Rehabilitation Counselor Training Report

Learning about the field of Rehabilitation Counsel I first acquired knowledge about the field of rehabilitation counseling (RC) through my employer. About two years ago, I was searching for new employment opportunities, although I was gainfully employed and still is. However, on my employer’s website page, one position was engrained into my memory. It was the position of a RC. The job description was appealing due to the fact of improving clients living, education, and work environments. That position requires the position holder to work hard to create a more inclusive, environment for people with disabilities. This is achieved by helping people to find the best assistance and solutions for their impairment.
This position also required the
attainment of a masters’ level degree. Soon after learning about the position a search was commenced to find a college or university which one can earn a master’s degree in RC. I searched the gamut of schools from online universities to community colleges. Selectively, Northern Illinois University (NIU) was the best choice. Due to the fact NIU’s requirements were more rigorous and NIU has a high level of academic excellence. Some online schools bolstered a person can earn a degree in as little as 18 months. I reasoned a program as such would not be of any benefit for me. Due to the fact that I enjoy being in person during a lecture or hands on exercise.
One example of this was the “Team-Based learning” exercises, this contributed the learning experience by directly engaging other students in small group settings. Sometimes students become more involved when they are part of a team and they have to be an accountable part for the team’s success. Communicate also increases among peers due to the fact some students rather talk in the team setting than in the entire class setting. In addition, variety played a key element, the TBL was not every time class met so that was excellent. Further, the TBL provided immediate feedback of the quiz, which was very helpful.
Selecting Rehabilitation Counseling as a Career
I choose rehabilitation counseling due to the fact, I always wanted to help people. Moreover, I always wanted to keep learning and growing as well. This is an occupation that one must stay abreast to the ever-changing laws, rules, and definitions of the profession. Further, I have a cousin and an aunt that possess physical impairments. They both utilizes wheelchairs for mobility. It is challenging to see how their health declines yearly, despite all the negative influences, which they have to deal with form society. First, there is discrimination of the disability; people are less inclined to engage in conversation and other means. Then there is race discrimination, in which a person may be denied access to an opportunity based on their skin color.
Moreover, the responsibilities of a rehabilitation counselor is in direct line of what I would like doing.
The employer that I work for lists three different sectors that an applicant can pursue when acquiring a rehabilitation job: (a) vocation RC, (b) home service program, and (c) facility based. The duties of the vocational track include transitioning from school to work, job search skills and techniques, initiate and cultivate employer relationships in the community. Next, the home services program encompasses conducting interviews to ascertain if a person is eligible to utilize the RC services, develop service plans for the client, and refer clients to physicians, psychologist, and therapist. Lastly, facility based entails conduction group counseling sessions, and developing and implementing programs, which promote healing and enhance life skills for integration into the
community. I would enjoy these responsibilities in a job and from my first look at rehabilitation counseling, I have gravitated towards the vocational RC responsibilities. This is in part where I can utilize my educational side of my undergraduate degree. For instance the school to work program.
Personal Professional Experience While working on my undergraduate degree I worked for the Illinois Department of Rehab Services (DORS). The position DORS, I helped people with disabilities attain better quality of life and independent living. In one of the positions, I worked with a woman five days a week. She had a physical disability where she was not physically able to extend her arms upward. The job duties was to assist her in daily living, this included doing laundry, cleaning, and driving. In addition, I for DORS with another client. The client was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He had experienced paralysis in both legs, one of his arms and the other arm was approximately 80% percent paralyzed. This man was a law student at Northern Illinois University (NIU). The level of care was much more extensive. In addition, he had lost the use of his bowels and he was fitted with a Colostomy receptacle. I was responsible for changing the colostomy receptacle, laundry, dietary needs and changing clothes. He was a large man and changing clothes were a bit labor intensive, even though there was a lift, which aided in this procedure. Lastly, I worked for a different client. He was a quadriplegic as well; this gentleman’s socioeconomic level was very modest. He needed a high level of care. The encompassed grocery shopping, dietary needs, bathing, toileting, catheter usage, cleaning, I believe that his family or another living assistant administered marijuana for him due to the fact, he told me that he was a marijuana smoker.
