Episode 82: Mental Health in Small Towns with Dr. Lauren Welter

Listeners, I ALMOST called this a vulnerable episode. I'm talking mental health with Dr. Lauren Welter. But, as we say SO much in this episode, and I truly believe, mental health help is totally normal. So, scratch that! We're not going to feel vulnerable talking mental wellness. We're going to feel empowered, and super lucky to have Lauren here in rural Iowa giving great support. Even if life is going well, it's so great to have professionals like Lauren in our corner. Then when life gets rough… as we know it does… we already know where to turn to get back on track. So many great takeaways from this conversation. Key takeaways:

• Dr. Lauren Welter started in finance and lived in New York, working on Wall Street, before her "quarter life crisis" brought her back to Iowa City, Iowa, to study psychology.
• She met her husband, a sixth generation farmer, at the Great Jones County Fair in Monticello, Iowa. She opened her practice, Prairie Home Wellness, there in 2018.
• Lauren wondered if there was a need for a mental wellness practice in such a rural area but quickly learned: YES! She talks about the stigma mental health gets and barriers that rural folks face to finding healthcare.
• We chat about how rural women carry A LOT, but have been especially burdened these last couple of years. I share my own experience with therapy and the value I've found.
• How do you know when it's time to seek professional help? Get help ASAP from 911, our Iowa Crisis Hotline, or the National Suicide Hotline if you have thoughts of harming yourself. Often though the signs are more subtle. Depression doesn't mean you're totally sad all of the time, but it can mean you just kind of feel… nothing. Not really sad, but also not really happy. Losing interest in things you used to like. Feeling like life is just too much and you can't keep up. Feeling like you're treading water, or even worse, going under. Please, please, reach out.

Connect with Dr. Lauren Welter Follow Prairie Home Wellness on Facebook or visit their website. Podcast Sponsor: School is in session! Be the first to know about our spring program offers by signing up at https://bit.ly/mkmspring Depending on where you are in your small business journey, we have options to meet you where you are and help you grow your woman-owned business this spring. Social School April's focus is on story telling on Facebook and Instagram! What you get:

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