22 Industry News The mental health advocates TURNING UP THE VOLUME ON FARMER WELLNESS Rebecca Hannam MENTAL HEALTH IS THE STATE OF OUR EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING. It impacts how we think, feel, and act and plays a significant role in how we cope with stress. Mental health is receiving more attention in agriculture than ever before. Farmer wellness is being researched, and numerous groups have developed mental health services and resources specifically for farmers and their families. But there’s also a growing number of individuals who are turning up the volume on mental health in agriculture. Passionate advocates like Belinda Bowman, Stewart Skinner, and Beth O’Neil are speaking out about important topics in hopes of encouraging and supporting others. BELINDA BOWMAN, GRANTON, ONTARIO When Bowman suddenly became a widow in her early 30s, grief took her to a dark place. Her fiance, Troy Snobelen, of Snobelen Farms in Lucknow, was tragically killed in a snowmobile accident in 2019. “I first went into a state of complete shock and felt frozen in time,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to talk to people, but a close friend recognized the signs and took me to see a counsellor.” Bowman moved in with her parents and began seeing a therapist, who diagnosed her with trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. But farm work quickly became her coping mechanism. “I would hear Troy’s voice yelling at me when I was in the barn doing something dangerous, but instead of stopping, crying and feeling sad, I would make a list of other jobs I had to do,” she says. “It was unhealthy and toxic, but working harder was the only way I could recognize any sort of self-worth.” Bowman attempted to take her life on two occasions. But, after receiving support through a hospital mental health service and participating in therapy sessions for many months, she learned how to process and understand her feelings. A printable feelings wheel helped her identify emotions and what triggers them. “All of a sudden, I decided that I wanted to live, and I knew I needed to get better in order to do that. I had to accept that grief will always be part of my life,” she says. Since it was difficult for Bowman to talk about her mental health, writing became an important outlet. She started by writing letters to Snobelen and journaling her daily feelings as a way to process them. Then, she began posting about her experience on Instagram (@bb_cattleco), and a new support network was formed. She says that sharing her story publicly and connecting with people who have experienced similar losses has been healing. Today, Bowman raises beef cattle, sheep, and crops with her partner, Jeremy O’Shea. She has carried out many of the farm business plans she made with Snobelen and feels he is always watching over her. Bowman continues to document her journey on Instagram and encourages her nearly 17,000 followers to give themselves the gift of self-care and improve their mental well-being by talking to a professional when needed. BELINDA BOWMAN. PHOTO SUPPLIED.
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