Uncategorized Archives - Rural Mental Wellness Toolkit

The BC Rural Health Network:
Making Healthcare Accessible to All

Rural communities face specific challenges when it comes to accessing healthcare. Things like stigma, healthcare costs, lack of mental health services, lack of public transportation options, long waitlists and distance from healthcare practitioners can be significant barriers to resources for people living in rural areas. While living in rural communities can definitely have its benefits, like tight-knit communities and serene nature, these challenges can negatively affect the health and wellbeing of rural residents. In order to ensure equitable access to healthcare resources, action needs to be taken to alleviate barriers to care-seeking for rural residents.

The British Columbia Rural Health Network (BCRHN) is a collective of organizations seeking to alleviate these barriers by working with policymakers to advocate for a healthcare system that equitably supports the health and well-being of rural residents across British Columbia. By working with the government to improve access to care and providing a platform to easily access available resources and information, BCRHN is offering advocacy and empowerment to the rural residents of BC. Stigma-Free Society is proud to be a partner of BCRHN, and supports their mission of improving health outcomes for rural residents and increasing access to healthcare information and resources.

BCRHN’s collective of individuals, teams and organizations work hard to identify healthcare concerns and gaps that are unique to rural communities in BC. Rural communities are not just smaller-scale urban cities. They differ economically, socially and in city planning, which creates a unique set of needs and circumstances when it comes to accessing healthcare. These needs often go unacknowledged, but the research and advocacy groups at BCRHN are working to change that. They listen to the concerns of rural residents and communicate them directly to policymakers so that their voices are heard. They also research strategies that have been successful so that they can provide policy-makers with evidence-based, tangible solutions to the challenges and barriers faced by rural communities. Through research and advocacy, BCRHN work directly with the BC Ministry of Health to identify and mitigate the unique challenges and barriers faced by healthcare-seekers of rural BC.

Rural residents face a variety of barriers that can prevent or delay care, which can have significant consequences on their overall health. The cost of seeking healthcare is often a large burden, as well as the lack of public transportation to larger cities. This can be especially challenging if residents need to access healthcare providers or specialists that are outside of their primary care networks. BCRHN is advocating for policy changes that would provide all rural residents with connections to a healthcare practitioner and improve overall access to healthcare and mental health resources. They are promoting healthcare reform to create systems that are community-based and center the needs of patients. (These are just a few of their goals – you can read more about their objectives here.

In addition to making healthcare more accessible through research, advocacy and policy change, BCRHN is also empowering rural residents by providing a portal of resources, information and news updates about healthcare in BC. Their user-friendly website and community resources page are a hub of information that visitors can browse. Rural residents can learn about community health centers, seniors’ initiatives, trainings, workshops and mental health services in their area. They can also find useful information like job postings near them or news updates about healthcare in BC. Navigating healthcare resources and information can be tricky and daunting for anyone, but especially for rural residents who might have limited access to resources near them. BCRHN is breaking down this barrier by creating an all-in-one portal for easy access to all kinds of healthcare and community resources.

Healthcare should be accessible to all, but unfortunately the system is not set up to be conducive to this. Some communities face barriers that can make it more difficult, delayed or even impossible to access healthcare. The rural residents of BC experience unique barriers and challenges that often go unacknowledged or unaddressed. BCRHN is working hard to change this and create equitable access to healthcare. Stigma-Free Society is a proud supporter of this mission.

Fostering Cultural Sensitivity in Rural Areas: How to Build Cultural Competence

Promoting cultural sensitivity in rural communities creates an environment of acceptance, understanding, and most importantly inclusion. Cultural sensitivity helps break down the stigmas and misconceptions around various cultures, which dismantles false stereotypes and contributes to a stigma-free world. In this article, you’ll learn what cultural sensitivity is, how to practice it, and why it’s particularly important for rural residents.

Table of Contents

● What Is Cultural Sensitivity?
● Examples of Cultural Sensitivity
● Cultural Sensitivity vs. Cultural Competence
● Cultural Humility

What Is Cultural Sensitivity?

Cultural sensitivity is a non-judgemental awareness of the beliefs and practices held by those who have a different cultural background from you. It means that you are willing to learn about cultures you’re unfamiliar with, without viewing them as “better” or “worse” than your own customs or traditions.

Fostering cultural sensitivity is especially helpful in rural communities because there are sometimes social structures and traditions that are ingrained in residents’ everyday life. For example, according to an article published in the National Academies Press, some rural areas in the U.S. have a culture where independence, traditional beliefs, and self-reliance are prevalent. When someone from a different culture tries to assimilate into a new area where people have strongly held beliefs, it can be difficult to adjust – especially in a tight-knit rural community.

Cultural sensitivity can also help us understand and become aware of widely accepted stigmas that we may not even know about. In the case of mental health stigma, negative beliefs that may be common in some cultures can contribute to discrimination against people who are living with a mental illness. Their ideas about mental health may be different from someone who was not raised with these beliefs, or whose culture doesn’t promote them. When we are educated about stigmas of all kinds and why they are perpetuated, we are better equipped to combat them.

