Support for farmers and ranchers

Northwest Minnesota has a rich agricultural history, and we want to support our region’s farmers through the good times and the bad.

About the series

Seeds of Promise: Growing Resiliency in Times of Stress is a free, three-part webinar series.

It is recommended that the series be watched in the following order:

Coping in a time of Stress – Presented by Shauna Reitmeier, MSW, LGSW
Addressing Ag-Related Stress, Self-Care and Resiliency – Presented by Dr. Brenda M. Mack, DSW, MSW, LICSW
Helping Farm Couples Survive & Thrive in Difficult Times – Presented by Monica Kramer McConkey, MA, LPC

This webinar series has been funded by a grant from The Funder’s Network and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation’s work with the Philanthropic Preparedness Response and Emergency Partnership learning cohort.

Coping in a Time of Stress

About the Presenter

Shauna Reitmeier serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Northwestern Mental Health Center. Shauna has led the organization through dynamic growth and development, including the successful implementation of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model of service delivery. Under Shauna’s leadership, NWMHC doubled its revenue, increased its staff by 35 percent, and doubled the number of clients served.

In addition to her leadership and management responsibilities at NWMHC, she is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker and sees clients at the Crookston clinic location. Shauna holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Before joining NWMHC, Shauna worked with the National Council for Behavioral Health, providing contract management and technical oversight to integrate primary and behavioral healthcare across the country. While serving in multiple roles at Washtenaw Community Health Organization, she gained extensive experience in quality and process improvement, strategic planning, and integration of systems.

Shauna currently serves on several boards, including the National Association of Rural Mental Health, The MN Association of Community Mental Health Programs, North Region Health Alliance, H.O.P.E. Coalition, and the Crookston Lions. Most recently, Shauna was appointed by MN Governor Tim Walz to serve on the newly created Blue Ribbon Commission on Health and Human Services.

She lives in Crookston with her husband and stepson.

Watch the Video

Video, approx. 29:00

Presentation Slides

Addressing Ag-Related Stress, Self-Care and Resiliency

About the Presenter

Dr. Brenda Mack, DSW, MSW, LICSW is a behavioral health and wellness consultant, trainer, presenter, researcher, and Assistant Professor in the Social Work Department at Bemidji State University (BSU). Before joining the faculty at BSU, Brenda worked for twenty years as a program manager, outpatient and in-home therapist and mobile behavioral health crisis responder for a community mental health center. She has a Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Social Work from the University of North Dakota and a Doctorate in Social Work from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker through the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

Brenda grew up in a farm family where her late father was a third-generation Red River Valley crop farmer and her mom was his partner in marriage for 50 years and helped run their agricultural operations. Brenda is married to a fourth-generation crop farmer from Crookston, MN. She has a special place in her heart for those who have a primary or secondary role in farming or ranching. She walks the same path of ag-related ups and downs and wants to spark a local, state, and national conversation about the impacts of stress, how to build resilience through connection, and implementing self-care strategies. Brenda offers her expertise on these topics and has been part of the Women in Agriculture Cultivating Resiliency Series available on the American Agri-Women web-site, she’s cited in Successful Farming and Good Fruit Grower magazines and was a co-guest speaker on the Red River Farm Networks TransFARMation podcast “It’s Okay to Say No.” Brenda is excited to be part of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation’s webinar series focusing on the emotional health and wellness of farmers, ranchers, family members, and secondary supports.

Watch the Video

Video, approx. 27:15

Presentation Slides

Handout: 3-Legged Stool of Self-Care worksheet

Handout: Self-Talk worksheet

Helping Farm Couples Survive & Thrive in Difficult Times

About the Presenter

Monica Kramer McConkey has 25 years of experience in the behavioral health field as a counselor, program supervisor and administrator. Her focus throughout her career has been to increase access to, and remove the stigma often attached to mental health services.

Monica grew up on a farm in northwestern Minnesota and has intimate understanding of the dynamics leading to farm stress and its impact on farm families. She currently works as one of two Rural Mental Health Specialists in Minnesota providing support to farmers and their families through a contract with the MN Ag Centers of Excellence and Farm Business Management. Monica also travels throughout the country speaking on the impact of Emotional Stress on the Farm through her consulting business Eyes on the Horizon Consulting, LLC.

Watch the Video

Video, approx. 28:00

Presentation Slides

Handout: Farm Couples worksheet