Free mental health support available to Ontario farmers
By Amanda Nelson
In a study done by the University of Guelph, 76 per cent of farmers reported moderate to high levels of stress, and 68 per cent of farmers were reported as being more susceptible than the general population to chronic stress due to the pressures of farming and crop management.
According to Agriculture Wellness Ontario, producers are less likely to seek professional support for anxiety and depression, noting that 40 per cent of Canadian producers said they would feel uneasy seeking professional mental-health services because of what people may think.
Dr. Randi McCabe, vice-president of mental health and addictions at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, said there are many reasons why a farmer might have mental health challenges.
“Farmers can experience so many challenges, such as crop yields, weather, labour shortages, and so many other things that may be out of their control,” she said.
McCabe said the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) program allows people in rural or farming communities to access mental-health care, which she said has not always been as accessible in rural areas.
“People may lack access due to geography, or having to drive long distances, or even some people, depending on the community, may have had limited access to the internet,” said McCabe. “There’s always been a lot of stigma around coming and finding help. So even though help is available, people might not have felt comfortable to (seek it out).”
However, McCabe said that for rural communities, it’s important not to make this only about stigma. There are legitimate practical barriers, like distance, availability, cost, privacy and time.
She said the OSP program removes several of those barriers, making mental-health care more accessible across the province.
“That’s the nice thing about this program: people can do it all online, self-refer,” said McCabe. “They don’t even have to go in person if they choose not to. That can really reduce barriers in rural populations or communities that may have had to travel far to get to treatment in the past. This really breaks down barriers by making treatment accessible to everybody, including those in rural and northern communities.”
The Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program offers free, evidence-based psychotherapy and mental-health support for adults 18 years and older experiencing depression, anxiety and related conditions.
The program uses cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and related approaches, such as cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure, to teach practical strategies and coping skills.
“CBT is a psychological treatment that focuses on looking at how a person can become more aware of their thinking patterns and behaviours that might be contributing to symptoms,” said McCabe.
“If you have a stressor, your natural response is to think negatively. They may start to avoid certain activities. CBT allows people to step back and examine different ways of responding to stress by changing up how we may think about it, and how we respond behaviourally,” she continued.
The self-referral program currently offers different types of services to meet the needs of Ontario residents: self-led resource guides that people can practise at home, or individual or group cognitive-behavioural therapy programs.
The first option is self-led resources guided by a coach or therapist called the Bounce Back program. This program is delivered by phone and includes workbooks and a biweekly personalized mental-health appointment to help manage thoughts, emotions and behaviours.
Clinician-assisted bibliotherapy is also delivered over the phone. In this option, clients receive a free cognitive-behavioural therapy self-help guide specific to their concern, a plan for readings and exercises, and weekly 30-minute sessions with a therapist.
The third self-guided option is internet-based cognitive-behavioural therapy, delivered online and guided by a therapist, with modules, readings and exercises that help participants build coping and resilience skills. It requires access to a computer or mobile device and the internet.
Individual or group cognitive-behavioural therapy includes in-person sessions with a therapist, either one-on-one or in a group format.
“It’s completely private and confidential,” said McCabe. “What I would say to someone who may be suffering is, ‘what do you have to lose?’ You may have everything to gain by calling. There is no risk in trying. I’ve treated farming clients who are in their 60s and 70s, and they were very surprised by how much this helped them. They were feeling so stressed and anxious, and just being able to get the support they needed, they were able to feel so much better.”
For more information or to complete a self-referral, please visit www.ospwest.ca.
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