Examples of Cultural Sensitivity

Collaborating with people of diverse cultural backgrounds in your rural community to host events is an easy first step to encouraging cultural sensitivity. Providing a space where everyone can come together and learn about each other’s beliefs facilitates an inclusive environment, and planning events provides the perfect opportunity for this connection. Making community activities more accessible is another way to encourage an open-minded attitude in your area. This could mean translating materials into other languages or offering an ESL (English as a Second Language) program to help members of your community feel welcome and accepted. Planning events in different areas – especially locations where residents aren’t as involved in the community – can provide opportunities to create a more inclusive culture.

On an individual level, you can become more familiar with the beliefs of people in your area who have a different cultural background than yourself. Overall, the goal is to reduce barriers related to culture such as language, or other factors that hinder people from becoming active participants in your community.

Building cultural sensitivity is a win-win: not only does it fight stigma and encourage inclusivity, but it also helps create more opportunities for residents. According to Leigh Neys, Community Vitality Field Specialist at South Dakota State University, creating a diverse and welcoming environment for people of all cultural backgrounds attracts more people to your community, which helps local businesses thrive and leads to economic growth.

Cultural Sensitivity vs. Cultural Competence

While cultural sensitivity refers to your mindset, cultural competence is the ability to turn thought into action. Think of cultural competency as cultural sensitivity in practice: someone who is culturally competent can adapt their behaviour to effectively communicate with people of various cultures. This is especially important in the context of mental healthcare. For example, a psychologist who has only lived and practiced in rural Manitoba may not have much experience working with patients from other areas of the world.

If they practice cultural competence, they will be able to acknowledge differences in their clients’ practices or beliefs concerning mental health that vary based on culture. If they take the time to learn about each patient’s culture and how it affects their ideas around mental wellness, they’ll be able to provide them with more informed and higher-quality care. On the other hand, if they don’t develop cultural competency, they may not consider these factors while developing a treatment plan. We can apply the concept of cultural competency to all facets of life, from mental healthcare to the workplace and the way we interact with members of our community.

Cultural Humility

Cultural humility is a key component of cultural sensitivity. It involves reflecting on your beliefs about cultures other than your own, being open to learning, and advocating for others. In a rural context, this can include reflecting on the cultural norms in your community. Perhaps you notice dissimilarities in certain areas of life, from personal values to agricultural practices, that are due to culture. If someone has a different approach due to their culture, instead of viewing it as “wrong,” we can view it as an opportunity to learn.

More Resources for Rural Mental Wellness

Stigma-Free Society is committed to providing resources that help create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of your rural community, regardless of culture, age, gender identity, or religion. Take a look at our resources to learn more tips on how you can support others in your community and take care of your own wellbeing!

Ending Stigma, Changing Rural Minds

Jeff Winton – Rural Minds Founder

Asked to picture rural America, most will conjure bucolic images of rolling hills, green meadows, and livestock peacefully grazing on pasture, dotted by the silhouettes of the hardworking, salt-of-the-Earth folks who work the countryside. These communities, however, conceal a darker secret.

Having grown up on a dairy farm in upstate New York, where the closest town was populated by a mere 500 people, I am a rural American. My firsthand perspective was shaped by living in a small community of industrious, independent, resilient people who were kind and quick to lend a hand.

When I was young, my farming community seemed idyllic, but as time passed, I began to sense that something was wrong. There were unexplained circumstances. People were dying in the prime of their lives, very suddenly, but no one was talking about it.

As I came to find out, members of my community had been living with untreated mental illnesses, like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. The topic was taboo, and their struggles were often met with silence, because in my community, as in much of rural America, mental illness was stigmatized. Information was scarce and there were few, if any, resources available.

Years later, tragedy found my family. We had just celebrated the wedding of my eldest nephew when less than two days later, his younger brother, my 28-year-old nephew, Brooks, died by suicide.

How long had he suffered in silence? Why did he feel that he couldn’t seek help? In the wake of his passing, my family and I asked ourselves these painful questions. Like so many living in remote rural areas of the U.S., our beloved Brooks had concealed his struggles, suffering alone until he was overcome.

Before the funeral, I spoke to my mother. I asked her, “Mom, how much detail do you want us to go into at the funeral?” With tears streaming down her cheeks, my mother replied unflinchingly, “Of course we’re going to talk about it. It’s about time that this rural community started facing what is going on here.”

A Sobering Portrait

A glance at the mental illness statistics in rural America is sobering. Rural Americans have higher rates of depression and suicide than urbanites, but are less likely to seek mental healthcare services. The suicide rate in rural populations is 18.3 to 20.5 per 100,000, which is much higher than the 10.9 per 100,000 rate in urban populations.

According to the CDC, suicide rates have increased by 45% in non-metro areas from 2000 through 2020. Rural residents have a 1.5 times higher rate of emergency room visits for nonfatal self-harm than urban residents.

