Rehabilitation Counselors

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Human Geography
Secondary Topic: Environment and Society

Overview: Rehabilitation counselors work with clients at any stage of their lives who live with different types of disabilities from physical, mental, or emotional, to manage their lives independently and overcome any difficulties that may arise. If a client develops a disability later in life, such as a military veteran diagnosed with PTSD, a Rehabilitation Counselor would assist them in adjusting to life with their disability and help them navigate their life by providing resources for them to implement in their day-to-day life, advocating for them in their workplace and to law makers to ensure that they have support from political leaders as well.

Rehabilitation Counselors should know of various factors within their location that might impact their client’s ability to thrive in their community, these factors can range from politics, economics, to even a public transit system or lack thereof. A general understanding of human geography, or the interactions and relationships between a person and their environment and community would allow for Rehabilitation Counselors to fully understand what their client needs and how to help them in the most effective way.

Geographers at work:  Human Geographers, Cultural Geographers, Health Geographers

Recommended College Courses: Geography of Health, Location Analysis, Urban Geography, Introduction to Cultural Geography, World Geography, Research Methods in Geography

Skills: Human Geography, Cultural Geography, Health Geography, Communication Skills

Occupation Group: Community and Social Services

Learn more about Rehabilitation Counselors from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/rehabilitation-counselors.htm