MATTKELLY 18 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2018 BREAK THE STIGMA Eleven months ago, farmer and seed grower Matt Kelly and his wife Lesley used the internet to change the con- versation around mental health in the farming community. One evening in June of 2017, they took 25 minutes to speak to the world live from their dining room table about their mental health journeys. Both spoke openly and honestly about their struggles with anxiety and depression, and Matt says he didn’t realize what a life- changing experience it would be for himself and others. Since the video aired, it’s received almost 12,000 views and Matt’s story of dealing with fatigue, isolation and stress has resonated with people in the farming commu- nity and beyond and led to a renewed conversation about mental health in agriculture. Lesley has since become one of the co-founders of the Do More Agriculture Foundation, formed to advance the mental health conver- sation in Canada’s farming community. Here’s Matt’s advice for how others can aid in the cause of advancing mental health awareness. Encourage Others “It was a simple video conversation but helped to really normalize the conversation about mental health in agri- culture. I guess it helped people realize there’s nothing wrong with you if you go through that. By someone step- ping up and saying, ‘This is my struggle,’ it encourages other people to speak out as well.” Don’t be Afraid to Open Up “It’s been really eye-opening and humbling to not only have close family and friends supporting me through this journey, but a lot of people have reached out for support saying, ‘If you ever need to talk, we’re available.’ More importantly though, a lot of people are now saying, ‘Me too. I’ve strug- gled and it’s great that we’re finally talking about it.’” Counter Your Negative Thoughts Like all farmers, Matt deals with a variety of factors that can take a toll on one’s health. During farming season, he spends a lot of time alone on the farm in his trailer, separated from loved ones. That isolation, combined with the sleep deprivation and day-to-day stresses so common to farming, eventually came to a head for him, and he began his recovery journey by calling a rural farm stress line and talking to a professional. “There’s answers out there and you’re not alone — you have to push through and know there’s always a positive side to everything. That’s what I want people to know,” he says. Talk About What You’re Going Through Thanks in part to people like Matt, there are more tools available every day. Rural farm stress lines and organi- zations like the Do More Agriculture Foundation point people to resources that can help them deal with mental health issues proactively. “I’m just one voice in the crowd saying it’s OK to speak out. Momentum is building, and if I’ve had a small part in making that happen, that’s great.” Seed grower and farmer Watrous, Sask. TOP 20INFLUENCERS