The challenges facing rural communities in the United States are daunting:

Rural areas have fewer primary care providers per resident than urban areas and the workforce is growing at a slower rate
65% of rural counties lack a psychiatrist
81% of rural counties lack a psychiatric nurse practitioner
47% of rural counties lack a psychologist
Nearly 37 million rural Americans—more than half of rural residents—live in mental healthcare shortage areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated existing issues of isolation and unemployment, had a significant impact on mental health in rural American communities, with 53% of rural adults and 71% of younger rural adults between the ages of 18-34 reporting that the pandemic had affected their mental health.

Unique Rural Lifestyle Challenges to Mental Health

In addition to a lack of mental healthcare resources, rural Americans must deal with lifestyle barriers particular to them, which can impede their ability to access the help that they need.

As of 2020, 46 million U.S. residents, which comprises only 14% of the entire U.S. population, live in rural areas. In addition to increased isolation, residents of rural communities also face greater obstacles to accessing goods and services, endure longer commutes, and generally struggle with economic hardship.

As of April 2020, mere months into the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment rates hit levels unseen since The Great Depression, peaking at 13.6% in rural areas. In 2019, 15.3% of rural citizens lived in poverty. With unemployment and poverty come a lack of health insurance, rendering mental healthcare inaccessible.

Compounding the issue, internet service providers underserve rural communities. In addition to decreased access to telehealth services, rural residents without broadband internet lack access to information, online schooling, ecommerce, and work-from-home options.

Overcoming Stigma

Given the small, close-knit nature of rural communities, residents worry about whether they can maintain confidentiality of care. They fear word getting out that they are receiving treatment, believing that family, friends and community members will judge them as weak or incompetent.

Stigma looms large over the issue of mental health, especially in rural communities, and can be a major impediment to people reaching out for help. Many view mental illness as a weakness, or a character flaw, instead of seeing it for what it is: a legitimate, treatable medical condition.

In the days following Brooks’s passing, my family was urged by friends and neighbors to avoid mentioning suicide. They suggested that we say that he died of natural causes. My mother, the matriarch of our family, insisted on addressing the issue head-on, hoping to prevent it from happening again.

I had the privilege of eulogizing Brooks, and I spoke in detail about what led to his death. Following the service, several community members revealed to us their own families’ experiences with mental illness, thanking us for allowing them to finally talk freely about it.

Raising awareness liberates people living in the shadow of stigma to not only seek help, but also to step forward and speak publicly about their stories. Shifting the perception of mental illness, and ultimately ending the stigma surrounding its discussion, is my mission, and the mission of Rural Minds.

Jeff Winton is the Founder and Chairman of Rural Minds, a nonprofit organization that aims to end the suffering, silence and stigma surrounding mental illness in rural America. He is also the founder and owner of Wall Street Dairy, LLC — a working dairy farm in Chautauqua County, New York — and a member of a multigenerational farm family. In addition, he is the chief executive officer of Jeff Winton Associates, a full-service communications and corporate affairs agency he co-founded in 2020.

Keep up with Rural Minds:

Strengthening the Emotional Muscle: Building Emotional Resilience in Rural Communities

Living in rural communities can be challenging because of the many barriers to accessing mental health resources. Being emotionally sensitive is sometimes looked down upon even in urban areas, but in rural communities, the existing stigma attached to seeking help can cause further difficulties. Additionally, individuals in rural communities are brought up with values of independence and fortitude. However, this may become counterintuitive if it starts preventing people from seeking help when they need it. How do these stigmas arise? Since childhood, humans are trained to hide their feelings and are raised with messages like “don’t cry” or “there’s no need to feel sad.” This advice generally comes from a good place, as adults often use this language in an attempt to soothe a child.

Emotions are something that we are born with and cannot be separated from us. Being emotional is characterized by having intense feelings and the ability to relate to feelings easily in oneself and others. Basic emotions like joy, sadness, anger, and fear are ingrained in us, but guilt and shame are learned emotions. As a result, we might:

Start attaching labels to ourselves: “too sensitive,” “over-reactive,” “too much.” By attaching such labels, we are unconsciously shaming ourselves.
Feel scared of sharing or talking about our emotions with anyone and therefore hesitate to seek help when required.
Start feeling scared of being vulnerable with others – and ourselves.

The societal message that we end up learning is that we should attempt to avoid feeling and expressing our emotions. In rural areas, this shameful message can become deeply ingrained and affect these communities twofold. This leads to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and cases of suicide due to ‘suffering in silence.’

Although acknowledging our emotions can be scary, the first step to building emotional strength and resilience is accepting our vulnerability.

What is emotional resilience?

Emotional resilience is the capacity to adjust to challenging circumstances and deal with life’s ups and downs. Intense emotions can either work in our favour or against us. When our emotions overwhelm us, cause distress, and hinder our ability to function, we recognize that they are becoming harmful to us. However, when we channel our emotions, they become catalysts for growth and movement. We can build this capacity to channel them and let them work in our favour.

