What is the rehabilitation psychologist doing?
Psychologist of rehabilitation cooperates with people who face disabilities and chronic diseases to help them solve the psychological problems that could arise, whether inherent or newly acquired. These psychological experts work in places such as hospitals, clinics, counseling centers, rehabilitation facilities and equipment with assisted housing. Most of them have a doctorate in the field and many of them belong to the professional organizations of rehabilitation psychologists. Membership in such organizations provides opportunities for further education and creation of networks. Patients who have been sick or disabled due to life events often have a period of adaptation during which the patient gets used to significant changes in life. For example, a person who has spinal cord injuries may have to adapt to the use of a mobility trolley, or a person who has been newly diagnosed with diabetes, may have to get used to diet, medication and other activities. This can be particularlycommon during transitions, such as starting university or entering the labor market. The services of a rehabilitation psychologist can help someone to process the emotions that could occur and develop techniques of coping to master feelings of stress, depression and emotional overload. A psychologist can offer different types of therapy to master stress, pain and confusion.
In the rehabilitation facility, a rehabilitation psychologist may encounter patients to discuss the nature of their injury. A psychologist can talk to patients about rehabilitation and recovery possibilities, such as re-stjens to acquire new work skills, as well as learning adaptive techniques to perform tasks. This could include things like teaching a new wheelchair user, how to safely cook or help a person who has cognitive stroke disorders to realize how to talk. A psychologist could also meet friends and family members to DiHe embarked on the situation and gave them tips on how to adapt to the patient.
Each patient is radically different. Rehabilitation psychologist could interact with a wide number of patients who all feel very different about their conditions and must adapt the patient a treatment style to achieve the best results. This work may include weeks, months or years in therapy with the patient and work on various issues that might arise. Rehabilitation psychologist can also help the patient get into support groups and other community activities that could help with his adaptation.