Cynthia Mahoney

02/08/2026

Calling farmers, community members, business owners and volunteers in Tallangatta, Bullioh and surrounding communities. Are you feeling like life has been a lot lately?

Whether you've been directly affected by fire or drought, supported family, friends or neighbours, or simply carried the weight of living through challenging times, you're not alone.

💜 Join us for Recovering Stronger – a practical, uplifting workshop designed to help you recharge, reconnect and build the tools to navigate life's challenges with greater confidence and resilience.

Together we'll connect, reflect and explore practical, evidence-based strategies to:

✅ Connect with others who are navigating similar challenges
✅ Understand why recovery can feel harder months after an event
✅ Manage stress and overwhelm with practical, science-backed tools
✅ Build resilience and everyday wellbeing
✅ Think more clearly during demanding times
✅ Leave feeling more hopeful, supported and equipped for the months ahead

This free workshop is for everyone in the community – farmers, business owners, volunteers, families and community members. You don't need to have been directly affected by fire or drought to attend. When communities experience tough times, we all feel the ripple effects.

📍 Bullioh Hall
📅 Sunday 23 August
🕙 10.00 am – 3.00 pm
☕ Morning tea, lunch and workshop notes provided.
🎟️ Register via https://www.trybooking.com/DOFYD

Bring a friend, neighbour or family member. We'd love to see you there. 💜

This workshop is free to attend and is being delivered by Cynthia Mahoney on behalf of Agriculture Victoria as part of the Victorian Government's statewide Drought Support Package, with funding support from the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program through North East CMA.

09/07/2026

Anyone who missed this webinar can catch up via the recording :)

"Why do people know better and still not change?"

It is a question every extension practitioner has run into, and it was at the heart of our first webinar of the year with Cynthia Mahoney.

Cynthia's answer was that the gap is rarely knowledge. Most of us already know what we should do. When we are stressed or stretched thin, our brain reaches for what is familiar and easy, and real change takes energy we do not always have. So people are not being difficult when they resist change. They are being human.

She shared a lovely framework for working with that reality: me, we and us. Start with the state we bring ourselves, then focus on building trust with the people we work with, and stay honest about the systems we are all operating in. Her takeaway was one worth holding onto. As AI makes information easy to reach, the human side of our work matters more than ever.

Members can watch the whole session back in the members area: https://www.apen.org.au/webinars-members-only

Not a member? You can purchase access to the recording here: https://events.humanitix.com/apen-webinar-cynthia-mahoney-the-future-of-extension-is-human

Next webinar is in August. We will share details soon.

22/06/2026

Hoping some people in my network are able to get along to this - would appreciate some shares too - I think it will be good!! 🙂

Most extension challenges aren't knowledge problems. People already know what they should do. So why don't they do it?

That's the question Cynthia Mahoney is bringing to our June webinar - and she's going deeper than the usual "meet people where they are" advice. Drawing on neuroscience and years of practice, Cynthia will unpack why behaviour is so resistant to change even when people want to change, what that means for how you show up in your work, and why the conditions you create matter as much as the content you deliver.

The Future of Extension is Human

Wednesday 24 June, 12 noon AEST
Members, register free via the members area: https://www.apen.org.au/members-only/webinars-members-only

Non-members welcome: https://events.humanitix.com/the-future-of-extension-is-human-webinar-with-cynthia-mahoney ($40 + GST)

11/06/2026

This is why I do the work!

Becky Dickinson, Victorian winner of the 2026 AgriFutures Australia Rural Women's Award, shared some beautiful feedback about my Cultivate You program, calling it "the most wonderful support" over the past six months.

Cultivate You is a group coaching program for women 40+ in mid-life and mid-career who want to lead well, perform sustainably and feel understood, heard and included. Over six months we dig into the real stuff together - and the community these women build is something special.

Working with Becky and the other nine women of Cohort 1 has been an absolute privilege.

Cohort 2 kicks off in July! Just 12 places available, and there's a 15% discount if you book before 30 June.

