For this afternoon’s keynote session, we’ll dive into the heart of what truly matters - the voices of those we serve. Our session on 'Empowering Community Voices: Centring Lived Experience in Mental Health Service Provision' will showcase how the wisdom of lived experience is not just valuable, but essential in shaping effective, compassionate mental health services. Prepare to be moved by powerful stories and equipped with strategies to amplify these crucial voices in your own work. Then, we'll step outside the traditional clinical setting and into the healing embrace of nature. Our exploration of 'Enhancing Mental Health through Nature-Based Therapies and Alternative Programs in Rural Communities' will open your eyes to the untapped potential right outside our doors. These sessions promise to reinvigorate your approach to mental health care, blending the authenticity of community voices with the restorative power of nature. Get ready to reimagine what's possible in rural mental health services.
| Thursday, November 7, 2024 |
| 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Kuranda Ballroom |
Overview
3:45pm – 3:55pm
Sound Healing
Brought to you by Kate Godfrey, Crystal Bowl Sound Healing
3:55pm – 4:25pm
Change The Picture: Beyond the Stereotypes in Farmer Mental Health
Steph Schmidt, Farm Life Psych
4:55pm
More Than a Walk in the Park, the Science and Practice of Nature Based Interventions
Dr Miles Holmes, NatureFix
4:55pm – 5:00pm
Conference Day 2 Reflection
Speaker
Dr Miles Holmes
Co-Founder
NatureFix
More Than a Walk in the Park, the Science and Practice of Nature Based Interventions
Abstract
At some level we all know that nature is good for us. Many of us enjoy a beautiful sunset, a walk in the bush or along the beach, or simply looking at pictures of nature. Yet despite this natural affinity, most Australians spend 90% of their time indoors, and that which is outside is primarily focused on work, not enjoying the scenery or stopping to smell the roses. However, it is precisely these type of small everyday actions in nature that unlock a cascade of health benefits.
Join me, Miles Holmes, co-founder of NatureFix to hear some of the latest science on the benefits of nature connection for physical and mental health. Learn about the surprising research on how connection with nature can also improve pro-social and pro-conservation behaviours. Understand why it’s not just contact with nature but the nature of the contact that is the main driver of a mental health outcomes. Finally we’ll consider a few case studies on how health care workers are applying the tools of nature connection in their practice, successfully delivering nature prescriptions for their consumers health … and their own.
Three Key Learnings:
1. The science of nature and health.
2. The active ingredient in a successful nature prescription.
3. How can I get started.
Join me, Miles Holmes, co-founder of NatureFix to hear some of the latest science on the benefits of nature connection for physical and mental health. Learn about the surprising research on how connection with nature can also improve pro-social and pro-conservation behaviours. Understand why it’s not just contact with nature but the nature of the contact that is the main driver of a mental health outcomes. Finally we’ll consider a few case studies on how health care workers are applying the tools of nature connection in their practice, successfully delivering nature prescriptions for their consumers health … and their own.
Three Key Learnings:
1. The science of nature and health.
2. The active ingredient in a successful nature prescription.
3. How can I get started.
Biography
Miles is the co-founder NatureFix, a social enterprise delivering positive change through connection with the healing powers of nature. NatureFix is providing health care professionals with the tools to take their practice outside and transform any greenspace into a wellness place. Miles has been facilitating groups outdoors for over 25 years. He has a background in cultural anthropology, outdoor education and research. He has a deep understanding of nature connection processes, and how they can be applied in the health and education sectors. Plus, many years practical experience collaborating with First Nations to understand and improve the relationship between people and land.
Steph Schmidt
Farm Life Psych
Farm Life Psychologist
Change The Picture: Beyond the Stereotypes in Farmer Mental Health
Abstract
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
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
Biography
Steph Schmidt is a psychologist, farmer, and mum of three boys, running a large sheep and cropping enterprise in South Australia with her husband. Combining her psychological expertise with her lived farming experience, Steph shares practical mental health strategies to improve wellbeing for rural Australians. Known for her authenticity, she engages audiences with her raw and real journey from city girl to farmer, her personal mental health journey, and the challenges and joys of farming life. In 2023, she led the "Change The Picture" campaign, highlighting farmer mental health through rural women's stories. Join Steph on her new podcast “Farm Life Psych with Steph Schmidt”.
Connect with Steph on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @stephschmidt.farmlifepsych.
Host
Lise Saunders
Event Coordinator
AST Management
Justine White
Event Manager
AST Management
