By L. Lanie Doerr, LPC, MA  3-minute read    We’ve made it to our 3 rd  and final risk factor.  The risk of the family farm legacy gets some attention in ag industry periodicals.  For many farmers, the stories of their grandparents, great-grandparents -  those who stayed through the dust bowl & the depression -  these figures may be larger than life.  We live in the later chapters of these stories.  Great grandpa bought that land.  Grandfather built these bins or shops.

By L. Lanie Doerr, LPC, MA  5-minute read    Our second of 3 risk factors in my cultural & identity model is Fishbowl Living.  As a farmer, your work is always on display.  If a person owns and operates a main street business, say, an insurance agency or they make beef jerky, and they lose their business due to poor management or some sort of disaster known only to themselves . . .   they can close up shop & tell their customers, “I’ve decided to move or pursue another or

By L. Lanie Doerr, LPC, MA  9 minute read    “It was muskets that won the Revolution.  And don’t forget it was axes and plows that made this country.”  -- Father Wilder  “A farmer depends on himself, and the land and the weather.  If you’re a farmer, you raise what you eat, you raise what you wear, and you keep warm with wood out of your own timber.  you work hard, but you work as you please, and no man can tell you to go or come.  you’ll be free and independent, son, on a fa

“So God made a (mythical, larger-than-life) Farmer”   By L. Lanie Doerr, LPC, MA  10/1/25    Farm Culture as a Risk for Farmer Suicide   I have a bone to pick with “So God Made a Farmer.”  The late Paul Harvey’s beautiful poem is still used in advertising geared toward farmers, & while I admire this poem – I think it's time we evaluated how Farm Culture (which is represents) influences the psychology of farmers & farm families.    Read the full poem here: https://www.america

by L. Lanie Doerr, LPC, MA 09/29/25 3 minute read I typed into Google lately, what are reasons for farmer suicide. I got a list of 2 types of reasons:  5 business reasons, 4 personal reasons, & money - which is both a business & personal problem.      water scarcity  debt / loan distress (money) crop marketing problems  mental health stigma  family pressure  climate change  lack of awareness (I think this means self-awareness of the risk.) mental health challenges  rise in

Challenging the practice of encouraging young children to commit to Christ