Emotion = energy in motion

An important part of emotional resilience is learning to persevere, and perseverance is fueled by motivation. We have to persevere through hard times and still move forward. Ultimately, we are moved to action only by emotion. We can’t make our life’s challenges disappear, but with emotional resilience, we can overcome these hardships.

Sometimes we need light in order to move forward, and sometimes we have to move forward in order to find the light.

Steps to building emotional resilience in rural communities:

Self-acceptance: When we accept ourselves completely, others and the world also start accepting us. Recognize that it is okay to have emotions: emotions are part of being human, and feeling intensely is okay.
Practice acceptance of discomfort: The feeling of helplessness and uncertainty in the face of the unknown is the number one contributor to rural stress and mental health challenges. A recent movie on Netflix called Stutz has a powerful line that says there are 3 realities of life: dealing with pain, uncertainty, and the need for constant hard work. The sooner we accept that life consists of these realities, the faster we learn to tolerate tough circumstances and discomfort. Importantly, growth also happens outside of our comfort zone.
Acknowledge the strengths of being emotional: Being emotional comes with certain innate strengths, and we must embrace them. They are the ability to empathize, being naturally intuitive, absorbing positive energy from the world, feeling fulfilled in nature, and being creative. Emotionality also gives us the strength to deal with tough circumstances. If we channel our emotions, they can give us the will to keep moving forward.
Emotional regulation: When we are aware that our emotions can get the better of us, we understand that we must learn to regulate them. Emotional regulation is the process of understanding the intensity of our emotional arousal, coupled with the ability to stay calm and manoeuvre our response accordingly. We have to learn to identify our emotional needs, self-soothe, and be mindful of our feelings.
Connect with others: We are social beings, and it’s important to step out and connect with others. Being open and sharing your vulnerability helps you relate to others and builds connections. Emotional resilience thrives on social connections. It is quite possible that there are others who are facing the same issues, but are hesitant to share their experience due to stigma or fear. You can take the first step by being an example and helping others build resilience, too. Volunteering in the community and getting involved locally can also help you focus on others and ground you.
Practice setting boundaries: While connecting with others is important, too much of anything can be harmful. Protect yourself by learning to identify your triggers when you’re with others. Practice assertiveness and say “no” when required, and learn to ask for space and help when you need it. Fill your own cup before pouring into others’. Maintain balance and prioritize self-care.
Inspire others: You can inspire others by honouring your emotional nature and allowing yourself to be human. Reject shameful labels and create your own, because only you can define yourself. Some examples of labels you might resonate with are:

Empathetic
Genuine
Compassionate
Intuitive
Emotionally connected
In touch with nature
Authentic
Refreshed
Re-energized
Conscious
Mindful

It takes the same amount of energy to think a positive thought as it takes to think a negative thought. The answer lies in your choice.

Living in a rural community and feeling isolated can be tough, especially because of the uncertainty, unique stressors and stigma around mental health. Nurturing your emotional self and building resilience to face these challenges will help you face these challenges.

Check out Stigma-Free Society’s Rural Mental Wellness Toolkit, which is full of tools that help improve mental health literacy in rural areas. We offer inspiring stories and a wealth of resources tailored for youth, seniors, families, and more.

Improving Mental Health Literacy in Rural Communities

The more you know about mental health, the better equipped you are to make a positive impact on your community. Educating yourself on mental health helps you care for your emotional wellbeing and recognize when you need to seek support. Mental health awareness is especially important in rural areas, where these issues often aren’t discussed enough or go unnoticed entirely.

The first step to increasing awareness and education surrounding mental health in your rural community is to improve your mental health literacy. Mental health literacy refers to the level of understanding that people have about mental wellness. When someone has good mental health literacy, they are knowledgeable about mental illness. They also have tools to manage their own mental health and take steps to reduce the stigma around mental illness. Some examples of good mental health literacy are:

Understanding the symptoms and causes of different mental disorders and how they are treated.
Having accurate beliefs about the effectiveness of treatments and seeking professional help. (Someone with good mental health literacy may encourage others to seek support from a therapist or doctor and reach out for support themselves, rather than hesitating to ask for help because of stigma.)
Making an effort to educate yourself about mental health and apply the strategies you learn in your own life.

By improving collective mental health literacy, rural communities can become more resilient and better able to support themselves and their peers.

Mental Health Literacy in Rural Areas

Mental health literacy training has been proven to be effective for farming communities in rural Canada. More specifically, farmers who complete this training are more likely to seek support when they need it, and they feel more knowledgeable about mental health in general. In addition, they feel more comfortable talking about mental health with those in their community and providing support for others. They are also more confident in their ability to identify when others are struggling with their mental health. In general, mental health literacy training empowers farmers to become more involved and start conversations about mental health in their community, which helps reduce stigma.

Self-reflection is a key component of building mental health literacy. You can start by thinking about your own beliefs about mental health and how you formed them in the first place. How have your experiences or the opinions of your friends and family shaped your views on mental illness? Do you hold any negative beliefs about specific mental illnesses that you could benefit from learning more about? This can help you choose which topics to start with as you seek out information. Signing up for workshops and training programs or making use of free online resources are both easy ways to improve your knowledge of mental health.

