Farmers were "more open" now to talking about their mental health than they were previously, according to Rural Aid counsellor Margaret McKay.
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Speaking at a 'Catch up in the Wool Shed' event organised by Nutrien Ag Solutions in Elmore on Tuesday, Ms McKay said thankfully, more farmers needed to take the time to mind their wellbeing.
She said wildfires, flooding and other extreme weather events across Victoria in recent years had taken their toll on farmers and that it was pressures like these that can get rural communities very down.
The counsellor said often when it came to supporting farmers with their mental health, it was about them getting the opportunity to "have a yarn" with a stranger on their farm, where they felt comfortable.
She told the 20 farmers present about Rural Aid's approach to this farmer support.
"We like to go out to the farm and visit farmers in their place, where they feel comfortable, whether it's in the shearing shed or wherever," she said.
"We like to go on farms so farmers don't have to leave the farm.
"When I say counselling, it's really about having a yarn, going to see how things are going and speaking to someone who you probably don't know and just maybe getting a different perspective on things.
"When your tractor is running hot, you don't keep driving it because otherwise it will blow up."
Ms McKay said this example was the same for farmers' mental health.
"Unless you take the time to address it and find the way to fix the problem or to get help to fix the problem, it will just blow up," she said.
"That affects family, it affects children, it has that ongoing effect."
The counsellor told the Elmore farmers that there shouldn't be any stigma around their mental health struggles and seeking help.
"It's something people shouldn't be embarrassed about because we've all suffered with mental health throughout our lives," she said.
"But thankfully, people are more open now to talk about mental health and support.
"It might just be one conversation you need to have and it might just be that you need to let it out to someone else, apart from family, someone who's confidential and who's not going to speak about it.
"Just get it off your chest."
Ms McKay said that Rural Aid's services are available to all farmers, free of charge, and encouraged them to sign up at www.ruralaid.org.au.
She said having farmers on their system means that when a weather disaster strikes a region, Rural Aid can be proactive in reaching out to farmers to offer a helping hand.
The organisation's support extended beyond counselling and included help with feeding livestock and providing water.
Ms McKay said another area where farmers felt uncomfortable was having conversations around farm succession.
"It was something that Rural Aid saw as being a real need," she said.
"It's something that's really difficult for people to talk about, especially when young farmers aren't coming back to the farm.
"You've got farmers in their 80s without anyone."
She said that's what Rural Aid is about, trying to help farmers wherever they can.
The service is available to all farmers, in every state.
