The keynote speaker for this year’s Potato Growers of Alberta Conference was none other than Brett Gardiner, the Canadian Pro Rodeo Announcer of the Year for the past thirteen consecutive seasons. On top of being the award-winning voice for rodeos including the Calgary Stampede, Gardiner is a huge advocate for mental health and wellness. In fact, he is one of the most sought-after speakers and consultants in mental performance and motivation. We caught up with him to ask a few of the most critical questions in ag today:
SpudSmart: You speak at a lot of events, including the room full of potato producers this morning at the Potato Growers of Alberta conference. What’s one message you hope growers carry away from your presentation?
Brett Gardiner (BG): I hope I gave them permission to reach out, to have the motivation to seek what they need to be able to be the best for themselves and the people they care about.
SS: Why is mental health more challenging to talk about in agriculture than in other industries?
BG: Yeah, that’s a big question and one I was asked quite a bit today. I think it’s a multitude of reasons. We’re in an industry that’s full of a stigma, and we don’t always know who to talk to or where to find the answers about where to find people to talk to. This industry is incredible, but sometimes it’s just that we don’t know what we don’t know — and sometimes we can’t give what we’ve never received. We don’t know how to talk about those things because we’ve never seen the people around us talking about them.
So much of what stands in our way is often this unconscious feeling in the body. A lot of stress and trauma gets held in the body. So, by the time I work up the courage to say something or tell someone that I’m not okay, this feeling in the body takes over.
As a man, we don’t often have the language to explain how we’re feeling — we just know we don’t like it, but we’d rather just keep doing what we’re doing, because maybe the alternative is worse.
We have to respect the complexities of the culture that we work within, but more importantly, we have to ask each other: are we willing to do the work? Can we motivate one another just to make sure we take the right step for us, whatever that step is? One of the things I want is for people to embrace that, to know that they have the power of personalization for that process.
SS: Are we making strides?
BG: Yes, I do believe that. I think even a case in point is that the keynote speaker at the Alberta Potato Conference today based his talk about mental health and performance in the ag industry. A few years ago, that wouldn’t have been a thing. We’re certainly more than willing than ever before to talk about it. But I think we still have some things to take care of because we’re still seeing statistics that support that we’re struggling with anxiety and depression. I do feel we are getting to a better place, but we have to keep moving forward. We have to continue to make changes.
SS: What advice would you give to someone struggling with mental health in the ag industry?
BG: One of the things in my personal journey was just when I was able to reach out and ask for help. And when I reached out, it wasn’t for professional help. I just needed to kind of let it breathe. So, I hope that I can give people the courage to reach out and ask for support if they need it, because sometimes it is hard to do it alone.
And then one of the biggest parts of my journey and the part I encourage for so many others is to learn about ourselves. How can I just start to be curious and less judgmental about the way I feel?
We all feel. We’re all emotional beings. We’re all driven. You know, everyone has to work hard to be successful, whatever that looks like for them. But know that it’s okay to feel, to have good days and bad days.
I want people to have clarity, because there’s confidence in clarity. Do you have a plan? Because when we don’t have that plan, that’s when things get scary, because we don’t know where to turn, we don’t know what to do. If I’m clear on that plan, when things get hard, it’s going to allow me to have more confidence and help support me in those tough times.
SS: What advice would you offer to someone who wants to help a person they know is dealing with mental health issues in agriculture?
BG: I think certainly being willing to have those conversations is important. Holding space for people is important. We don’t always have to have the answers. I would also recommend asking yourself, how can I lead by example? Because a lot of us learn by watching other people do things. So it’s important to ask: how can I make sure that I take care of myself, so that I can best support others?
Gardiner holds a master’s degree in counselling psychology and is a doctoral candidate in the sports and performance psychology program at the University of Western States. As a mental performance coach, Brett has worked with Stanley Cup champions, world-champion Western sports athletes, provincial and national championship teams as well as some of Canada’s top companies and organizations.
Looking for more resources about mental health? Check out this article…
