Talking Dairy

Mental health: ‘Don’t be afraid to open up’ | Ep. 51

May 24, 2023 DairyNZ
Mental health: ‘Don’t be afraid to open up’ | Ep. 51
Talking Dairy
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Talking Dairy
Mental health: ‘Don’t be afraid to open up’ | Ep. 51
May 24, 2023
DairyNZ

Overwhelmed by workload pressure, self-doubt and a fear of what others expected of him, fifth generation farmer Sam Spencer-Bower stopped being able to function. It took six months before his wife – and Sir John Kirwan – helped convince him to get help.

In this episode, Sam kindly joins us to share his mental health journey: the underlying causes, learning to talk about it, the road to recovery, and the skills he’s developed to cope with the stresses of the job, so he can keep on enjoying dairy farming. 

Notes
Where to get help - DairyNZ
Farmer wellbeing - DairyNZ
Inside Dairy - DairyNZ (see page 13 of June/July 2023 edition)
Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ (rural-support.org.nz)
Home - Farmstrong - Live Well Farm Well

Show Notes Chapter Markers

Overwhelmed by workload pressure, self-doubt and a fear of what others expected of him, fifth generation farmer Sam Spencer-Bower stopped being able to function. It took six months before his wife – and Sir John Kirwan – helped convince him to get help.

In this episode, Sam kindly joins us to share his mental health journey: the underlying causes, learning to talk about it, the road to recovery, and the skills he’s developed to cope with the stresses of the job, so he can keep on enjoying dairy farming. 

Notes
Where to get help - DairyNZ
Farmer wellbeing - DairyNZ
Inside Dairy - DairyNZ (see page 13 of June/July 2023 edition)
Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ (rural-support.org.nz)
Home - Farmstrong - Live Well Farm Well

'Farming's in the blood'
Converting to dairy
Farm set-up, family, succession
What Sam enjoys about farming
Sliding into depression
Finally asking for help
'It's a genuine illness'
A gradual recovery
Relapses and 'the black dog'
Sam's strategies for staying in a good place
Building a support network
Spotting the warning signs
Advice for his younger self
Looking after the team
Words for people struggling right now
Breaking big jobs into small steps
Books that've helped Sam
Sam's story helping others