Adult Rehabilitation Psychology

Rehabilitation Psychology is a specialty area within psychology that focuses on the study and application of psychological knowledge and skills on behalf of individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions in order to maximize health and welfare, independence and choice, functional abilities, and social role participation, across the lifespan.

Typical Patient Populations seen by a Rehabilitation Psychologist:

• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Stroke
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Limb loss / Amputation
• Burn Injury
• Complex medical and or neurological conditions
• Polytrauma
• Adjustment post critical illness

Rehabilitation Psychologists work in a variety of settings and provide a range of services with a focus on adjustment to illness / new onset disability via addressing factors that impact a patient’s highest level of independence with a goal of maximizing quality of life. Services within this setting are patient-centered and typically provided via individual psychotherapy. However, family sessions and involvement in team meetings also commonly occur to best meet the individuals’ needs and provide the most beneficial services to individuals in an effort to achieve their desired goals and well-being.

This service is limited in capacity, but cases are determined on an individual basis. If a patient is seen for this service, they would present for an intake appointment, after which the patient and Psychologist would identify goals for treatment and determine the potential length of time required to work toward the goals. Individuals will often initially be seen weekly for 60 minute treatment sessions, and pending progression, sessions may be decreased to biweekly, monthly, or every few months until the Psychologist and patient determine they are ready to be discharged from services because treatment has been maximized at that time. The goal of treatment is to provide the patient with tools necessary to navigate daily function and maximize independence and quality of life.