The Rural Well

Welcome to episode 33! We discuss Resilience, Redefined: Rural Mental Health with Steph Schmidt. Steph is: Registered psychologist, farmer, and rural mental health advocateFarms sheep and grain with her husband and 3 sons in "World's End," South Australia (low-rainfall district)Shifted from 1:1 clinical therapy to mental health promotion, prevention, and skills-building for farm familiesRuns workshops and speaks on rural resilience and psychological flexibilityLinks:WebsiteFarm Life Psych PodcastLinkedInFacebookInstagram: @stephschmidt.farmlifepsychFeatured in:ABC ListenThe LandGrainGrowersPreventive Health SAAlso connect here:National Farmer Mental Health Alliance — connects farmers with agriculture-informed therapistsRural Minds, via Lilac Lane Media (co-host Bridgette Readel's company)Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Amazon Music · iHeart · X

Episode SummaryBridgette and Lauren sit down with Shawna Percy, a farm-based mental health advocate and suicide prevention trainer, for a candid conversation about how to truly show up for people who are grieving or struggling, without adding to their pain. Shawna shares the story of losing her first husband to suicide, how that loss led her into full-time work training programs like ASIST and safeTALK, and why lived experience and evidence based knowledge together create the most effective support.The conversation covers the practice of "sitting shiva" (being present without trying to fix), why oversharing personal trauma in group settings can retraumatize others, the unique grief challenges facing farm families and farm widows, and why agriculture, despite being slow to talk about mental health is culturally positioned to lead national conversations on suicide prevention. Shawna also introduces Ag Care Connect and its Protective Planning Tool, a proactive safety-planning resource for producers, and shares the story behind her books, Breathe and The Healing Place.How Shawna's path into suicide prevention and mental health training began after she was widowed by suicideThe difference between lived experience and evidence-based/evidence-informed knowledge and how both can help or harmVicarious trauma: what it is and how oversharing details of loss can retraumatize listenersWhy grief groups need guidelines and boundaries to stay safe for everyone"Sitting shiva" supporting someone by being present without trying to fix or match their storyProlonged and complicated grief in farm families, and the added burden of keeping a farm running through lossFarm widows who take on the farm business before they've had space to process their own griefCultural silence around death and funerals, and how naming loss openly helps future generations talk about itAg Care Connect and the Protective Planning Tool - proactive mental health safety planning, described as "PPE for the brain"Farm stress data from a University of Guelph pandemic-era study (1 in 4 of 1,200 producers surveyed had thoughts of suicide)Why agriculture's close-knit culture is positioned to lead a national suicide prevention strategyThe "translation issue" in mental health outreach, why farming communities need sector-specific language and scenariosClosing quote discussion: "The beauty of agriculture is that it is a culture" (Katelyn Duban, The Rural Woman Podcast)About Shawna:Shawna Percy lives on a small farm between Fergus and Guelph, Ontario. After her first husband died by suicide, she trained in ASIST and safeTALK and went on to become a full-time mental health and suicide prevention trainer. She is the founder of Ag Care Connect, a mental health resource platform built by and for producers, and is affiliated with the National Farmers Mental Health Alliance. She is also a TEDxUW speaker and the author of two books drawn from her own experience of loss and healing.Ag Care Connect — mental health resources for producers, including the Protective Planning Tool: https://agcareconnect.ca/Protective Planning Tool (PPT): https://agcareconnect.ca/protective-planning-tool/National Farmers Mental Health Alliance: https://nfmha.ca/The Rural Woman Podcast (hosted by Katelyn Duban) — source of the episode's closing quote: https://open.spotify.com/show/7KXbU1SMv7A2thoE8miFT4Breathe: A True Story About Marriage, Faith, and Attempted Suicide by Shawna PercyAmazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Breathe-Shawna-Percy/dp/1627462341Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/228910627-breatheThe Healing Place: Navigating Grief and Healing After Suicide (Breathe series) by Shawna PercyAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Place-Navigating-Suicide-Breathe/dp/1069350168

