This qualitative study explored the needs of professional school counselors and school counselor interns located in rural areas with regard to clinical supervision, consultation, and professional growth.  Four separate focus groups (n=21) were conducted.  To allow for consistency across focus groups, a series of six structured interview questions were used.  Results of the data analysis revealed six themes which included unique issues of rural school counselors, dynamics of rural living, supervision from school administrators, supporting development through technology, desire for increased connection through supervision, and the identification of roles and responsibilities.  Implications of this study indicate a crucial need to increase supervision training opportunities for current school counselors and interns.  Technology and active participation with professional organizations may provide a platform for rural school counselors to receive supervision training and offer increased professional connection to solidify their counseling identity.

The current shortage of rural mental health counselors has been well documented. This study explores the experiences that contribute to long-term employment as mental health counselors in rural settings. This qualitative study is based on the narratives of eight mental health counselors who had been working in a rural setting for at least 10 years. Through thematic narrative analysis, four common themes were discovered throughout the participants' narratives that facilitated long-term retention among rural mental health counselors. Themes discovered included historical legacy and connections, distance, way of life, and ethics. The results highlight important considerations that may facilitate retention among rural mental health counselors. Implications for successful long-term practice of rural mental health counselors are discussed.