The Manitoba Farmer Wellness program has only been around for a year, but CAO Gerry Friesen says they're already seeing an increase in the number of people using it.
The program offers six free counseling sessions to farmers and their family members. It started in the fall as a not-for-profit, to fill a gap in long-term mental health care for farmers and their families.
"The counselors we have under our program are all ones that are familiar with the intricacies and the different challenges that farmers have." Said Friesen, "That provides the farmers and their families the comfort to know that when they start talking about things to a counselor, they'll understand what they're actually talking about."
The program has four counselors to choose from, and farmers or their family members can go on the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Website and read about the counselors, so they can choose one that works for them.
Everything is kept anonymous, and the counselor's contact information can be found on the website so someone looking for support can reach out directly to them.
