108. The LandLogic Model: Bridging Gaps in Farmer Mental Health with Kaila Anderson

In this episode of Stepping In It, we sit down with Kaila Anderson, licensed social worker, professor, and creator of The LandLogic Model℠, a groundbreaking framework designed to meet farmers where they are in their mental health journey. Drawing from her family’s experience during the 1980s Farm Crisis and a decade of service in rural Kansas, Kaila shares how LandLogic uniquely leverages the agrarian imperative—faith, family, legacy, sensory experience, and connection to the land—to break down barriers between farmers and behavioral health professionals. We explore practical tools like Barbed Wire Thinking and the FARM Tool, new research on provider training, and how small but powerful shifts can transform the way rural communities approach mental health.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn how Kayla Anderson’s Land Logic model supports farmer behavioral health.
• Hear how lived experience from the Farm Crisis shaped her research and passion.
• Explore the unique barriers farmers face in accessing mental health services.
• Discover how rural clinicians and communities can use practical interventions.
• Reflect on the cultural importance of farming traditions and identity in behavioral health.

The key moments in this episode are:
 00:00:00 - Introduction to Episode 108 with Kayla Anderson and Land Logic
 00:00:25 - Kayla Anderson’s background and passion for farmer mental health
 00:00:42 - Whiny farmer intro: Jason’s farm auctions and collecting tools
 00:02:00 - Challenges and stressors farmers face across generations
 00:04:15 - Kayla shares her family’s 5th generation farm experience and the 1980s Farm Crisis
 00:06:20 - Barriers to accessing behavioral health services in rural communities
 00:09:05 - How Land Logic was developed to support farmer mental health
 00:12:30 - Examples of interventions tailored to farmers’ needs
 00:15:40 - Importance of cultural understanding in rural clinical practice
 00:18:25 - Farmers’ reluctance to seek mental health help and stigma issues
 00:21:10 - Kayla’s vision for improving behavioral health outcomes in farming communities
 00:24:00 - Adjunct professor role and bridging academia with lived rural experience
 00:26:30 - Closing thoughts and continuing the conversation on rural behavioral health

Links:

• https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/rural-health-disparities
• https://www.thelandlogicmodel.com/
• https://farmstress.us/land-logic-behavioral-health-training/

Connect with us: 

https://ruralpolicypartners.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/company/rural-policy-partners/ 

https://www.facebook.com/facebook.com/ruralpolicypartners

https://www.youtube.com/@ruralpolicypartners

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CT1DNTkjfMo