I am currently employed working with students, which have profound emotional impairments. The student are incarcerated in a youth prison. Before being able to work directly with the youth, one must have a bachelors’ degree in criminal justice, education, psychology, social work or a closely related social science field. If a person passes the interview phase, he or she must pass an extensive Federal Bureau of Investigation background check. Next, the potential employee have to complete six weeks of training in a prison like setting most of the time eating prison food. The training consisted of how to manage youth living centers, learning the proper procedures in emergencies radio codes and physical training (PT). Many people lost weight during the six-week training period as a result of not consuming many food items on the prison dietary menu. Prisoners also prepared and served the food to all the employees in training. Once a week if the training officer discretion the new employees could order food from local restaurants; however, the food must be delivered due to the fact, no one was able to leave the training facility. On the last few days of training, there was PT, which comprised a good part of self-defense, learning how to free yourself from holds, deflecting blows, and strength conditioning. Once the six weeks of training was complete, the newly hired employees could finally work with the incarcerated youth. Many of these youths come from broken homes, or no homes at all, there may have been living on the street as a result of being unwanted by family members. This usually stems from juvenile delinquent offences such as larceny in the home. In addition, repetitive criminal offenses in the public arena may play a part. We shadowed the first couple of week when working with the youth, due to the fact, of potential violence. In reference, to the population of youths at the facility at least one third of them take psychotropic medication. One of the job requirement is to build rapport with the youth manage daily activities such as develop individualized service plans. A service plan may include attending drug education classes if a youth has a tested positive for a foreign substance. Alternatively, if a youth have trouble with violence he may be required to attend anger management meetings. These meetings are held twice a week and there are other activities such as a program called Malachi Dads this program is for youth, which have children. This program helps the youth to be a more responsible father. Quite a few times the emotional issues are so strong; the youth would rather not attend the programs and just stay in their cell. Further, a person must have thick skin to work there as a result of being called every profanity there may be. In addition, there is a propensity of being spat on or having urine thrown on one’s self.
Bias
I do not have any bias working with any persons with disabilities.
Overcoming Personal Bias
I have no personal bias to overcome to serve the disability population.
Personal and Professional My personal goal after completing the Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling is to continue to improve my academic skills and increased my leadership participation for my resume.
I can increase my skills by volunteering for extracurricular job assignments at my current job. One of the assignments could include facilitation of the orientation sessions for new employees. Further, I will apply for a “Cycle Training” position. The trainer position is a part-time position. The job entails reviewing agency rules and policies with current employees. Each employee must take a yearly review and pass assessments to maintain employment at the agency.
In addition, I would want to make sure my resume is updated with any achievements, which I have made in graduate school and work experiences. I would also want to stay abreast to the changing legislation in reference to people with disabilities. Another goal would be to take the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) assessment at once after graduation. After which, I would like to sell my home and move to a Chicago suburb. The move would be to attain more employment opportunities and to reduce the commute time to and from
work.
The ultimate goal would be to attain a rehabilitation counseling positon after receiving my CRC credentials. I am seeking to become employed with a state agency although I would not turn down any private employment opportunities. I would like to initially work on the vocational side of rehabilitation counseling. Helping clients improve their job readiness skills, matching jobs with the clients capabilities and their likes. .
As was lectured in class one of the elements towards being a successful rehabilitation counselor would be to prepare well before meeting new clients. This would encompass doing my research first, looking at case notes, review intake documentation and determining what the best approach may be for the client. I would want this professional goal to be as if it were second nature. In addition, thoroughly learning, refining, and adjusting core counseling skills would be included in my goals. These skills comprises listening, knowing how to formulate and ask open and close questions. Using paraphrasing, summarizing and focusing to extrapolate the essence of the dialogue. In addition, a competent counselor would know when and how to use confrontation methods. Equally important is for a counselor to determine their personal style and theory, which is best, suited for him or her.