The UW-Madison Department of Biological Systems Engineering and Extension Farm Management Program have set a date for the December Rural & Farm Health Retreat at Upham Woods, which will focus on Positive Emotions for Rural and Farm Health.

The program will intersperse skill-building activities centered on creating “positive emotions,” an important key to promoting mental health and overall well-being, including physical health. This piece has historically been missing from many stress management programs and other educational activities focused on farmer and rural mental health and suicide prevention.  Note in the registration information, that we are building this experience around nature, and hope to be outside for parts of the program – something we hear often from farm and rural audiences as being beneficial and helpful for creating positive emotions.

We will also discuss some of the content from the WeCOPE program, a longer, multi-session program that focuses on positive emotions and is based on the work of Dr. Judy Moskowitz at Northwestern University.

We will practice many of the skills from this program and discuss how WeCOPE and other programs that promote positive emotions can be embedded into existing or new activities.  But, note that this is not the actual WeCOPE program.

This retreat is ideal for:

• Agricultural organization and agency leaders and rural advocates
• Volunteers and staff who work in Wisconsin agricultural settings
• Extension educators and specialists (in agriculture and other program areas)
• Health professionals
• Farmers and ag advocates interested in rural and farm safety, health, and well-being
• Others with critical interests in working to improve mental health and promote well-being among farm audiences

Register at: forms.gle/GhXFNNCXZucBueGU8
Please register by Nov. 15, 2024, at 3 p.m. 

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Agenda