If you're feeling a bit lost, fed up or unable to progress (Becky's words!), this might be exactly what you need. Info and bookings: https://cynthiamahoney.com.au/cultivate-you/

09/06/2026

A lot of us are feeling a lot right now - stretched, overwhelmed, heavy. And when stress runs high, the way we work with each other can get trickier.

Last week during Hort Innovation’s Hort Connections Conference I spent some time with the AUSVEG VegNET extension team, who work alongside vegetable growers across the country. Many of those growers are under real pressure right now - financial, seasonal, personal.

Like many teams, VegNET is flat out, and yet they chose to prioritise their professional development time on supporting growers under stress. To me that says a lot about how seriously they take their work with growers, and how much they want to show up as their best and offer real support.

So the question we considered was how do we work effectively with people who are stressed… when we're stressed ourselves?

This is where understanding a little neuroscience goes a long way.

When we're under pressure, our brain shifts into survival mode - the amygdala takes over and floods us with cortisol. As Anneli Blundell says, "Our lens to the world narrows". We stop really hearing the other person, focus inward, and react instead of respond.

But when we feel safe and trusting and our well-being is high, we're operating from the prefrontal cortex - our thinking, connecting, creative brain. That's where we listen well, connect with others, integrate ideas, get creative, and do our best work.

This is the really important part - 🪴 the words we use and the questions we ask can tip someone else's brain either way - into trust, or into threat.

The late Judith Glaser called this Conversational Intelligence , sitting alongside IQ and EQ. As she put it, "words create worlds." How we speak quite literally shapes how the person in front of us sees their situation.

I loved how up for it the VegNET team was - practising better conversations through role plays, and the small shifts that make a huge difference - what to say more of, and what to say less of, to keep a conversation in trust rather than threat.

And we had a look at ourselves too. 101 says - before you facilitate others, first learn to facilitate yourself. How we manage ourselves and stay intentional about how we show up is key.

Under stress we run on autopilot, but simple things can disrupt that, shift our state and energy, and help us show up as who we actually want to be.

These aren't only skills for extension officers, or for farmers. When so many people are doing it tough, they're skills for all of us.

So I'll leave you with the question we kept coming back to: what's one phrase you try to say more of when you're talking with someone who is having a hard day?

Thanks for having me along VegNET team - here's to many great conversations! Zarmeen Hassan Cherry Emerick Emily Corbett Tayla Field Daniel Bosveld Angela Tarbottom Jessy Logan Monique Rooker Sylvia Jelinek Peta Coughlin Amanda Gould Lisa Hassan Prue Rothwell Chi Nguyen Maya Wallens Cc Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN)

05/06/2026

Women 40+ in mid-career and/or mid-life - do you recognise yourself in this:

"Women who become leaders are often praised throughout childhood for being mature, capable and dependable.

They’re the ones who help with younger siblings, who take responsibility and don’t cause too much trouble. But Limkin warns there can be a hidden cost when those qualities become entwined with identity.

“Sometimes our identity can get woven into our responsibility,” she says.
“And that’s a really dangerous place to be, because if me being me means I’m the one who carries the responsibility for everyone else, we actually don’t know how to extricate ourselves from that performance expectation.”

It’s likely something that hits home for women who have built successful careers while simultaneously carrying the emotional labour of families, friendships and workplaces.

Many women aren’t chasing status or power for power’s sake. Instead, they’re trying to be useful and they’re trying to help. The problem is that responsibility left unchecked can become limitless.'

It's from a terrific article from Women's Agenda by Tarla Lambert-Patel called, "Why so many women leaders are eldest daughters and what it’s costing them". However much of the discussion in the article, from my experience of working with women, could apply to women in any position within the family. https://womensagenda.com.au/business/why-so-many-women-leaders-are-eldest-daughters-and-what-its-costing-them/

The article interviews Ruth Limkin, CEO of The Banyans Healthcare who perfectly articulates many of the complex issues that face women, particularly in the mid-life and mid-career stage.

Last year, I decided to pull my finger out and launch Cultivate You, a 6-month, on-line group coaching leadership program for women 40+ to bring women together to tackle many of the issues raised in the article.

