Prairie Doc Perspective Week of June 18, 2023

Coping with the “out of our control” reality of Agriculture

By Curstie Konold, MPH, CSW, QMHP

Marrying a farm kid has shown me the immense amount of pride in being part of the Ag community. It is prevalent that the agricultural profession, while rewarding, is challenging. Running big dollar operations that are both physically and mentally demanding creates some serious strain on our mental health. Whether it’s a co-op employee spraying chemicals or spreading fertilizer for 70+ hours a week or a farmer during planting or harvest, the demand never truly stops. 

In my practice I talk a lot about focusing on what is within our control. I can control the way I cope in a situation, but I cannot control how someone else chooses to cope. Likewise, I can control my choices on what products I utilize in my operation, but some things are simply out of my control, like grain and livestock prices, or the unpredictable weather of the Midwest. The livelihood of Ag operations and families balances on influences out of our control. We are forced to leave many factors up to chance, and that creates a lot of pressure.

When we focus on things out of our control, we can start to experience negative mental health impacts. During times of stress, our body releases hormones to help regulate our stress responses. We experience toxic stress when our body is constantly releasing stress hormones into our body, which can create negative effects on our health. Starting in childhood and throughout our life, we learn mechanisms to help ourselves cope during stressful experiences. 

In Agriculture there are many things outside of our control. So, what can we control? We can control how we choose to take care of ourselves and whether we use healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress. Healthy mechanisms might include exercise, healthy diets, spending time outside, mindfulness, relaxation, quality time with loved ones, or taking time to do things we enjoy. Likewise, when we are experiencing high stress moments, it is okay to step away from machinery, our phone, or other people for short periods of time. This is an example of one healthy coping skill to take care of ourselves in those moments.

There is no shame in seeking support. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out: 

• Avera Farm and Rural Stress Hotline at 1-800-691-4336. 
• Dial 2-1-1 to be connected to the Helpline Center for additional resources based on your community.
• Call or text 9-8-8 anytime to be connected to a professional crisis counselor for free.  

The old adage goes, “pull yourself up by your bootstraps and deal with it.” Mental health stigma still exists, but how wonderful would life be if we learned to pair our Midwestern resilience with taking care of ourselves and showing others it’s okay to need and accept support? Don’t wait to take care of yourself. Your family, your legacy, and YOU deserve a healthy you. 

Curstie Konold, MPH, CSW, QMHP is the Outpatient Clinical Mental Health Therapist Avera Medical Group Behavioral Health Brookings Clinic. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show based on science, built on trust for 21 seasons, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.  

From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Contact: Rick Hellman, 785-864-8852, [email protected]
Book series soars to new heights

LAWRENCE – Stephen T. Johnson’s “My Little Blue Robot” is all grown up.

The retro-futuristic automaton has not changed in size but has been rebranded as “My Big Blue Robot.” It is one in a series of children’s books designed by the University of Kansas lecturer in graphic design & illustration to foster interactive, imaginative play while functioning as both a book and a toy.

“My Big Blue Robot” is one of three titles Johnson designed, wrote and illustrated between 2000 and 2012 that Simon & Schuster has just reissued along with his latest release, “My Big Silver Rocket Ship,” published in April. As both books and toys, the titles are available via online retailers and select brick-and-mortar stores.

Johnson teaches at KU’s School of Architecture & Design. Since graduating from KU in 1987, he has established a varied and celebrated career. He has won public art commissions from New York to Los Angeles with his large, collage-style imagery. He’s written children’s books, some of which have been honored with numerous awards. “Alphabet City” (Viking Children’s Books; reprinted by Puffin) was recognized with a New York Times Best illustrated Book of the Year (1995), a Caldecott Honor Award (1996) and was featured on “Good Morning America“ in its entirety.

Johnson also creates abstract and figurative paintings and mixed-media works that are widely exhibited in galleries and museums and are in demand by private collectors.

“Just as I wish for my design students at KU, I wish the same for each young reader engaged with these books: that they embark on creative explorations of their own and celebrate their individual and authentic voices,” Johnson said. “Doing this will take them to the stars and beyond.”

