TPC-Journal-V4-Issue4

The Professional Counselor \Volume 4, Issue 4 406 ranged in length from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. The author also conducted transcription of the audiotapes. She stored data in a locked drawer to ensure participant confidentiality, and used coding for participant identification to further protect anonymity. Prior to investigation, the author wrote an epoch (Moustakas, 1994) in which she identified her own experiences with rural culture in order to suspend previous understandings and to gain a fresh perspective. Such bracketing of the author’s experiences was used during and after the interviews and data analysis to further assess for and reduce potential bias. Table 1 Participant Demographics Participant Age Credentials CACREP Years in field Current setting Years at current setting Super Nanny 35 LPC, Equine- assisted therapy No 2 Home-based, community health .16 The Pastor’s Wife 36 LPC Yes 10 Children’s services, outpatient 5.5 Putting Out Fires 34 LPC, Art therapy No 10.66 Outpatient, American Indian reservation 2.33 All Things Rural 56 LPC Yes 10 Nonprofit, outpatient 10 Analysis The author first read all transcripts in order to become familiar with the data, and then read the transcripts a second time with a subsequent data analysis, following the phenomenological approach that Creswell prescribed (2007). The current author categorized individual statements into specific codes closely resembling the participants’ statements. She clustered the codes according to their subject, with similar codes combined into units of meaning in order to better manage the data, and then she labeled each unit of meaning in a theme. From key sentiments that each participant expressed, the author developed a pseudonym to reflect her unique perspectives. Using member checking (Creswell, 2007), the author restated and summarized information, and then questioned each participant to determine accuracy throughout the interview. The author emailed both transcripts of the interviews and analyzed data to the participants so each could either agree or disagree that her experiences, views and feelings were represented accurately and completely. The author additionally utilized peer and expert audit reviews (including her doctoral classmates and class instructor) to ensure credibility of the overall findings. Results The author identified the following themes: (a) need for flexibility, (b) resource availability, (c) isolation, (d) ethical dilemmas and (e) finding meaning in one’s work. Need for Flexibility One of the dominant themes of the interviews was the need for rural mental health counselors to be flexible. All participants noted having to be flexible in order to accommodate changing schedules, multiple roles and