Rural Mental Health Programs for Your Community

In The Know is a free rural mental health literacy program created specifically for Canadian farmers and their families. This four-hour workshop, run by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), will educate members of your community on mental illness and facilitate further discussion about mental health. Click here to learn more about In the Know and schedule a workshop!

Stigma-Free Society also offers peer support training for those in rural communities – stay tuned for details on our next 2-day training! Our Rural Mental Wellness Toolkit is full of tools that help improve mental health literacy in rural areas. We offer inspiring stories and a wealth of resources tailored for youth, seniors, families, and more.

How Mindfulness Can Help Farmers Reduce Anxiety and Improve Their Mental Health

Mindfulness is a state of mind where you are tuned into your surroundings and your body. When you are mindful, you are absorbed in the present moment and paying attention to what’s happening here and now, rather than thinking about the future or past. You are observing your feelings and thoughts without judging them. Mindfulness is a beneficial practice for everyone, but it can be especially useful for farmers or those who live in rural areas. Here’s how farmers can use mindfulness to relieve stress and improve their mental wellness.

The Mental Health Benefits of Mindfulness for Farmers

Farming requires a lot of planning and thinking ahead. It involves factors that are out of your control, such as unpredictable weather conditions or changes in the market. These stressors can be difficult to cope with, and can take a substantial toll on your mental health. According to Alma Jorgenson, a farmer from Minnesota who runs a rural mental health program, focusing on the present moment can help reduce anxiety when you’re feeling uncertain about the future. Farmer Andrew French says that practicing mindfulness meditation and yoga helps him maintain an optimistic attitude and stay focused, which helps him reduce the number of injuries and accidents he has while farming.

Focussed Farmers recently investigated the effects of mindfulness on farmers’ mental health. They found that farmers who participated in their mindfulness course for eight to 20 weeks had significantly lower stress levels, an improved state of mind, and even increased self-discipline.

While mindfulness offers specific benefits for farmers, it is beneficial for all people living in rural areas. Mindfulness has been shown to improve well-being and emotional regulation. Not only does mindfulness benefit your mental health, but it can help you improve your relationships and work more efficiently. Research shows that mindfulness can also help with decision-making, learning, creativity, and empathy.

How to Practice Mindfulness on the Farm

There are many mindfulness exercises that are easy to practice as you go about your day. Tuning into your senses is one way to stay grounded and bring your attention to the present moment. Focus on what you see, feel, hear, smell, and taste. This is a useful exercise to keep your mind from wandering when you’re doing physical tasks like caring for animals or cleaning equipment.

Breathing deeply for a few minutes, or simply observing your breath, is another simple way to practice mindfulness. This can be done while sitting in your tractor or truck, or during moments when you have an opportunity to pause. You can also listen to guided mindfulness meditations either by downloading a free app or browsing meditation videos on YouTube. Find one with an appropriate length and content that works for you – some are only 5 minutes long. You can listen to it before you get ready for the day, while you’re walking, or when you take a short break.

Another easy way to practice mindfulness is to engage in mindful eating by minimizing distractions while you eat, and focusing on the taste and texture of your food. Take a moment to appreciate your food and consider the work and preparation that was put into it – especially if it came from your farm. To remain present, try to avoid using your phone or doing paperwork at mealtime. You might find that you feel more relaxed and recharged after your meal!

Mindfulness is a simple yet effective strategy to add to your toolbelt. The more you practice it, the easier it will become. Try to implement it into your daily routine for the best results! If you’re interested in learning more about mental wellness and stigma in rural communities, feel free to browse our collection of rural mental health resources.

Tips for Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder

Take a moment to visualize a warm summer day where you’re soaking in the sun and spending time in nature. Does this image evoke feelings of happiness and relaxation for you? That’s because sunlight has countless benefits for your mental health! It increases your level of serotonin, a hormone known for its role in emotional regulation and mood-boosting effects. But as the seasons change, so does your amount of sunlight exposure – and, in some cases, your serotonin levels. Because we get fewer hours of sunlight during the fall and winter months, our serotonin levels can decrease. This may trigger seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as “winter depression” or “the winter blues.”

Dairy farmer Brittany Olson points out that farmers may be particularly susceptible to SAD because harvest season can be extremely stressful for those living in rural communities. Moreover, farmers may have limited time to work outdoors in the sunlight during the fall and winter months depending on their location. Because of these factors, rural residents can benefit from awareness of SAD symptoms, the available treatments, and preventative measures they can take to combat seasonal depression.

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

If you have winter depression, you may no longer have an interest in activities that used to bring you joy. You might notice that you’re sleeping a lot more than usual but still have low energy and feel down or hopeless. SAD can cause you to have trouble concentrating. You may also experience changes in your appetite, like an intense craving for high-carbohydrate foods.

