Oklahoma Farm Bureau members and guests continued learning about mental health with the third session of Cultivating Healthy Minds featuring Dr. Shannon Ferrell of Oklahoma State University.
Session three focused on trauma, what trauma is and how it affects people in different ways.
To kick off the session, Jaclyn Darling, District 8 YF&R representative, spoke about a farming incident that happened to her at 13 years old.
Darling has tackled her trauma over the years by sharing her story with others. Since overcoming her trauma she has continued to work on her family’s farm and ranch.
She also serves as a resource for others who have experienced traumatic on-farm incidents.
As the keynote speaker, Ferrell defined trauma specifically in the agriculture industry and how it impacts our livelihood. He shared a concept known as “toxic grit,” something much of the agriculture industry embodies. Ferrell defined toxic grit as a tough-as-nails, fierce independence.
Ferrell also explained the differences in trauma and disaster, noting disaster can have different traumatic effects on everyone.
He defined trauma as a psychological injury that can be caused by an experience or injury. The types of traumas he discussed were shock trauma, developmental or relational trauma and other trauma like chronic stress.
Ferrell also discussed stress overload and the effects of what can happen when people are stuck in a stressful state for a long period of time.
He also spoke about what steps to take when talking to someone who has recently gone through a traumatic experience. He provided a list of steps- including safeguard, sustain, comfort, connect, educate and empower-to follow when helping a person in crisis.
Ferrell explained the anxiety disorder known as post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD can cause a person to have a strong response to a paired association event. The symptoms of someone with PTSD are painful thoughts, intense emotions and physiological reactions.
He provided an outlet for resources and ways to heal trauma and PTSD. Ferrell suggested therapy, facing paired associations and self-compassion as ways to overcome trauma. He provided a link to the OSU extension website that has multiple mental health resources available.
Be sure to join OKFB for the conclusion of Cultivating Healthy Minds during the OKFB Annual Meeting Nov. 8-10 in Oklahoma City.
