Change The Picture and Redefine Farmer Mental Health
Farmer mental health = solitary man standing in a paddock.
WRONG.
If a picture paints 1000 words, we need to change the picture.
Join us on our five-week campaign to more accurately portray the joys and struggles of life on the land, creating a more realistic and all-encompassing story.
How will we do this?
By sharing insights and snapshots of what farmer mental health looks like through the eyes of women involved in farming.
Change The Picture: Redefining Farmer Mental Health
#ChangeThePicture2023
11th Sept - 15th Oct 2023
Google 'Farmer Mental Health Images' and this is what you'll find...
You'll need to scroll past 30 images of men until you eventually find an image of a farming couple, and then an image of a female farmer...
Farming is about more than just men.
Farming is about men, women, relationships, families.
According to ABARES, women now make up 32% of agricultural workers.
AgriFutures estimates this figure to be likely higher, as many women are not adequately recognised for their contribution.
Women also contribute an invisible amount of work making farms run behind the scenes.
Yet, women still largely remain invisible in farmer mental health.
It’s time to put women in the spotlight.
With a focus on both men and women, we can celebrate mental health as a continuum of positive and challenging aspects of rural life for men, women, relationships and families.
“When we focus only on men, the mental health of women in farming is often invisible and so we don’t see the whole picture”
Steph Schmidt, Farm Life Psychologist
Join the 'Change The Picture' campaign
The campaign is the brainchild of Steph Schmidt, a farmer, psychologist, farm wife and mum. Steph has personally reached out to many women in farming across Australia who have each shared their insights about farmer mental health.
These women have shared:
- the struggles and challenges of farming life, AND
- the strengths and joys of farming life.
Popping her psychologist hat on for this Steph is sharing the insights of farmer wellbeing for all to learn from and support each other. This campaign will share the stories of these women (roughly one per day), as well as insights and statistics about rural mental health.
To follow the campaign: check the blog feed feed on this site, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @stephschmidt.farmlifepsych and follow the hashtag #ChangeThePicture2023
“I struggle with the feeling of constantly dropping the ball when juggling the million different jobs.”
Ella
Naracoorte, SA
“Delivering ice blocks for afternoon tea and suddenly jumping in to lend a hand moving machinery”
Camilla
Collie, NSW
“Farmer mental health, to me, looks like an ongoing battle with unrelenting stress exacerbated by factors like fluctuating stock prices”
Vanessa
Cooplacurripa, NSW
- Follow #ChangeThePicture2023 on social media.
- Like, comment, share and tag #changethepicture2023 posts.
- Read the stories shared throughout the campaign on this site.
- Start the Conversation around your own kitchen table - what does farmer mental health look like for you and your loved ones?
- Share your own mental health story here to have it published during the campaign.
Ready to Change The Picture of Farmer Mental Health?
Sign up to find out more about the campaign, the Why behind Steph Schmidt's changing picture of Farmer Mental Health, and for simple reminders to help you to change your own picture of mental health.
#ChangeThePicture Stories
Change your picture of farmer mental health by reading and sharing the snapshots shared by farming women across Australia.
Have a mental health story to share? Click here.
About Steph Schmidt
Steph knows all too well the joys and struggles of farming life. Besides being a farm life psychologist, Steph runs a large sheep & cropping farm with her husband and three boys at Worlds End, South Australia. (yes, it's actually a place)
Moving from the city to the country, after meeting her "farmer" 16 years ago - she has experienced first hand the isolation, frustrations, disappointments, drought and daily challenges of farming life.
Yet, Steph will tell you that she wouldn't have life any other way - just ask her. Farming life has also brought opportunities to work alongside her husband and three boys; gain satisfaction and contentment watching crops go from seed to silo; and the simple joys and pleasures of family bonfires, open spaces, and a love for the land.
#CHANGETHEPICTURE2023
#CHANGETHEPICTURE2023
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The mental health of farming and rural men has been a key focus area for over 15 years. While the conversation of farmer mental health, suicide and men's mental health has been a hot topic over this time - there have been minimal improvements and outcomes.
In order to really change the picture, and improve mental health in farming, we need to broaden the picture to include females in farming, as well as emphasising the importance of relationships, positive mental health, and proactive steps that we can all take to improve our mental health and wellbeing.
There are a lot of stereotypes surrounding mental health, and farming mental health. In particular the "stoic male farmer", the "tough, get on with it female farmer", and the "women chatting while having scones and a cup of tea".
This has not been my personal experience of farming life, and the more women I talk to, the more I realise we share similar challenges. This campaign aims to change some of the assumptions and stereotypes of farming mental health.
Mental Health Awareness raising has been a large part of the mental health picture for many years. The general population is increasingly aware of the signposts to watch out for when it comes to depression, stress, and anxiety.
Raising an understanding of the continuum of mental health is vital. Mental health isn't black & white (depressed or healthy), it's a spectrum which we all move along every day.
By showcasing the strengths and joys of farming life we also hope to share the positive mental health opportunities which come from living life on the land
In an emergency - contact LifeLine on 13 11 14
Download the Roadmap to Support to stick on your fridge
Sign up up and receive a short series of emails from Steph Schmidt about the why behind the Change The Picture campaign - and how her picture of farming mental health has changed.
Ready to Change The Picture of Farmer Mental Health?
Sign up to find out more about the campaign, the Why behind Steph Schmidt's changing picture of Farmer Mental Health, and for simple reminders to help you to change your own picture of mental health.