A Farmer’s Tips for Seasonal Depression

Lois Hoffman, a farmer based in Pennsylvania, shares her tips for overcoming seasonal affective disorder as someone who lives in a rural area. She recommends starting a new project around your house or farm, which can help keep you motivated and give you a sense of accomplishment. It could be anything from crocheting a piece of winter clothing like a scarf or gloves to decorating your garage or home and creating a joyful, peaceful space.

Psychologists and researchers support Lois’ advice: goal setting can help not only with SAD, but other mental illnesses as well, including depression and anxiety. Studies show that setting specific and achievable goals can boost your mental wellbeing. The key is to set a series of small goals instead of taking on one large and overwhelming goal. Building motivation and confidence by celebrating your achievements, no matter how small they may seem, can help you cope with symptoms of SAD.

Light Therapy and Lamps for SAD

Light therapy is a common treatment for winter depression. It involves using a “SAD lamp” with a bright light that works as an artificial substitute for sunlight. You use the lamp early in the day for 20 to 60 minutes – ideally in the morning – without looking directly at it.

Other Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder

Vitamin D supplements, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and antidepressants are all effective treatments for SAD. They are sometimes used in combination with light therapy. Overall, there are many treatments for SAD, and help is widely available if you have been diagnosed or believe you have this condition. You don’t need to suffer through it alone. Talk to your healthcare provider to find the treatment option that works best for you.

If you’re looking for more mental health tools, feel free to browse our Rural Mental Wellness Toolkit, where you’ll find helpful videos, conversation cards, and more educational articles about mental health specifically for rural residents.

Taking Care of Yourself During the Holidays

As the year approaches its end, the holiday season is soon to be in full swing. For some people, this can be an exciting time. Maybe the string lights, holiday music and the prospect of social gatherings bring a sense of cheer and elation. For others, this time can be incredibly stressful and come with lots of added pressure: maybe the social gatherings mean undesired guests and increased financial demands. People from rural communities can face these pressures even more as the unpredictable economic and environmental conditions can exacerbate financial stress. With limited access to social support and mental health resources in rural communities, it is important that we destigmatize the topic of wellbeing over the holidays and start having open conversations about how we can support ourselves and each other through the more difficult aspects of this time.

Financial stress

As the holidays approach, you might be planning for gifts, dinners, transportation, and a host of other things that all require money. The holiday season can come with a lot of financial pressure, and it can be a big source of stress during these times. Being honest and intentional about your holiday spending budget and trying to find ways to reduce costs can help to lessen some of this financial strain.

Budget your spending:

Take some time to decide how much money you have to allocate to gifts, food, gatherings, and anything else you might be spending on. Break down the budget into various spending areas and keep track of your spending to ensure that you are sticking to this budget.

Find ways to share or reduce costs:

Lots of people experience increased financial pressures over the holidays, yet this often goes unspoken. There are creative ways to share expenses and reduce some of the financial pressure on everyone. A gift-exchange or secret Santa with a set price can reduce the number of gifts that everyone buys, while still ensuring that everyone in the group receives something. Homemade gifts can also be a great way to give meaningful gifts at a lower cost. Things like homemade recipe books, jams or other crafty ideas can be really special to give to loved ones.

Sharing costs of food can also help ease some of the financial strain over the holidays. Organizing pot-luck gatherings can be a way for everyone to contribute at get-togethers.

Social gatherings

For some people, this time of year means spending time with friends, family and other people in your life. While this might be exciting for some, it can also be dreaded for a multitude of reasons. Regardless, there are some things to consider that might make social gatherings more enjoyable.

Consider whether saying no or scaling back is an option

This time of year can be packed with social commitments, and sometimes it can get overwhelming. Maybe the idea of gatherings leaves you feeling anxious and there are other ways you would rather spend your time. Consider making a list of the commitments that are the most important, and prioritizing the attendance of these ones rather than others. If saying no is not an option, try to set aside some time during gatherings to step aside and refresh. It might even help to talk to a trusted person who will be at the event and let them know how you are feeling, so that they can step aside with you whenever you need a break.

COVID stress?

Perhaps the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causes concern for the health of yourself or loved ones. If this is the case, finding alternate ways to engage in social gatherings might ease some of this stress. One of the outcomes of the pandemic is that online social gatherings are much more common, so organizing some sort of get-together or activity on a virtual conferencing platform could be a good way to spend time with loved ones while keeping people safe. If you feel uncomfortable attending a planned gathering, staying home and asking a loved one to video call you during the event allows you to participate without physically attending.

Loneliness and isolation

Being alone over the holidays can be incredibly isolating. Maybe this can be a time to treat yourself to doing something you enjoy, whether that is taking a walk, reading your favourite book or doing something else you might want to do but don’t often make time for. Volunteering at places like food banks can also be a great way to connect with people, and services like these are often looking for extra help during this time of year. Many rural communities do not have accessible community resources. If this is the case for you, it can help to connect with people virtually.

