Social Justice Advocacy in Rural Communities

Abstract

The professional literature related to social justice has increased, but there has been little discussion of the practical issues and implications associated with social advocacy. However, adding new roles will result in new considerations for counseling psychologists. The need to be attuned to how the practical aspects of advocacy intersect with the context of psychological work may be especially present in rural areas where practitioners may be more involved in the community and thus their actions highly visible. Because the data indicate that rural communities may have few resources, a limited number of mental health professionals, and higher rates of mental illness, psychologists practicing in these areas may feel compelled to engage in advocacy. Yet there is little practical guidance for these psychologists. Therefore, the authors present considerations for social justice advocacy in rural areas, using the American Counseling Association advocacy competencies as an organizing framework.