If there is one thing we can’t deny, it would be how stressful it is to be a modern farmer. When we take time to reflect within ourselves, it may just be life altering. A new interactive series of online sessions to help women in agriculture cope with stress — called Cultivating Resiliency for Women in Agriculture — continues on Jan. 11 and 25. The series of 90-minute webinars is a joint project of American Agri-Women, District 11 Agri-Women, University of Minnesota Extension-Women in Ag Network and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center.
The free sessions start at noon CT, will include a Q&A session, and will be recorded and archived for later viewing:
- Jan. 11 — Self-Care Tips to Help Reduce Stress: In this session, Brenda Mack will provide a brief overview of how stress affects our health and well-being. Exploring self-care practices as an option to deal with worrying and stress will occur. Participants will learn about a practical tool to build and implement an individualized stress-reduction plan. The importance of connecting with others as part of self-care will also be addressed.
- Jan. 25 — You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup — How do you fill it up to support yourself and others?: In this session, Shauna Reitmeier will share how stress, when not addressed, can deplete farming and ranching women’s energy and their ability to effectively keep up with their responsibilities. Participants will learn ways to manage stress and come up with ways to prioritize to keep energy high and meet many demands.
A recording of the first session, Impact of Farming and Ranching Stress for Women 101, can be viewed here. Some previous recording include: Farm Record Keeping in a Challenging Farm Economy, Maximize Your Social Media Efforts, and Diving Deeper into Your Business Plan.
Upcoming sessions include:
- Feb. 8 — Building and Maintaining Relationships in Stressful Times
- March 8 — Increasing Your Joy and Happiness While Living a Farm Life
- April 12 — Putting it All Together
Sign up or view archived webinars at www.americanagriwomen.org/webinars.
Webinar Facilitators
Shauna Reitmeier and Brenda Mack, both of whom have agricultural backgrounds, will lead the webinars. Shauna Reitmeier has a master’s degree in social work and over 20 years of experience in the behavioral healthcare and cognitive disabilities fields. Brenda Mack is a behavioral health and human services consultant, trainer and presenter and an assistant professor in the Social Work Department at Bemidji State University.
