THE ESSENTIALITY OF REHABILITATION COUNSELING AND ITS POSITIVE EFFECT ON PATIENTS
Background information
The benefits of counselling services cannot be overemphasised, as many individuals suffer from one form of challenge. In Nigeria, the popularity of counsellors is gradually on the increase as people begin to acknowledge their value. Counselling as a profession is a very broad field as it includes those that specialise in relationships, mental health, academic/ education, psychotherapists, and others. Despite their separate specialities, the common denominator is their ability to give positive advice that could transform one’s state of mind.
In the case of rehabilitation counsellors, they play a major role in encouraging people with one form of disability or the other; to see things from a different perspective without allowing their disability to hinder them from achieving their dreams. Therefore, this article is written to discuss the essence of this form of counselling, as well as highlight its impact on patients.
Who is a rehabilitation counsellor?
To fully understand the role of this form of counselling, one must consider the term “rehabilitation”. Rehabilitation is the process of repairing or restoring something to its former state. A rehabilitation counsellor is a professional who deals with individuals whose health status could have changed due to the problems they previously encountered. In essence, their role is to serve as a catalyst for a speedy recovery.
They help those that may have experienced a motor accident or any other form of disability. They also work on the emotions of clients. Rehabilitation counselling involves a high level of expertise and possession of virtues like compassion, patience, and being a very good listener. All these values are necessary because you have to spend time with clients, listen to their problems on an individual basis, give solutions, as well as teach them the coping skills needed based on their problems.
Types of rehabilitation counselling
The services of rehabilitation counsellors are very essential; as such, they could engage in any of the following spheres
- Social service
This class of counsellors are saddled with the responsibility of supervising those that work for the disabled. They oversee their activities at an administrative level and ensure their welfare.
- Educational institutions
These counsellors work in institutions to meet the needs of the disabled. Their role is very vital as they interact with disabled students and strategise on the ways they could individually level up in their learning with other students. They are duty-bound to ensure students have access to their special needs like hearing aids, note takers, etc.
- Vocational programs
Counsellors in this field could either work for the government or private bodies; to ensure that the disabled have all the facilities or modified equipment to carry out their duties. An example of such is an ergonomic keyboard.
Therefore, the essentiality of rehabilitation counselling is to support
- Those with a physical or emotional disability
- Those whose work or education has been affected by health challenges
- Those with chronic pain
- Those with physical or emotional injury
Benefits
Pain is reduced
The experience of pain or discomfort is something no one intentionally wants to experience, but when it comes, one must adjust and seek solutions. As such, rehabilitation counsellors impact the lives of their patients by helping to reduce pain. Rehabilitation counsellors contribute immensely by teaching their patients the various ways in which pain can be managed. In addition to this, research has shown that those who employ the services of rehabilitation counsellors get proper and faster therapy and hence receive faster relief from pain.
Look forward to reaching your goal.
Most times, people find themselves not being able to live their daily lives due to an accident they encountered or an unforeseen medical condition. In order to go back to your regular life, you need to discuss with your rehabilitation counsellor about the feasibility of this and how soon this will take place. The counsellor then examines you and fixes a duration that the both of you work towards. It might be very tasking at the initial stage, but you get more encouraged as results begin to unfold.
Activity increases
Therapy is very essential in getting you to your old self. In trying to get back to your previous activities, your therapy sessions engage you, either by moving to visit the counsellor or the other way around. This keeps both your mind and physical body active and prevents you from engaging in self-pity or regretting your present type of life. Avoiding self-pity is also a crucial step in the rehabilitation process.
Confidence boost
Medical conditions, accidents, and other unforeseen circumstances reduce the level of confidence or self-esteem of a person. Rehabilitation counsellors could make you regain confidence through one-on-one sessions, helping you exercise regularly, and giving you all it takes to be reintegrated into the society. Once your confidence is built, it becomes easier to get back to your previous lifestyle.
Learning new skills
In the course of your rehabilitation, you learn some skills that will enable you to improve your life. Some of these skills are understanding yourself, understanding your body chemistry, knowing when to exercise, proper diet regulation, regular medical checkups etc. Other virtues, like patience, commitment, hard work, and discipline, are also brought to bear in enabling you to speed up your recovery.
Conclusion
The process of rehabilitation is very uneasy. It takes a whole lot, both on the part of the patient and the rehabilitation counsellor. Most times, people who are not able to adapt fast to their present reality may decide to terminate their lives, but the truth is, once there is a commitment to succeed, there is hope for recovery. Therefore, rehabilitation counsellors should be valued, acknowledged, and their services should be employed due to their substantiality in recovery processes.
To speak with any of our counsellors at Light House Counselling, call or WhatsApp +2348055507808.
We provide 5 different types of Counseling ranging from Marriage and Family Counselling, Educational Counselling, Rehabilitation Counselling, Mental Health Counselling, and Substance Abuse Counselling.
We have professionals and we provide affordable services.