James has worked as a carpenter for many years. He is highly skilled at
his job, and knows little else. But suddenly, a fall from a rooftop made it
impossible for him to return to work. He is lost. He doesn't have many other
skills, and fears he will never find satisfying work again.
Katina Feggos, a rehabilitation counselor, says she works with many people
in similar situations. "I work with people who have been doing the same occupation
for 10 or 20 years," she says. "All of the sudden they have to change, and
there are a lot of fears that go along with that."
What can James do? He has a family to support and a home to pay for. Sometimes,
as in this case, the options are few. "This is a special population I work
with," says Feggos. "They are skilled, but often they aren't well educated
and so it isn't easy to change into another type of work."
Can James even think of an office job? "If a person is used to labor-intensive
work, it can be a real adjustment," says Feggos.
Feggos tries to make the transition for injured workers more than just
a way for them to earn a new living and put food on the table. She wants them
to feel fulfilled and even enjoy the new line of work.
"It can be very hard," she says. "In some of these cases, it's all the
person knows. The father, uncles, brother are all in the same line of work.
It's hard to change.
"You have to treat these situations with kid gloves," says Feggos. "You
have to be very sensitive and understanding. There is a great deal of fear
in the unknown."
She says she has to make them want the change. "You have to instill motivation
and create excitement in looking for work."
It takes a special kind of person to be able to truly help injured people
find a new line of work and new way of living. This is also true of rehabilitation
counselors who work with the disabled.
"The people who enter this field are people who genuinely like other people,"
says Aldred Neufeldt. He is a professor of community rehabilitation and disability
studies.
"You have to be prepared to work with the disabled, and help them achieve
rights in our society."
While this work can be draining, he says it's also rewarding. "There is
a lot of satisfaction that comes from helping those who don't have the advantages
to achieve a goal," he says.
"Nothing is more rewarding than having a person call to thank you because
what had been a life-altering event had been turned into a great opportunity,"
says Margaret Glenn. She is a professor of rehabilitation counseling at West
Virginia University.
"Rehabilitation counselors can help people work through the emotional impact
of disability, identify their strengths and develop plans for independence
and employment. They are with the clients throughout the process as a partner,
and can celebrate the successes."
Glenn says the field is diverse. "That in itself is a challenge, which
I found exciting," she says.
"One can specialize in serving people with a specific disability or generalize
and be exposed to learning something new every day. Few occupations provide
the flexibility or give more autonomy to a counselor. It's rewarding to be
in a position to identify a need and actually be able to provide the services
that are needed."
Feggos agrees that the job is always different. "There is a lot of variety
in rehabilitation counseling," she says. "You can work at a lot of different
levels, and it's fun to explore all the different options that might be open
to a client."
She finds it interesting to go one step further, and work with the community
at large. "It's exciting to go into the community and find people who will
sponsor clients," she says. "Often we'll go in and see how the client is doing
and how they are getting used to the job."
Mark Tyrrell, an employment specialist, agrees that variety makes the job
exciting. He also says it can be tough. "It's difficult when a client seems
to be making progress but then resorts to old methods or ideas. This can be
frustrating and stressful for both the client and the rehab counselor," he
says.
But he adds that the successes in the business are what make it all worthwhile.
"This career is very rewarding when clients return to visit," he says.
"An impact and a connection was obviously made with the client. The clients
return because they want to let people know that they're still doing well,
and because they realize that the rehab counselor has made an impact on their
lives."
Rehabilitation counselors do have the power to turn a person's life and
work around for the better. "It is very rewarding to be able to make such
a difference in people's lives," agrees Feggos.