The weather, the state of the crops and livestock tend to be top of mind for farmers here in Alberta, but what often isn’t is the mental health of those who grow and take care of our food supply.
Hometown Media Stettler recently had the chance to sit down over Zoom with Che Burnett, a registered social worker with the Calgary Counseling Centre to discuss the topic of farmer’s mental health:
“I look at the factors where people start to deteriorate a bit and it’s often isolation. They feel like they’re a burden, just not really wanting to go out, not sleeping well, not feeling that good, maybe drinking more,” says Burnett.
“We have a higher suicide rate, like a particularly high suicide rate in farmers, which I think is terrible, and so people learning how to talk more about it, having more language around it.
Also knowing that there are resources out there that are connected to the farming community that do want to talk about and do want to help support and add tools to people’s toolboxes.”
“Counselling Alberta is another great resource. It’s providing subsidized counselling for people in rural Alberta and the government has been a really strong sponsor of that,” states Burnett.
“I think stepping into this kind of place like knowing it’s uncomfortable can also be really useful.
One of the interesting things is right now due to phones and that you can call while you’re on a tractor, so there’s possibilities now to make that bridge.”
If you would like more information on the services they provide, give the Calgary Counseling Centre a call at +1 833-827-4229. Resources can also be found on their website at https://calgarycounselling.com/
“Growing up, the most comfortable way I had to talk was going out and doing chores with my dad. That was, you know, that’s how I grew up.
That’s where you talked. That’s where you did things. So to sit down in an office with somebody, it can be pretty uncomfortable.”
“You know, you have the conversation with the kids when you’re out doing chores. Those are the times that you talk about the business,” says James Nibourg, who farms near Erskine.
“You don’t actually talk about feelings, and we need to to get out more and talk about our feelings. I know nobody likes talking about it, but it is something that has to happen.”
“If you don’t have a healthy mind, you won’t have a healthy body, and if you don’t have a healthy body, you won’t have a healthy mind. They are tied together, and that is so much the truth with farmers.” says Nibourg.
Note that walk-in addiction & mental health registration services are available on Wednesdays at the Stettler Connects building on Main Street.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
