Program Learning Objectives
The Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling program prepares rehabilitation counselors and related rehabilitation professionals for entry into and/or advancement in counseling-related positions in public and private rehabilitation agencies, organizations, and systems.
More specifically, the program is designed to:
- Enhance knowledge of rehabilitation concepts and practices;
- Provide individuals with the counseling skills necessary for functioning in rehabilitation settings;
- Increase awareness and sensitivity to disability issues;
- Prepare individuals for certification as rehabilitation counselors;
- Enhance individuals’ employability in entry-level or advanced clinical positions in community rehabilitation settings.
The program offers a learning environment in which the student can acquire the academic competencies of the profession and refine them through supervised practical experience. The program also provides a facilitative process through which the student can increase self-understanding, self-confidence, and personal effectiveness.
Students are expected to develop:
- A consideration of the developmental needs of individuals with disabilities in community settings and recognition of their needs at all developmental levels.
- A commitment to treat each person with respect as a unique individual.
- An awareness of societal trends, cultural diversity, and changing roles and lifestyle patterns of individuals and a comprehension of the impact of disability on physical, psychological, social, family, economic, and vocational functioning.
- An understanding that the primary vehicle for assisting individuals with disabilities is a sound counseling relationship which empowers the person through all phases of the rehabilitation process, as well as skill in establishing and maintaining meaningful goals and objectives.
- Knowledge and skill in applying helping processes, theoretical frameworks, and facilitative skills to enhance the rehabilitation counseling relationship and the rehabilitation process.
- Knowledge of group dynamic processes and group counseling methods and skills as applied in rehabilitation counseling settings.
- Knowledge and skills in applying career development theory, decision-making approaches, and occupational/educational information sources to the rehabilitation process.
- Knowledge and skills in utilization of job development, job placement, job modification, and occupational and educational information sources to facilitate client decision-making, return to work, job development, job modification, and job placement efforts.
- Knowledge and skills associated with appraisal of the individual including applying assessment and data-gathering processes, psychometric concepts, relevant ethical and legal concerns, and integrating results of medical, psychological and vocational evaluations with the rehabilitation counseling practices.
- Knowledge and skills in utilization of research design and implementation techniques in conducting relevant research studies and applying research findings to current rehabilitation counseling practices.
- An accurate realization and perception of the multiple roles of the rehabilitation counselor and current trends of professional organizations in rehabilitation counseling.
- An awareness of contemporary legal and ethical issues impacting the work of the rehabilitation counselor.
- An awareness of the environmental, social, and attitudinal barriers which create obstacles for people with disabilities and knowledge and skills in assisting in the removal of these barriers.
- A commitment to lifelong learning, critical thinking, resource development, creative problem solving, and the development of a professional network.