Accountants as Emotional Wellbeing Counsellors in Rural Areas

The role of accountants in dealing with the social, emotional and stress-related problems of their clients is explored using semi-structured interviews with owner-accountants and regional development workers. Findings indicate the importance to rural communities and the related public of accountants acting as 'emotional wellbeing counsellors'; a role they are pressured to accept by their clients and community, and for which they are neither formally educated nor trained. Implications are drawn for effective counselling preparation of accounting graduates and practising accountants by educators and professional associations.