What do rehabilitation therapist do

Practitioners may work independently or as part of a professional team that includes doctors , psychologists , therapists, educators, and family members.

Job tasks also include:. Creating and maintaining accurate records is very important in the development of long-term plans. The rehabilitation counselor helps individuals create not only residential goals, but those relating to behaviour, social activities, and employment. They work with compassion and empathy, but must also find a balance between being kind and gentle and being firm and assertive.

Rehabilitation counselors have distinct personalities. They excel at socializing, helping others, and teaching. Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if rehabilitation counselor is one of your top career matches. Rehabilitation counselors may work in private homes, health care settings, or residential, educational or recreational facilities.

Hours may be variable and include shift work, depending on patient needs and the work setting. Rehabilitation counselors have a goal of teaching, showing or coaching people with physical or mental disabilities how to set goals and achieve them.

Then, the counselor works with the disabled person to set goals, and establish steps to be taken to achieve them. The goals can be in the areas of employment, education, daily living skills, social functioning, and emotional and physical well-being.

As one example, a disabled person may want to work, and be able to do a certain job, but they may be unable to drive to work due to their disability. The counselor can help them to set a goal of learning how to use public transportation or take advantage of ride-sharing services.

Counselors for rehabilitation can work at hospitals, clinics, assisted living facilities, or similar facilities, and they can also work for government or private organizations serving the disabled. Some counselors work for social services agencies, or in school districts. Another specialized field of rehabilitation is the prison system. Each region also generally has a government-funded disability agency, which assigns counselors to individuals who are registered with the agency as having qualified disabilities.

Depending on the level of work that you want to perform as a rehab counselor, you will need to obtain different levels of education and certification. The Commission on Rehabilitation Certification offers training, advocacy and certifications within the field, and general counseling certifications are also required, depending on your state and region. Individuals facing these types of challenges often rely on others for assistance, and benefit greatly from therapy and counseling that helps them improve their independence and quality of life.

Rehabilitation counselors are mental health professionals, who work with disabled individuals to build skills, cope with feelings of anxiety and depression, and find solutions to problems such as employment, chronic pain, mobility, transportation, basic care, and more.

The goals and practice of of rehabilitation counseling are similar to many other professions that fall under the categories of psychology, counseling and mental health - a rehabilitation counselor will use tests and other assessment tools to assess and understand a client's problem, develop a treatment plan, and utilize therapeutic techniques to foster a better quality of life for the client.

To become a rehabilitation counselor you will need to go through a rather rigorous amount of schooling. Contrary to what some people believe, nearly every person can be a productive and contributing member of society, regardless of their disabilities. Some people, however, may need some guidance on how to become more independent. Rehabilitation counseling can help point these individuals in the right direction on becoming more independent.

Having more independent individuals in our society not only helps the moral of the society in general, but it also reduces the strain on government assistant and other resources. A rehabilitation counselor will usually interview his clients first in order to determine what they are capable of doing as well as what their limitations are.

After determining what a client is able to do, a rehabilitation psychologist will then be able to implement an individual therapy and counseling plan that can help them become more independent. A rehabilitation counselor might help his clients work through several different types of problems that may be holding them back in life. Many times, solving the right problem might also solve several other smaller problems. Problem solving during counseling sessions is often accomplished by setting goals.