Nebraska Extension’s Women in Agriculture program will host “Fighting Winter Blues,” a virtual course offering strategies to work through symptoms of seasonal depression and anxiety, at 7:30 p.m. Central time on Wednesday, Nov. 30.

It will be facilitated by Ashley Machado, a mental health consultant who works primarily with agricultural professionals and their families. 

“With the shorter days, colder weather, and gray skies, the lack of sunshine and outdoor time in the winter can leave some feeling down,” Machado said. 

The course will discuss why the winter blues come around and how to work through them. It will offer actionable tools for participants to bring home over the winter months.

Machado is an advocate for rethinking the ways that we support mental health in the agriculture industry and specializes in breaking down big ideas and deep feelings into simple, actionable strategies. She applies 15 years of experience to helping individuals and organizations in agriculture to develop the tools they need to maintain good mental health and operate and live fully. 

Machado holds a bachelor’s degree in human development and a master’s in social work with an emphasis in clinical mental health. She grew up in the dairy industry and now lives in California with her husband, a rancher and almond farmer. 

The free workshop will be held via Zoom. Registration can be completed on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website.