Grief and loss

The holidays can bring up a lot of difficult emotions for people who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. It might feel right to honour the loved one by continuing traditions or talking about happy memories you shared with the person. If this does not feel right, maybe it is a time for new traditions and memories. It can help to talk about what you’re going through with people that you trust so that they can support you through the grief, however that looks for you.

Know when to reach out for support

Although there is often a lack of community resources and support for rural populations, there are ways that you can get help. Many resources can be accessed remotely, including support lines, peer support groups and therapy services. There is no shame in reaching out for help, and it might help to familiarize yourself with the resources that are available to you in case you or someone you know might want to reach out. for a list of community resources in Canada, the U.S. and North America.

Building Community One Step at a Time for Rural 2SLGBTQ+ Youth: Mabe Kyle

The Stigma-Free Society reached out to Mabe Kyle and asked them to share their experience with stigma and mental health as a rural youth in the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Mabe is a poet and co-founder of the ROCQY (Rural Ontario Community of Queer Youth).

Mabe Kyle (they/them)

Maker of poetry, pottery, and photography who loves being creative.
Adventurer who calls many places home across border lines.
Builder of communities who enjoys being active.
Embracing friends, family, and their neurodivergent mind.

Keener for desserts served at every meal with the sweetest tooth you may find.
Yearning for disability justice and liberation for the collective.
Learning how to express gratitude and be kind.
Embodying a life without binaries who is very introspective.

the thing about weeds is they’re
only weeds if they’re unwanted.
the child in me was a dandelion
excluded from bouquets of flowers.

find ways to grow resiliently
through cracks of pavement,
in a garden among flowers planted,
even when you’re unwanted

the lion in me roars as I transition
into a white flower full of seeds
let the wind pick me up and carry me

you may bury me
but I will grow again,
bring new life,
let my wishes soar high

Three identities that I hold close to me are being queer, being disabled, and being rural. These are identities that I was born with and that I proudly choose to identify with. Identities that have left me feeling ostracized and isolated, as well as identities that have brought joy and community into my life.

I grew up believing this narrative that I could not be both queer and rural. That if I wanted to be queer and accepted, I needed to move to the big city where I could find community. I had spent my teenage years deeply closeted and suppressing my queerness and gender. When it came time to begin my post secondary education, I decided to move to Toronto. However, I quickly realized that as a rural person, I didn’t quite fit in there either. My home community is where my heart remained and where I wanted to continue doing work.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had moved home after living abroad for the previous two years. I knew that I had to use this time I was spending at home to address serious underlying issues from my mental health struggles that I had been procrastinating working on for years. I tried to find a therapist, but I faced multiple barriers. Even when looking for funded therapists online, I faced stigma and ignorance around being a queer and trans person. One therapist even mentioned in an email that he did not have a lot of experience working with the 2SLGBTQ+ community as he was from a small town. As someone who has lived on a farm for most of my life, that even further erased my experiences of being rural and queer. From my travels around the world, I have come to truly understand that 2SLGBTQ+ people have existed in every human culture since human culture began, even in the most rural and remote places. The difference is how safe people feel living in their communities and being the most authentic version of themselves.

In June of 2021, I was part of a research participation project on 2SLGBTQ+ youths’ experiences of accessing mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the common barriers that was brought up was rural access to mental healthcare – especially mental healthcare that understood and respected 2SLGBTQ+ people. After discussing the barriers that we faced as a group, we were to come up with a solution. The solution that I suggested was to create a peer support group virtually by and for rural 2SLGBTQ+ youth. For me, having community and a sense of belonging is what has helped my mental health recovery and healing journey. I wanted to create this for other rural 2SLGBTQ+ youth who might be isolated in rural communities, and not have access to 2SLGBTQ+ communities or have a sense of belonging in their home community. Through further discussion and planning, we came up with ROCQY, the Rural Ontario Community of Queer Youth.

To ensure that this idea wasn’t left in research reports and became a tangible grassroots organization, we worked hard to apply for a small grant, run a series of care and wellness workshops, collaborate and curate a zine. We also attended several pride celebrations across rural Ontario, from Haldimand-Norfolk to Strathroy to Kawartha Lakes and places in between. At ROCQY, we are continuing to organize and build the communities that we dream of and want to live in; communities where 2SLGBTQ+ youth can heal and thrive.

let there be a garden of wildflowers
who were made to believe
that they were weeds,

let them grow and make their home together
let them be each other’s family

let them nourish the butterflies who have transformed through metamorphosis
let them nourish the bees making sweet honey
let them enrich the soil through their gifts uniquely

let none of their petals be love me nots
let them thrive

I dream of a community of healers
spreading sustainability for a future
where dandelions are valued
as the wildflowers they are, bringing beauty

To learn more about the ROCQY, browse their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram.
Listen to Mabe and Blake’s interview on the Clearing a New Path Podcast, and check out the affirmation deck created by members of the ROCQY!
Mabe was also featured in the Trans Canada Project: you can watch their interview here.

