Folks in rural areas of our province now have expanded options for access to counselling from Manitoba Farm and Rural Support Services.  Program Manager Janet Smith says while they still run the Farm and Rural Stress Help Line as their core service, they've wanted for some time to expand services to include on line counselling.  Smith notes they're pleased to add three on line options to their roster, including an email help line, a chat service which allows folks to talk in real time with a counsellor, and video conferencing via Skype.  All the services are free and will enable people to obtain counselling in the privacy of their own homes.

Smith says they have seen an increase in calls to the stress line over the years, adding there are a lot of challenges for those living in rural Manitoba.  She notes the area has endured numerous hardships related to weather, production and marketing, and with the prospect of another very wet spring ahead there is a lot of fear about the future.