This paper presents experiences and responses of a first-year teacher, Emily, who participated in research exploring the identity formation of early career teachers. 14 teachers were recruited from South Australian schools and Emily was one of four participants working in a rural school in her first year of teaching. What emerged from her experiences and responses were issues of acute personal and professional isolation, absence of professional and personal dialogue and support, including limited acknowledgement of the implications of deteriorating personal and professional wellbeing. In the midst of these disparaging experiences, and in light of the subsequent personal and professional distress, focus shifts to where responsibility lies for recruiting early career teachers into unfamiliar social and professional contexts without adequate relational supports. This raises questions about how understandings of these challenges can be translated from research into practice in rural schools with high staff turnover and limited resources.