Mental Health First Aid Should Be as Common as CPR [ep 89]

Listen to Mental Health First Aid Should Be as Common as First Aid and CPR (Especially in Rural Life) on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | your platform of choice

I’m honored to welcome Calli Thorne to the podcast today!

Calli is a powerhouse of a woman I first met three years ago at Rural Rooted Retreat. Calli Thorne is a keynote speaker, global leadership trainer, mindset coach, and multi-business entrepreneur. She’s also raising her family and building a beautiful life in North Dakota.

One of the things I admire most about Calli is her deep commitment to helping others. Her work teaching mental health first aid is one of THE most impactful ways she does just that!

In today’s episode, we’re discussing why mental health first aid should be as common as first aid and CPR – especially in rural life. Calli offers a real look into what this training involves, why it matters, and how it can genuinely change lives.

In industries like agriculture, oil, education, and healthcare, the pressures run deep. Mental health challenges are not the exception – they’re the norm.

Unfortunately, many people still feel a stigma when it comes to mental health (especially in rural communities). But just like we wouldn’t ignore a broken bone, we can’t keep pretending emotional wounds don’t matter.

Prioritizing our mental well-being isn’t selfish – it’s necessary if we want to keep showing up in our lives, businesses, and relationships with intention and care!

If you’ve ever felt like you’re running on empty or wondered how to better support someone who’s struggling, I hope our conversation reminds you that you CAN make a difference – it just starts with knowing how!

Meet Calli:

Calli Thorne is a keynote speaker, global leadership trainer, mindset coach, and multi-business entrepreneur. She is married to her husband, CJ, and they have three young children. Calli grew up on her family’s farm and ranch in northwest North Dakota; today, they operate multiple enterprises, including a backgrounding feedlot and cow/calf operation. They recently purchased a USDA federally inspected beef processing plant to sell beef directly to consumers and to increase custom slaughter options for ranchers in the region. They operate a full-scale farm-to-fork business and are proud to be the 4th generation and raising the 5th on their family’s land.

Calli is a certified member of the John Maxwell Leadership Team, specializing in personal and professional development, including conflict resolution, communication, mindset impact, and understanding behavioral styles. She also offers Mental Health First Aid certification classes and a variety of masterclasses, workshops, and trainings that assist others in expanding their perspectives to live life better.

In this episode, Mental Health First Aid Should Be as Common as First Aid and CPR (Especially in Rural Life), we cover:

How Calli’s personal journey led her to become a certified mental health first aid trainer
What you can expect from mental health first aid training
The often overlooked value of mental health first aid + how it can be used in everyday life
Learning to recognize what truly fills YOUR cup + how to prioritize yourself accordingly
Asking, “Why am I feeling this way?” when tough emotions surface
The variety of industries & communities Calli serves
The powerful ripple effect this training creates

Resources & Links:

Download your free guide to Handling Hard Conversations!
Join the waitlist for the Good Movement Collective
Good Movement music by: Aaron Espe
Podcast produced by: Jill Carr Podcasting

Connect with Calli:

Follow on Instagram @callithorne and @yellowstoneriverbeef
Follow on Facebook: Calli Thorne, Triangle M Ranch & Feedlot, and Pioneering Legacy
Follow on LinkedIn
Check out her website

Connect with Terryn:

Follow on Instagram @terryn.drieling
Check out my website
Send me an email at terryn@terryndrieling.com

Related Episodes:

More about the Good Movement Draws Good Movement podcast:

In stockmanship (the art and science of handling cattle in a safe, effective, low-stress manner), we have this phrase . . . good movement draws good movement.

It’s this thing that happens when we ask a small group of cattle, maybe a cow or a pair, to move out in a certain direction, and their movement draws the whole herd into moving in the same direction.

Good movement happens when we approach the cattle with a positive attitude, read and really listen to what they’re telling us, and communicate accordingly.

We don’t approach the aware, flighty cattle the same as we do the tame, docile cattle. We adjust ourselves, our energy, and our approach, and we communicate with each other differently.

These adjustments help us effectively draw good movement from each, which then draws good movement from the herd. But it starts with us.

The same is true for humans. Good movement starts with us.

Welcome to Good Movement Draws Good Movement, the podcast where farmers, ranchers, and rural folks can grow relationally through awareness, understanding, and effective communication.

Hey, it’s me – T. I’m your host, and I, along with my guests, will be covering topics related to drawing good movement – things like self and social awareness, brain science, positive psychology, extending grace, and so much more.

We’ll share tools that can help you understand why you are the way you are, why others are the way they are, and how you can use that to step out of self-told lies with grace and compassion to draw good movement in conversations, relationships, and life in rural America.

Tune in every Tuesday, and make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! Let’s go draw good movement!