In this episode, Bridget and Lauren sit down with Theresia Gillie, a wheat and soybean farmer from northwestern Minnesota, past president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, and county commissioner. Theresia shares her family's near-bankruptcy, the 2017 financial collapse that led to an equipment auction, and her husband Keith's death by suicide that same weekend. She talks openly about grief, community support, and what she's learned about protecting yourself as a farm partner.In this episode:- Marrying into farming and becoming a full financial partner- Choosing to pay off every creditor instead of filing bankruptcy- The 2017 cash crisis and losing half a million dollars in equity- Keith's death by suicide and the days that followed- How neighbors quietly stepped in to keep the farm running- Reframing "signs" as risk factors you can prepare for- What every farm spouse or partner should know about the finances and legal structure- Discovering the identity crisis hidden inside a farm crisis- The baler twine story that ties it all togetherContent note: This episode discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).Connect with Theresia:Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter) — #WomenInAgricultureLinks and Resources:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.nfmha.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- National Farmer Mental Health Alliance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lilaclanemedia.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Lilac Lane MediaFacebook -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: info [at] theruralwell.com

What happens when a farm family faces a medical emergency, serious injury, or natural disaster and the crops still need to go in? In this episode, we sit down with Tim Sullivan, Executive Director of Farm Rescue, to talk about what it really means to show up for farm families in crisis.Farm Rescue is the only nonprofit of its kind in North America sending volunteers and equipment directly to farms to plant, hay, harvest, haul commodities, and feed livestock at no cost to struggling families. Since 2005, they've helped over 1,300 farm families across 11 states keep their operations running when everything else is falling apart.Tim and the team at The Rural Well explore the intersection of operational support and mental health, because for a farm family, losing the crop doesn't just mean financial loss. It can mean losing the land, the identity, and the legacy that holds a family together.In This Episode- What Farm Rescue does and how to qualify for help- The emotional and mental health weight that farm families carry through crisis- How volunteers become a lifeline - practically and emotionally- Why operational support is also mental health support- How to get involved as a volunteer or supporter- Tim's perspective on what farm families need most in their darkest momentsAbout Our GuestTim Sullivan serves as Executive Director of Farm Rescue, a nonprofit he has helped grow into a $6 million organization powered by 700+ volunteers operating across 11 states. Farm Rescue provides free planting, haying, harvesting, commodity hauling, and livestock feeding to farm and ranch families facing injury, illness, and natural disaster.🌐 [farmrescue.org](https://www.farmrescue.org)Key Takeaways- Farm Rescue provides free operational support - no cost to the family, ever.- They operate in 11 states and have assisted over 1,300 families since founding in 2005.- Hardships they respond to include: illness, injury, accident, and natural disaster.- Volunteers are always needed - equipment operators, mechanics, drivers, and more.- Asking for help is one of the hardest things for farm families to do — and one of the most important.Links and Resources:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.nfmha.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- National Farmer Mental Health Alliance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lilaclanemedia.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Lilac Lane MediaFacebook -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: info [at] theruralwell.com

In this episode, Bridget and Lauren sit down with Kate Nesheim, founder of Solid Signal Communication, who shares her personal story of navigating marriage, mental health, and loss. Kate's husband Matt, a two-tour Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, developed psychosis years after his service, turning their communication-strong marriage upside down. Kate shares what she learned, what she wishes she'd known, and the practical tools she now teaches others.In this episode:How psychosis slowly dismantled communication in a marriage built on itThe biggest warning sign Kate missed — and what to watch forWhy "clear periods" between episodes are precious and how to use themBuilding a family team when one person can't carry it aloneThe "upstream thinking" strategy: having hard conversations before hard times hitHow to name an elephant in the room — and ask permission before doing it"The problem is not the person" — holding someone accountable without blameWhat 40% of the US military and rural communities have in commonThen we delve into a quote by Simon Sinek on why communication is the foundation of leadershipConnect with Kate:Website: www.solidsignalcommunication.comEmail: [email protected] and Resources:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.nfmha.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- National Farmer Mental Health Alliance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lilaclanemedia.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Lilac Lane MediaFacebook -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@theruralwell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: info [at] theruralwell.com