Talking Leaders: Finding light on Blue Monday – staying positive and purposeful in farming

Talking Leaders returns with a timely and powerful session for 'Blue Monday' with Sharon May, a mental health advocate and counsellor with deep roots in the rural community.

Join us as Sharon shares her story and practical perspective on staying positive and purposeful in farming, and how we can better support ourselves and others.

Sharon May

After a career in physical healthcare, Sharon’s passion for people and their stories led her to retrain as a counsellor while raising three children.

Eight years ago, she established a counselling practice on the family farm, which has since grown into a multi-therapist hub providing face-to-face mental health support to the local rural community.

Sharon works extensively with small business owners, life-stage transitions and women’s health, and is deeply committed to tackling stigma and normalising open, honest conversations about mental health and wellbeing.

Her awareness of the particular pressures in agriculture led her to focus her Master's research on the mental health of farmers' wives, giving her unique insight into the realities behind farm gates.

Sharon is also a 2025 Nuffield Farming Scholar.

Find out more about our AgriLeader activities and other Talking Leaders broadcasts