The Rural Well Podcast: Real Talk on Farmer Mental Health with Lauren Van Ewyk & Bridgette Readel
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Reference: Impact Farming
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The Rural Well Podcast: Real Talk on Farmer Mental Health with Lauren Van Ewyk & Bridgette Readel
In this powerful episode, we sit down with two passionate voices in agricultural mental health:
Lauren Van Ewyk, CEO of the National Farmer Mental Health Alliance — speaker, registered social worker, therapist, foster mom, sheep farmer, and agricultural mental health advocate, and Bridgette Readel, partner at Ag Mafia and co-host of The Rural Well Podcast.
Together, we have an honest, grounded conversation about the reality of farmer mental health, the emotional weight carried behind the scenes, and what happens when we finally start talking about the hard things.
This episode explores the real stories, the silent struggles, and the hope that grows when rural communities feel seen, supported, and understood.
Topics Covered in This Episode
- Why they felt called to create a podcast focused on farmer mental health
- The personal moments that made this work feel urgent and necessary
- How the farm community’s response has shaped their mission
- Which podcast topics have resonated most deeply with listeners
- Surprising themes and patterns that emerged through their interviews
- What they’ve learned about mental wellness through these conversations
- The emotional landscape of farmers today
- What farmers are really carrying behind the scenes
- Why farmers often stay silent about stress and struggle
- The cultural and practical barriers to reaching out
- Misconceptions about resilience in agriculture
- Powerful stories and moments from their podcast journey
- How to move past the “I’m fine” response
- What real conversation looks like around the kitchen table and on the farm
- How farm families can support one another through hard seasons
- A message of hope for farmers listening right now
Episode Highlights
✅ Honest, real conversations about mental health in agriculture
✅ Practical insight for farm families and rural communities
✅ Breaking stigma and normalizing support
✅ Powerful storytelling from inside the ag world
If this episode resonated, share it with someone in agriculture who needs to hear this message: You are not alone, and your mental health matters.
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🔗Show Resources:
Rural Well Podcast
🌐 www.ruralrootscanada.com
National Farmer Mental Health Alliance
🌐 www.nfmha.ca/
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About the Guest:
Lauren Van EwykHost of The Rural Well Podcast, - Co-Founder, CEO / National Farmers Mental Health Alliance
CEO, National Farmer Mental Health Alliance. Lauren is a registered social worker, therapist, speaker, foster mom, sheep farmer, and national advocate for mental wellness in agriculture. Her work focuses on breaking stigma, increasing access to care, and creating real-world supports for farm families.
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Bridgette Readel
Co-host of The Rural Well Podcast, Partner at Ag Mafia
Partner at Ag Mafia and co-host of The Rural Well Podcast. Bridgette brings a voice of honesty, relatability, and leadership to rural conversations, helping create space for real dialogue about stress, identity, and resilience in agriculture.
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* Disclaimer - As always, this information is not intended to provide business or medical advice. To ensure that your own circumstances have been properly considered and that action is taken based on the latest information available, you should obtain professional advice from qualified business or medical professionals before acting on any of the information in this post.
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