Finding a Way to Grow Forward

Written by Tim Neubauer

Mental health is a complex issue. For many people who experience challenges with their mental health, it can be difficult finding the right supports on their recovery journey. For years, the stigma associated with the subject has kept a lot of people suffering in silence. Thankfully things are beginning to change, and the discussion has become more open as people realize that “we all have mental health.” This means it is possible to have a diagnosed mental illness and still experience good mental health, while conversely many people with no diagnosis do find at times their mental health languishing. The day-to-day mental struggles and challenges that we face both at home and in the workplace are not always the result of a mental illness but can be caused by human distress, grief, and sorrow. Life can affect us in both positive and negative ways!

The past several years have been exceptionally challenging for a lot of people and the collective consequence is that all of us have experienced the feeling of living “off balance” at times when it comes to our mental health and wellbeing. Being immersed in a pervasive cultural current of fear and dealing with significant changes and loss have added considerable extra stress to the lives of people in both urban and rural communities. That “off balance” feeling can leave us questioning our personal resilience, doubting our self-efficacy, and wrestling with our ability to move forward.

Recovery from major life disruptions is challenging for everyone and we are not alone when it comes to being negatively impacted by what has happened. It can be slow work for us to get back to our balance and once again build up the supports that help us on our journey. The good news is that for most people, we can move forward experiencing personal growth despite the setbacks and challenges. Over the past 10 years working both with individuals and communities around community resilience, the research of Stevan Hobfoll has proven to be a very helpful launch point.

Through the combined efforts of over 70 researchers representing multiple sectors, five essential elements were identified as significant supports for psychological, social, and spiritual recovery. Individuals, families, organizations, and communities have used them as a framework for validating collective experiences, rebuilding support, and birthing programs that help strengthen mental health, create clarity, and provide new tools to deal with future challenges and disruptions.

I will briefly mention each of these elements and provide some helpful questions for you to consider as you find your own way to grow forward.

Safety: Often safety is a relative state and what feels safe to us in the moment may change depending on our circumstances. A good place to begin is by asking yourself: do I feel safe right now? If not, what would safety look like for me and for my community?

Calming: One of the ways that we manage heightened anxiety is by implementing a variety of calming measures that can deactivate our central nervous system from a heightened state and shift it to a place where we feel more at ease. Basically, we are trying to find ways to tell ourselves “I am not currently in danger” and therefore do not need to be in a state of fight, flight or freeze. Different techniques work better than others so finding what works best for you is important.

Self and Community Efficacy: is a belief that our actions are likely to lead to positive outcomes and that as members belonging to a larger group, together we will be able to competently handle the events that we are facing. Growing our efficacy requires that we develop the skills that are needed to overcome these threats, providing some new solutions to our problems. Consider how you might build more of these skills and ask yourself: what resources are needed for you to meet the challenges?

Social Connections: There is a growing body of research on the importance of social support and sustained attachments to loved ones and social groups in combating stress and trauma. The isolation of the past two years has exacerbated many of our existing challenges, so a good question for us to ask is, who in my community might benefit from meaningful connection and stronger social support?

Hope: Disasters, disruption and crisis are often accompanied by a “shattered” or altered worldview. A common response is for people to “catastrophize” their lives, undermining hope and leading to reactions of despair and futility. Keeping a longer-term perspective, being more patient and kinder with ourselves, expressing gratitude and learning to build on our strengths can help to restore hope both personally and in our communities.

How we plan and create supports around each one of these elements can help us as individuals, families, and communities on our journey to better mental health, collective flourishing, and more resilient tomorrows.

As global mental health thought leader, Dr. Vikram Patel reminds us “there is no health without mental health; mental health is too important to be left in the hands of the professionals alone, and mental health is everyone’s business.”

Tim Neubauer is the Training Coordinator for the Rural Mental Health Network. He has spent over 28 years involved in asset-based community development work, psycho-social capacity building in communities following natural and man-made disasters and training development and facilitation for organizations across Alberta looking to create psychologically safer workplaces. Passionate about citizen-led community action he is a champion for social movements seeking change at a societal level. You can find him at www.rethinklife.ca and on Twitter @rethinklifeca

(See full research article here: Hobfoll, Stevan & Watson, Patricia & Bell, Carl & Bryant, Richard & Brymer, Melissa & Friedman, Matthew & Friedman, Merle & Gersons, Berthold & Jong, Joop & Layne, Christopher & Maguen, Shira & Neria, Yuval & Norwood, Ann & Pynoos, Robert & Reissman, Dori & Ruzek, Josef & Shalev, Arieh & Solomon, Zahava & Steinberg, Alan & Ursano, Robert. (2007). Five Essential Elements of Immediate and Mid-Term Mass Trauma Intervention: Empirical Evidence. Psychiatry. 70. 283-315; discussion 316. 10.1521/psyc.2007.70.4.283.)

The BC Rural Health Network:
Making Healthcare Accessible to All

Fostering Cultural Sensitivity in Rural Areas: How to Build Cultural Competence

Ending Stigma, Changing Rural Minds