I'm currently recruiting for Cohort 2 to begin in July. There's a 15% discount if you apply before the end of the financial year. Here's the link to find out more: https://cynthiamahoney.com.au/cultivate-you/

If this article has resonated with you, I'd love to chat further about how we can work together.

⭐️ Early Bird Offer: Register before 5 June with code CULTIVATE and save 15% — applies to all tiers & payment plans ⭐️ Register Now 6-MONTH VIRTUAL GROUP COACHING MASTERMIND · JULY – DECEMBER 2026 Cultivate You Leadership, Your Way A Sustainable Leadership & Performance Program for Wome...

04/06/2026

Oh wow - such a thrill hearing Ash Barty and Ben Crowe chat with Giaan Rooney at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Hort Connections Conference breakfast and, added bonus, I got to hang out with super-special women Belle Baker Emily Buddle and Danielle Lannin England.

Giaan has done a magnificant job as the emcee of Hort Connections. Her passion for horticulture shines through, and she facilitated a thoughtful and insightful conversation with Ash and Ben.

Some of the ideas that really stayed with me:
- Our beliefs are shaped by our life story. Taking the time to understand our story, challenge limiting beliefs, and make sense of our experiences is courageous work.
- High performance is never a solo pursuit. Ash spoke about the importance of trust, alignment, fun, and bringing out the best in each other. Success on the court was built on years of preparation, learning, and work off the court.
- The outcome is always uncertain. As Ben reminded us, human beings don't like uncertainty, but we perform better when we focus on what we can control rather than what we can't.
- Self-acceptance + self-belief = self-confidence. Being willing to acknowledge our weaknesses is often where our greatest growth occurs.
- Great leaders move from "I" to "we". They leave their ego at the door, build strong teams around them, and aren't afraid to ask, "What's one thing I could do to be a better leader for you?"
- Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. It becomes difficult only when we fear it or struggle to extend compassion to ourselves and others.
- Identity matters. One insight that particularly resonated for me in agriculture was the distinction between what we do and who we are. When our identity becomes completely tied to our role, business, or farm, change can feel deeply threatening.
- Play, joy, curiosity, gratitude, and celebration aren't distractions from performance - they are part of performance.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway was Ash's reflection that some of her most disappointing performances weren't because an opponent was better, but because she put so much pressure on herself to achieve a particular outcome.

Through her work with Ben, she learned to focus on the things she could control like the preparation, effort, mindset, and choices she made each day, and let go of trying to control the outcome.

As someone who spends a lot of time working in team performance, leadership, wellbeing, and neuroscience, so much of what they shared aligned with the evidence around sustainable performance. We perform at our best when we focus on the whole process, not just the results and outcomes.

A timely reminder as I head into a workshop I'm facilitating today with the AUSVEG VegNET team, where we'll be exploring how to support growers under pressure, have better conversations, and cultivate the conditions for clear thinking and better decisions.

A fantastic session and a privilege to be there! Hort Innovation

25/05/2026

You've spent decades growing everyone else. Ready to grow you again? 💛 If you're a woman 40+ navigating mid-career and/or mid-life, this one's for you.

I'm Cynthia Mahoney, leadership coach, facilitator, and author, and I'm now taking registrations for the second cohort of Cultivate You, my 6-month virtual group coaching program for women 40+. But first, let me tell you about the first cohort.

Ten fabulous women. Six months together. And the experience has exceeded my wildest dreams. To watch them reflect deeply, challenge old patterns, make braver choices, gain clarity, recognise their strengths in a whole new light, and support one another so generously - it has been one of the most rewarding things I've done in my career.

I've attached some of their words to this post. 💛

This is what's possible when women at this stage of life and career finally get the space, the support, and the community they deserve.

Cultivate You is a 6-month virtual group coaching program for women 40+ designed to help you step into confident, sustainable leadership and clear direction, in a way that actually works for your life, without burning out or bending yourself to a system that doesn't fit.

