In rural Australia, farmer mental health is often portrayed through a narrow lens, frequently reducing the experience to that of a solitary man in a paddock. This presentation, rooted in the theme of Empowering Community Voices, aims to shift this narrative by highlighting the rich and diverse experiences of rural communities, particularly women. Drawing from the "Change the Picture" campaign, where rural women courageously shared their snapshots of the joys and challenges in farming life, we will explore how these stories reveal the complex interplay between mental health struggles and the inherent strengths of rural living.

Through the lens of my own journey—navigating postnatal depression, receiving an ADHD diagnosis, and managing PMDD with the aid of telehealth—I will discuss the importance of moving beyond a deficits-based approach. Instead, we'll focus on recognizing and embracing the duality of rural life, where resilience and vulnerability coexist. By centring lived experience, we can develop mental health services that truly reflect the realities of rural communities, fostering both support and empowerment. This presentation calls for a collective reimagining of farmer mental health, challenging stereotypes, and celebrating the protective factors that are often overlooked in discussions of rural mental well-being.

Presentation Key Learnings

1. Finding the AND - the dualities in farming mental health
2. Farming women's mental health experiences
3. Using psychological flexibility to improve farmer mental health