The current pandemic has increased stress levels for people everywhere. These stressors emanate from mandated self-isolation, increasing risks to essential workers, businesses forced to close, impending budget constraints for local governments and more people becoming unemployed every week. Having the ability to recognize and manage stress is crucial. This University of Illinois Extension program will provide participants with: (1) methods for identifying stress within themselves and others; (2) techniques on providing empathy and active listening; (3) examples of constructive emotion-focused coping skills; and (4) a guide to identifying warning signs of suicide and effective research-based actions to take if you feel someone is having thoughts of death or dying.

The presenter, Pam Schallhorn is an Extension Specialist in Community & Economic Development. For the last two years, she has been working with a small team of professors and Extension specialists led by Michigan State University teaching Farm Stress training to Farm Service Agency employees, and members of the American Farm Bureau and National Farmers Union. She can be contacted at pscha2@illinois.edu.