Johnson’s first interactive book, “My Little Red Toolbox” (Silver Whistle/Harcourt Inc., 2000), was inspired by a toolbox his father gave him when he moved to New York City to start his freelance art career. It is one of his most successful children’s books with sales of over 500,000 copies — a Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller.

After the success of his toolbox book, Johnson created four new, interactive books: “My Little Blue Robot” (2002), “My Little Yellow Taxi” (2006), “My Little Red Fire Truck” (2009) and “My Little Pink Princess Purse” (2010).

The latest, “My Big Silver Rocket Ship,” seeks to educate and entertains while engaging young readers with space exploration. Children can build a 3D, stand-alone rocket ship with 10 cardboard, die-cut pieces they punch out of the book. To launch their rocket, they lift a flap printed inside the book and press the red “ignition button” inside.

“While creating ‘My Big Silver Rocket Ship,’ I thought about our Kansas state motto, ‘Ad Astra Per Aspera,’ or ‘To the Stars Through Difficulties,’ ” Johnson said. “And indeed, this proved accurate, since this was not an easy book to design. Yet, in the end, it was highly rewarding.

“As I tell my students, facing our challenges and obstacles head-on, with a little luck sprinkled here and there, we can all grow, expand and reach our highest potential.”

-30-

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Contact: Rick Hellman, 785-864-8852, [email protected]
Book series soars to new heights

LAWRENCE – Stephen T. Johnson’s “My Little Blue Robot” is all grown up.

The retro-futuristic automaton has not changed in size but has been rebranded as “My Big Blue Robot.” It is one in a series of children’s books designed by the University of Kansas lecturer in graphic design & illustration to foster interactive, imaginative play while functioning as both a book and a toy.

“My Big Blue Robot” is one of three titles Johnson designed, wrote and illustrated between 2000 and 2012 that Simon & Schuster has just reissued along with his latest release, “My Big Silver Rocket Ship,” published in April. As both books and toys, the titles are available via online retailers and select brick-and-mortar stores.

Johnson teaches at KU’s School of Architecture & Design. Since graduating from KU in 1987, he has established a varied and celebrated career. He has won public art commissions from New York to Los Angeles with his large, collage-style imagery. He’s written children’s books, some of which have been honored with numerous awards. “Alphabet City” (Viking Children’s Books; reprinted by Puffin) was recognized with a New York Times Best illustrated Book of the Year (1995), a Caldecott Honor Award (1996) and was featured on “Good Morning America“ in its entirety.

Johnson also creates abstract and figurative paintings and mixed-media works that are widely exhibited in galleries and museums and are in demand by private collectors.

“Just as I wish for my design students at KU, I wish the same for each young reader engaged with these books: that they embark on creative explorations of their own and celebrate their individual and authentic voices,” Johnson said. “Doing this will take them to the stars and beyond.”

Johnson’s first interactive book, “My Little Red Toolbox” (Silver Whistle/Harcourt Inc., 2000), was inspired by a toolbox his father gave him when he moved to New York City to start his freelance art career. It is one of his most successful children’s books with sales of over 500,000 copies — a Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller.

After the success of his toolbox book, Johnson created four new, interactive books: “My Little Blue Robot” (2002), “My Little Yellow Taxi” (2006), “My Little Red Fire Truck” (2009) and “My Little Pink Princess Purse” (2010).

The latest, “My Big Silver Rocket Ship,” seeks to educate and entertains while engaging young readers with space exploration. Children can build a 3D, stand-alone rocket ship with 10 cardboard, die-cut pieces they punch out of the book. To launch their rocket, they lift a flap printed inside the book and press the red “ignition button” inside.

“While creating ‘My Big Silver Rocket Ship,’ I thought about our Kansas state motto, ‘Ad Astra Per Aspera,’ or ‘To the Stars Through Difficulties,’ ” Johnson said. “And indeed, this proved accurate, since this was not an easy book to design. Yet, in the end, it was highly rewarding.

“As I tell my students, facing our challenges and obstacles head-on, with a little luck sprinkled here and there, we can all grow, expand and reach our highest potential.”

-30-

————————————————————————

KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs