Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Counselling Rehabilitation counselling Kristina is a student who recently completed her placement with us at Independence Australia. In this article she shares her experience studying rehab counselling. Rehabilitation counselling is a new and growing profession that allows allied health professionals to dedicate their skills and knowledge to helping individuals and ensuring that each individual has an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. Rehabilitation counsellors are a dedicated team of health professionals who are guided by a case management and counselling framework which assists them to support individuals with disabilities and give them social advantages that increase their independence, promote their equality for opportunity and enhance their quality of life. Main areas of focus: • Injury prevention and management • Case management • Coordination of services • Vocational assessment • Vocational counselling • Vocational training and job placement • Independent living management • Personal counselling 20 Independence Australia
Is a rehabilitation counsellor someone who could help you? Rehabilitation counselling is an easy and accessible service that is delivered to individuals that are looking to regain their independence, and who are looking to improve their psychological, social and physical health. In particular, rehabilitation counsellors specialise in working with people who may have experienced workplace accidents, road accidents, trauma, have a disability, or suffer with mental health issues and substance abuse issues. As health professionals, we aim to put the client first and assist them in identifying their strengths, limitations, goals, and work cooperatively with other health professionals, employers and family members to help develop rehabilitation plans that will assist the individual in achieving these goals. What are the most rewarding parts about being a rehabilitation counsellor? a rewarding experience. Some of these include: • Studying to be a rehabilitation counsellor gives me the opportunity to work with a number of different people who have a range of unique characteristics and all have different needs and wants. This allows me to meet and work with a range of resilient and inspirational individuals. • It is a person-centred profession that allows me to take a holistic approach to counselling. • It has been rewarding as I have had the opportunity to learn about individuals’ unique stories of how rehabilitation counsellors have had an impact on their rehabilitation journey. • It allows me to work within a multi-disciplinary team of devoted and enthusiastic health professionals who work closely together to cater for an individual’s needs and preferences. Through my academic and placement involvement I have discovered a number of facets that make studying and working as a rehabilitation counsellor Inform – Autumn 2018 21
