The basics

he American Board of Professional Psychology defines Rehabilitation Psychology as a specialty area within professional psychology which assists the individual with an injury or illness which may be chronic, traumatic and/or congenital in achieving optimal physical, psychological and interpersonal functioning. The focus of rehabilitation psychology is on the provision of services consistent with the level of impairment, disability and handicap relative to the personal preferences, needs and resources of the individual with a disability. The rehabilitation psychologist consistently involves interdisciplinary teamwork as a condition of practice and services within a network of biological, psychological, social, environmental and political considerations in order to achieve optimal rehabilitation goals.

So what does that mean?

Basically, a Rehabilitation Psychologist works with people with significant injuries, physical and sensory impairments, and/or chronic illnesses which may alter their everyday physical, cognitive, and/or emotional functioning.  Typically through psychotherapeutic assessment and interventions, the Psychologist helps the individual develop strategies for minimizing barriers to reaching their goals- whether they’re caused by their disability/health condition or not. 

Rehabilitation Psychologists may also work with family members of people with injuries, chronic health conditions, and disabilities even if they do not personally experience challenges associated with these conditions. Having the dual role of parent, spouse, sibling, friend, neighbor, or extended family member AND caregiver can be extremely difficult. Those that provide support to people with disabilities are often also essential in helping them enhance their quality of life.

How are you different from a typical clinical psychologist or counselor?

Many Rehabilitation Psychologists, like myself, have trained and worked in healthcare settings that serve people at various stages of treatment or recovery from a wide range of health conditions. My familiarity with the trauma associated with being in an intensive care unit and prolonged hospitalizations and my appreciation for the daily challenges of someone who is living with multiple sclerosis or a spinal cord injury, for example, allows me to more effectively address the needs of individuals who have been though these experiences and who continue to live with these conditions as well as those who play important roles in their lives. 

Additionally, my experience working with interdisciplinary treatment teams in hospital and outpatient settings allows me to more easily understand ongoing healthcare needs and establish appropriate contacts with other treatment providers as needed to enhance my patients’ quality of life.