Mental health professionals will now be able to take a course which provides information about agriculture and the struggles those working in the industry face, the Do More Agriculture Foundation says in an August 23 news release.
“We are very proud to be launching this program and hope it not only bridges the industry knowledge gap, but allows producers to feel more comfortable reaching out for help,” Adelle Stewart, executive director of Do More Ag, says in there release.
The new course titled AgCulture is eight hours long with four modules delivered by a mental health professional and fellow farmer. The modules give an understanding of the unique obstacles producers face when it comes to their mental health, building therapeutic relationships, strategies for practical application, and navigating farmer self care, the release says.
Since launching a few years ago, Do More Ag has received feedback from many farmers across the country on the lack of understanding of agriculture in mental health professionals, the release notes. To bridge this gap and help more farmers access mental health support, Do More Ag decided build and provide an agriculture literacy course to help mental health professionals build a therapeutic relationship with producers, the result of which is AgCulture.
Registered social workers, psychologists, mental health nurse practitioners or equivalent mental health professionals, with five years experience in their relative field are encouraged to complete the course. The first AgCulture session will happen virtually on Sept. 29. To register visit the registration page.