Over six months of fortnightly sessions, we go deep on the things that actually matter.

What's included:
✦ Monthly 90-minute Group Coaching Mastermind sessions - bring real challenges, learn from women who get it, and walk away clear on what to do next
✦ Monthly 60-minute Clarity Clinics - bring what's on your mind right now and get practical guidance from me and the group
✦ 1:1 Coaching - personalised support from me tailored to where you are and where you're headed
✦ Frameworks and tools - practical strategies you can use immediately, not just in the session
✦ A rotating buddy system and private community - so you build a trusted network that lasts well beyond the program
✦ A community of women who truly get this stage of life - because as one participant put it, knowing you're not alone is genuinely life-changing

Cultivate You is the program I wish had existed earlier in my own career. If you're ready to stop carrying it all on your own and start leading in a way that actually works for you, I'd love to have you in the (virtual) room.

Only 12 places available for the July cohort.

⭐ Save 15% if you register before 5 June - use code CULTIVATE at checkout.

👉 Full details and bookings: www.trybooking.com/DLLRZ
Or send me a DM or email me at [email protected] and I'll personally send you the brochure and answer any questions.

I'd love to work with you! 🌱

18/05/2026

I’m really looking forward to facilitating my Farming Stronger workshop as part of this fabulous event in Milawa! Details below 🙂
Farming is more than hard work - it’s about working smart.

East CMA invites women working in agriculture to an inspiring, energising forum designed to help you reconnect, learn practical strategies, and recharge.

Spend the day with like‑minded rural women as you step away from the busyness of day‑to‑day farming and take a strategic look at both your farm performance and personal resilience.

Thursday 18 June 2026
9.15am to 2.30pm
Henley's Wine Bar & Kitchen
1597 Snow Rd, Milawa
Cost: $20pp including lunch, workshop sessions and take-home resources. Drinks at bar prices.

Register at https://events.humanitix.com/women-in-agriculture-forum or via the QR code below.

This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

05/05/2026

Last week in Cobram, I ran one of my Farming Stronger workshops with farmers and agricultural service providers, some of whom are navigating pretty tough conditions. We had great conversations, discussed the reality of the challenges people are dealing with and the group learnt some useful tools to help them keep making good decisions even when under pressure.

It was very pleasing to read the evaluations and find that:
* Knowledge and skills jumped - consistently
* Satisfaction scores sat at the top end (a lot of 9s and 10s - yay!)
* And every single person said they’d recommend the workshop to others

When people are under pressure, they need space to think clearly. This workshop provides this along with tools to help people manage themselves and is somewhere for them to connect with others who really get it.

In agriculture, just as land, labour and capital can be limiting factors of production that act as output constraints, cognitive capacity acts as a performance constraint - a ceiling on how well everything else functions. Limiting factors cap what you can produce; cognitive capacity caps how well you can function while producing it.

As I bang on about incessently, when we're under sustained pressure, uncertainty and workload, our brains shift into a threat state. Decision-making narrows, reactivity goes up, clarity drops. So even with good strategy, good people, and good intentions - our performance gets capped.

What we were doing in that room was about people getting some of their thinking capacity back. And from there they'll get better conversations, better decisions, better outcomes. Their performance will be more sustainable.

Because if our brains are maxed out…that becomes our limiting factor.

If you’re working with growers or teams in high-pressure environments, this is worth paying attention to. You can invest in everything else but if people can’t think clearly, you won’t see the return on your capital, your strategy, or your effort.

I delivered this workshop on behalf of Victoria as part of the Victorian Government’s statewide Drought Support Package. Thanks also to Australian Consolidated Milk, the Goulburn Broken CMA and the Cobram and District Fruit Growers' Assocation for their support of the program. It takes a village!

It was also great to have Celia Hobbs from the Victorian Farmers Federation Making Our Farms Safer Program and Jeff Shannon Kelly Mathers and Russell Holman from Lactalis-Mainland Dairy joining us. Having service providers alongside farmers in the room builds shared perspectives and that leads to better conversations, stronger networks and more effective support. 🙂