Rehabilitation counselors offer guidance, direction and support to individuals with developmental, emotional, physical and mental disabilities to help them live more independent, fulfilling lives. They work with people of different ages and from different circumstances. For example, they may support younger people with developmental delays to transition from school to work, or they may assist an adult recovering from an auto accident in coping with their injuries.

Whatever the case, an underlying belief in each person’s dignity and worth guides rehabilitation counselors as they help people with disabilities integrate into their communities. By coaching and teaching their clients to set and achieve goals around daily living skills, such as personal hygiene and food preparation, as well as school, work and social activities, rehabilitation counselors empower people with disabilities to access the various aspects of life they want to participate in.

Additionally, rehabilitation counselors work with their clients to identify the barriers preventing them from achieving their goals or from living more productive and comfortable lives. They also identify strategies for addressing those barriers. For instance, a rehabilitation counselor may help people with disabilities find the transportation services they need to get to a job. They can teach their clients about assistive technologies that help them more easily navigate their kitchens, accomplish tasks at their jobs or take notes in school.

In addition to mental health counseling, rehabilitation counselors offer various types of services for people with disabilities.

Assessment

Rehabilitation counselors start by evaluating their clients’ needs, abilities and interests. As an example, rehabilitation counselors may look into what tools or resources a client uses to complete daily tasks, such as dressing and bathing, or if they have the support needed to open a bank account, cash a check or manage their bills. Additionally, the counselor may determine what activities the person enjoys and whether they have easy access to them.

Assessment also involves an examination of the person’s disabilities, as well as any behavioral disorders or other conditions present. With this information in hand, rehabilitation counselors can determine the best ways to help their clients cope, change or adapt to their circumstances. It also allows them to determine what resources and support can improve their clients’ lives.

Treatment Plans

Rehabilitation counselors devise treatment plans that help their clients build their strengths and manage their limitations. Treatment plans include solutions that address the barriers making the lives of people with disabilities unnecessarily difficult or isolated. They also provide strategies for helping clients reach their social, educational and employment goals.

For instance, treatment plans may identify community agencies that can provide on-site job coaching or wheelchairs and other assistance that can improve a client’s autonomy and mobility. Treatment plans may also identify community groups and activities that can help a client maintain healthy social connections, as well as services that ensure they have access to medical care.

Vocational Training

Some people with disabilities face considerable obstacles when it comes to getting and keeping a job. These may include limited experience in finding or interviewing for a job, a lack of transportation or the need for special accommodations in the workplace. To ensure people with disabilities have the opportunity to work, rehabilitation counselors provide vocational counseling.

Vocational counseling often involves connecting clients to employment and job training services, coaching clients through the application process and conducting mock interviews.

In addition to these responsibilities, disability advocacy, education and outreach make up an important part of the rehabilitation counseling profession.