How to network in rural areas

So these days I find I have no trouble getting referrals. I’m honored that most of the clients I work with these days come to me from word of mouth – sent my friends and family. Living and working in rural areas certainly has its challenges. I was at a training last week and for the first time in several months I spoke with two clinicians who aren’t coworkers and whose work I respect very much. Collaboration should be more than a buzzword in social services. I welcome the opportunity to network, but I’ve exhausted the usual suspects. I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. In urban areas I could see these networking sites being very helpful. In my neck of the woods they seem like little more than a nice idea. I’ll admit my long term interest in networking has been sparked by getting a new credential. I earned my CCS (certified clinical supervisor) license recently and hope to put it to good use. Marketing myself to other professionals feels like a formidable undertaking, but I look forward to working with new counselors and helping them on their journey.