Rural Psychology: The Known and the Unknown

The work of this thesis is to consider challenges unique to rural mental health practice and consider\u27alternate approaches for future success among clients and clinicians. Rural is defined by all geographic areas that are 10 or more miles [wm the centroid of a population center of30,OOO residents or more. Through a comprehensive review of the literature; identification of challenges for rural psychologists, identification of barriers to receiving mental health care in rural communities, and consideration of how the challenges and baJ.Tiers for psychologists and patients in rural communities are being addressed are elaborated. Conclusions based on this review of literature and present directions for future work in to offering mental health services in rural communities are - addressed with an emphasis on approaching rural psychology as an issue of diversity