Beyond the Weather
Stress Assistance for Montana Farmers and Ranchers
Written by Cyd Hoefle
Photography by Kayla Walker
Weather. It’s a topic among farmers and ranchers in almost every conversation – over coffee, at the sale barn, on the side of the road. Weather is one of the biggest factors impacting the livelihood of those in the agricultural industry. But imagine what could be learned, noticed, and observed about one another if conversations went “beyond the weather.”
Montana ranks among the top three states in suicide rate per capita. According to statistics, 1 in 5, or 20 percent, of Montanans are being treated for, or are experiencing, mental health issues. Like the proverbial elephant in the room, it’s a concern often ignored.
The Montana Department of Agriculture aims to change that and recently introduced a campaign to bring awareness to the struggles of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts and provide direction toward professional counseling for those in need. “Beyond the Weather” is a grant funded program which seeks to break down the stigma surrounding mental health issues and encourages seeking assistance with stress management.
The Ag Department has partnered with Frontier Psychiatry, a telehealth company, to provide counseling and while the help is readily available, getting people to take advantage of it has been more difficult. To help farmers and ranchers understand the need to seek help, Kerri Danowski, Senior Manager of Communications at Frontier Psychiatry, compares the issue to that of equipment maintenance.
“You wouldn’t keep using your farming equipment with the check engine light on,” she said. “We’re hoping people see the need for mental maintenance. It’s a tune up.”
Through the program, access to counseling is free to anyone in the agricultural industry.
“This helps so much as cost is no longer a factor for those that truly want help,” Kerri said.
“People are beginning to see the need to open up and share with each other.”
-Dr. Arzubi
At the Women Stepping Forward for Agriculture convention held in October, Dr. Eric Arzubi, a clinical psychiatrist and the founder of Frontier Psychiatry, asked attendees to shout out challenges farmers and ranchers deal with on a daily basis. Numerous answers quickly surfaced, many revolving around finance concerns, like trying to budget with just one income check per year of an amount that is relatively unknown and the unpredictability of markets and rising input costs. Other daily stressors included uncontrollable factors like drought, and more emotionally tasking issues like a lack of connectivity, burnout, long hours with little sleep, feelings of unappreciation, or the concern of not adequately providing for the family. The list was long and solidified the reason agriculture tops the list of number of suicides per industry across the country. Dr. Arzubi followed up by asking how many of the women felt they, their husband, or other family members could benefit from counseling and hands shot up all over the room.
Using the Department of Ag grant, Frontier Psychiatry has set up an online scheduling tool for those interested in seeking help to connect with a licensed therapist.
“Every one of our therapists for this program have a connection to farming and ranching,” Dr. Arzubi said. “They understand some of the battles. We hope that the connection will be made sooner between the therapist and the patient because of that understanding.”
After the initial appointment, the patient will receive their first telehealth session with a therapist. Shayna Chupein, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is the first individual patients interact with before a referral.
“We start out by asking questions,” she explained. “What are their top concerns, why are they calling now, what are the stressors in their lives, what kind of support do they have, what expectations do they have?”
Building rapport is paramount for the patient’s success and Frontier Psychiatry wants everyone to feel safe in their visits with therapists.
“We are here to help,” Shayna continued. “We meet them where they are at and work from there. With so many of us relating to the agriculture life, we can validate and normalize what they are going through.”
“You wouldn’t keep using your farming equipment with the check engine light on. We’re hoping people see the need for mental maintenance. It’s a tune up.”
Often the first contact is from a spouse, relative, or friend inquiring on how to assist someone they believe is in need. In that case, the therapist offers communication tips and ideas to encourage the individual to seek help.
“Ultimately, we can’t help someone that doesn’t want help, or doesn’t think they need help,” Shayna said. “But we can give tools to those trying to help them.”
Along with counseling, the Department of Ag is also offering grants to ag organizations to fund speakers at events to discuss mental health. From grain farmers to wool growers to cattlemen, organizations taking advantage of the program are beginning to see the benefit and value of counseling.
“It organically starts conversations,” Dr. Arzubi said. “People are beginning to see the need to open up and share with each other.”
Telehealth is bridging the gap between those seeking help and those who can provide it. With miles and miles between ranches and access to counselors, telehealth has become an excellent avenue to receive needed help from the comforts of home or in the seat of a pickup. As internet access is compromised in some areas, cell phone service allows rural Montanans to access the help they need.
For those uncertain about reaching out for help or questioning the difference between a bad day and depression, Shayna posed the following question.
“It’s a bad day if you move beyond it in a day or two, but if your worry and anxiety is interfering with the ability to function as your best self, if you’re losing sleep, not eating right, irritable, or just not yourself, it might be time to seek help.”
For more information on “Beyond the Weather” go to http://beyondtheweather.com/ to sign up for a free appointment with Frontier Psychiatry.