IN-PROGRESS: EXPERIENCES OF RURAL PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PRACTICE IN ALBERTA

Rural Canada is an important part of our national identity. However, rural communities have become a somewhat marginalized group with unique experiences, barriers, and needs. When it comes to mental health, rural individuals face complex barriers that stand in the way of getting good care. Having a good therapeutic relationship is important for good outcomes but we know very little about how this works well in rural communities. It can be especially hard for rural clients and psychologists when the psychologist is considered an outsider to the community.

This project is learning about therapeutic relationships in rural areas and about how psychological services can work well or better in rural communities when the provider is not from that community. To do this, I interviewed outsider psychologists and insider rural clients in rural settings to see how they experience the development of helpful therapeutic relationships that can lead to successful outcomes. The findings of this research have the potential to contribute to training, policy, and psychological practice.