• Live Wellness Events

    Connecting rural communities through conversation.

Rural Live Wellness Events

The Stigma-Free Voices Podcast brings powerful conversations around mental health to the forefront.

Each episode features inspiring guests from across the globe who share their personal stories, professional insights, and lived experiences around mental health, stigma, and other intersecting topics. Episodes are featured live on our YouTube channel, Facebook Page, and LinkedIn or can be watched later on YouTube or Spotify.

Here, you can conveniently find all episodes related to rural mental wellness. Join us as we amplify voices, challenge stigma, and champion mental wellness—one conversation at a time.

Andrea Paquette, Stigma-Free Host

Andrea is the President and Co-Founder of the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society. She is passionate about educating all people about mental health and focuses much of her discussions on stigma that negatively affect people’s perceptions of themselves and others.

Andrea has presented across multiple venues nationally and she is an award winning mental health activist, educator, facilitator, speaker and published author. She is passionate about helping people realize that they are not alone by sharing her personal story of living with bipolar disorder. She is excited to take on the role as a Stigma-Free Live Host.

We are looking for more guests for our Rural Wellness Live Events!
Contact us here if you are interested!

We will be interviewing rural mental wellness advocates, experts and individuals who wish to share their personal story and expert advice on rural mental health.

Guest: Merle Massie

Cultivating Rural Mental Health

Guest: Paul Adams

Bridging the Healthcare Gap in BC’s Remote Communities

Guest: Chantal Vallerand

From Concern to Connection: Navigating Youth Substance Use

Guest: Wendy Holm

Roots of Resilience: Exploring Mental Health in PEI’s Farming Community

Guest: Heather Watson

Healthy Minds, Healthy Farms

Guest: Emily Wilkes

Animating Change: Community-Led Mental Health in Rural Places

Guest: Lauren Van Ewyk

From Survival to Sustainability: A New Era of Agricultural Mental Health

Guest: Gerry Friesen

The Recovering Farmer’s Journey

Guest: Debby DeSpain

Mindfulness with Co-Founder of the Mindful Key Organization

Guest: Erica Leniczek

Founder of The Brand Erica & host of The Rural Mindset Podcast

Guest: William MacPherson

Mental Health advocate, Activist, and Public speaker

Guest: Wendy Bennett

Executive Director of AgSafe Agriculture Association

Guest: Marty Wildman

Head Facilitator at Lone Eagle Ventures

Guest: Tracy Wood

Equine Gestalt Coach in Manitoba

Guest: Meagan Ann Gordon

Program Manager of the Rural Ottawa Youth Mental Health Collective.

Guest: Lewellyn Melnyk

Author of Rooted: How I Stay Small Town Strong When Life Gets Hard and How You Can Too: A Guide to Finding Joy, Learning from Struggle, and Coming Together One Season at a Time

Guest: Briana Hagen

CEO of the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellness

Guest: Lauren Van Ewyk

 CEO of the National Farmer Mental Health Alliance

Guest: Lise McMillan

Mental health in families, within couples & in rural communities!

Guest: Miranda Leybourne

Mental Health in rural communities & motherhood

Guest: Megz Reynold

The Do More Agriculture Foundation

Guest: Cathy Williams

Suicide Prevention & Mental Health in Rural Communities

Guest: Mara Shaw

Executive Director of the National Farmers Union

Guest: Brenna Mahoney

Mental Health & Wellness in the Agricultural Field

Guest: Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton

Mental Health & Wellness in the agricultural communities & for veterinarians

Guest: Marcel Hacault

Farmer & Agricultural Advocate

Guest: Roberta Galbraith

Mental Health & Wellness in Rural & Agricultural Communities

Guest: Tara Klager

Mental Health in Agricultural Communities

Guest: Heather Watson

Mental Health in Rural & Agricultural Communities

Guest: Richard Whitfield

Rural Mental Health & Wellness & Men’s Mental Health

Guest: Brooke Hayes

Mental Health in Rural Communities

Guest: Kim Moffatt

Stress Management Techniques for Farmers

Guest: Paul Adams

BC Rural Health Network

Guest: Briana Hagen, PHD

Mental Health & Wellbeing in Rural Communities

Guest: Dr. Rachel Herron

Founding Director of the Centre for Critical Studies of Rural Mental Health & Associate Professor at Brandon University 

Guest: Brendan Byrne

Manager of Byrne Brothers
Farming Operation

Guest: Deborah Vanberkel

Registered Psychotherapist and
Partner on a Multi-Generational Dairy Farm

Guest: Allan Kehler

Mental Health Advocate,
International Keynote Speaker & Best-Selling Author

Guest: Tracy Burnet

CEO of Farm Marketer and
the host of Impact Farming

Guest: Jeff Ditzenberger

Farmer & Founder of T.U.G.S Program for Mental Health
*sensitive content*

Guest: Kim Moffat

Crisis Counsellor and
Rural & Agricultural Mental Health Specialist

Guest: Ed Staples

President of Support Our Health Care Society
and Rural Health Network

Guest: Gerry Friesen

“The Recovering Farmer”
Stress Expert & Motivational Speaker

Guest: Nathaan Demers, Psy. D

VP Clinical Programs & Strategic Partnerships
at Grit Digital Health

Guest: Cassandra and Stefanie of @thetulepps

 Women In The Farming Industry & Highly Successful Social Media Endeavors.

Guest: Kristen Kelderman

Masters Student and Rural Mental Health Advocate

Guest: Kaila Anderson, MSW

Rural Behavioural Health & Social Services Expert

Guest: Alanna Coneybeare

VP of Conlee Farms Inc. and Admin for the Farmers’ Toolbox

Guest: Danika Vessel

Director, Partnerships & Outreach for We Matter

Guest: Jason Medows

Founder of Ag State of Mind

Guest: Ally Spears

Owner of Ag Chicks and Podcast Host for “The Dirt”

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