Free wellbeing sessions to help farmers manage on-farm stress

Alpine Mindset Coaching low-intensity cognitive behaviour practitioner Nicole Parker, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford, said the free six-week program was about teaching skills to bring awareness.

"It's all about mild to moderate mental health issues, if you have stressors in your life, anxiety around life changes, sleep or concentration issues and recovering from natural disasters," she said.

"It could be floods, or work stress, or just worrying excessively about everything."

Ms Parker said she had lived on-farm, was involved with Landcare and the Leneva CFA, and understood the day-to-day challenges farmers were facing.

"I've seen fires, we were burnt twice in the 2015 fires over the Indigo Valley," she said.

She said the program was a result of a flood recovery grant, funded by the Federal Government, State Government and Alpine Shire Council.

"The feedback we got from farmers was extraordinary, who had insight and needed help," she said.

"There are a lot of farmers that need help and there's nothing wrong with reaching out for help, it's a private and confidential service.

"It's not counselling, it's learning skills and understanding, if you're too busy to come into town you can sit at the kitchen bench and do it over the phone."

She said farmers would be able to take sessions in person or from home, over the phone or over a video chat.

"We're able to do it so they don't even have to leave the farm," she said.

"It's not normal to be stressed on the farm, it's 'how do you manage that stress?'

"If you get stressed on the farm and you're not sure how to move forward, this will give you the skills to stop and take a breath, and manage things better."

She said the sessions would help empower people, and she could support people from 12 years old to 100, if they're of sound mind.

"It's a program to teach awareness and skills on how you're triggered, the thoughts, feelings and behaviours keeping you in a cycle," Ms Parker said.

"It's about breaking that cycle with skills and understanding of how things happen."

She said farmers could also be referred on to access other services, including financial, employment, housing and relationship support services.

Ms Parker said farmers can get in touch by calling 1300 921 535 or emailing alpinecoaching@wellways.org

More information about the service can be found here.