8 GERMINATION.CA MARCH 2018 “Growing up I thought I was very resilient, but as you mature, you realize it’s important to deal with your feelings and be open about them,” Kelly says. “Not only that, but we can’t be afraid to say, ‘OK, I need some help. I can’t do this on my own.’” Getting Help Getting professional help for mental health concerns can be challenging for people in rural locations. “It’s no secret that mental health resources in rural areas aren’t plentiful. They tend to be more urban-based, which for many farmers can be an all-day trip,” Keller notes. Adding to the challenge is the fact that Canada’s healthcare system doesn’t offer cover- age for mental health treatment the same as it does for physical health ailments, notes Michael Landsberg, a well-known sports journalist and one of Canada’s most vocal advocates for mental health awareness. He hosted TSN’s Off The Record for 18 seasons and now operates #SickNotWeak, a mental health charity. In recent months, the agriculture community has reached out to him to speak at events like the Grain World Conference held in Winnipeg, Man., last November. “All other areas of medicine have caught up with the times. As times change, so does treat- ment of physical illness. You can’t say the same for mental illness. When someone says, ‘I’ve ceased to be living; I have lost the ability to experience joy,’ to me that’s a medical emergency. But it’s often not seen as that,” Landsberg says. “I’m shocked at just how backward we can be as a society when it comes to looking at mental health. The broken system we have is a reflection of the stigma associated with it.” Battling the stigma surrounding mental ill- ness was the driving force behind the formation of #SickNotWeak. Landsberg is just one of many people standing up to help provide new resources for people who need help — resources that are easy to access, provide effective coping strategies for people who are struggling, and are free. The hotline operated by Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services provides free, confi- dential counselling services designed to help the affected person deal with what they are feeling at that moment, notes Smith. “We work from an empowerment model. We know the caller knows their life better than anyone else does. We start with where they are at — not going too far into the future, not delving too far into the past — helping them to create a picture that’s more hopeful and put in place some coping mechanisms that will assist them,” Smith says. KIM KELLER is the co-founder of the Do More Agriculture Foundation, which was recently launched and focuses on mental health in agriculture across Canada. Sports journalist MICHAEL LANDSBERG founded #SickNotWeak, a non-profit that works to raise awareness of mental health issues in Canada. MICHAEL ROSMANN is a farmer and clinical psychologist based in Iowa who has dedicated his life to improving the emotional wellbeing of the farming community.