Rehabilitation Psychology
Rehabilitation Psychology is the helping profession dedicated to assisting people--individuals, family members, and caregivers--who are struggling with the effects of a disability and are seeking to restore hope and meaning to their lives.Nearly one in five Americans has a disability. Every age, cultural and gender group is affected.
Disability refers to a limitation in physical, sensory, cognitive (thinking), or emotional functioning. A disability can affect a person's capacity to work, to learn, to manage personal or family responsibilities, to maintain relationships, or to participate in recreational activities.
Examples of some of the most common conditions resulting in disability are: spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's Disease, cancer, diabetes, amputation, Alzheimer's Disease, orthopedic injury, learning disability, pervasive developmental disorders, vision and hearing impairment, arthritis, and pain syndromes.
To become specialists in the care of people affected by disabilities, Rehabilitation Psychologists must complete a doctoral degree in psychology and an internship or other, focused, intensive training program in which they acquire experience serving people with a wide range of disabilities.
The services provided by Rehabilitation Psychologists include: assessment; counseling; compensatory strategies; wellness promotion; stress management for caregivers; education and consultation to involved community members, such as employers or teachers; and referrals to other specialists when needed.
Rehabilitation Psychologists are the specialists trained and dedicated to helping people affected by a disability succeed in reclaiming their sense of belonging, of contribution, of value, and of meaningful participation in the world.