a journal, even just a few notes. In the early days, everything’s a blur, and those pages become a powerful reminder of how far you’ve come. They’ve certainly been that for me.
We’d love a glimpse into what a typical day looks like for you?
Most women in agriculture, or anyone living on a farm, know there’s no such thing as a typical day on a rural property! That said, I do have a goal routine: morning exercise. I recently invested in some equipment and an online app, and I love it. I’m not naturally a morning person, so having that time to myself is really important for my mental fitness and setting the tone for the day. Mick and I usually have breakfast together, and if our schedules allow, we try to have lunch together too. My home office is well set up, so after breakfast, it’s “off to work” I go—running online coaching sessions, delivering training, and planning for workshops away from home. Some days, I’m in awe of how much my business has grown. It doesn’t feel like work to me—it’s part of who I am.
If you could only share one piece of advice with female leaders, what would it be?
Choose you. I talk a lot about what I call the ‘One Per Cent of Your Day – Choose You’ rule. If you can commit just 14 minutes – 1 per cent of your 24-hour day – to something that refuels you, you’ll see the difference. Yes, you’re busy. Yes, you’re juggling kids, work, and everything in between. But no one–no one–can tell me they can’t find 14 minutes for themselves.
Visibility isn’t always easy for women. In fact, research shows many choose to make themselves ‘intentionally invisible’. As a visible female leader, what’s helped you claim your space — and what advice would you share with others who are feeling hesitant?
Oh wow, I could not agree more! I think finding your tribe is so important—especially working as a sole trader in rural South Australia. You need people in your corner, cheering you on from the sidelines. As women, we are often our own worst enemies; we can sometimes hold each other back. That’s changing, but we still have a long way to go. For me, Mick’s daughter started me on the path with the National Rural Women's Coalition, right as I was beginning my personal development journey with LEAD ID with Tamsin Simounds. That experience eventually led me to apply for the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. The different tribes I have around me are both inspirational and supportive, and they help me make a real difference. I have a business tribe, a friends tribe, a networking tribe, a family tribe, and a community tribe. We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with.
Permission to dream big: What’s a career goal or aspiration that feels a little nerv-cited (nervous and excited) to say out loud? Only if you’re happy to share, of course!
My career goal is to have Workbench for the Mind shared in communities all around the world. I want people to understand the basics of how the brain responds to stress, and to recognise the brain-body connection, so they can align their goals and values—and create positive change in their own lives that ripples out to those around them.
Who’s a woman you think we should all be following — someone who lifts you up, challenges your thinking, or quietly inspires the hell out of you?
Oh, so many women go under the radar—especially rural women! Valeska Waldron is amazing; she helped me build Workbench for the Mind when I had no idea where to start. Susie Williams from the Fleurieu App is another beautiful soul doing vital work. I would love for more people to truly see her and the incredible project she’s building.
What’s the best way to work with you?
You can learn with me now through Workbench for the Mind, or get in touch to book a workshop or training session for your team. You can also grab a copy of my book, Grief, here.
Where’s the best place to follow your work?