Rehabilitation psychology caters to an individual with emotional problems due to a disability. It aims to help the person and his family to cope and take control of their life again after a disability. It is directed to give hope and happiness in the lives of disability victims.

The hardest thing to bear is one that affects us emotionally. We can cry at movies, mull over a nice song, and shout our hearts out in a rock concert. Everyday, we are driven to do things by our emotions. We often find ourselves trusting our hearts more than our minds. What we feel is more important than what we think should be done. 

A disease, whether inborn or acquired through the years, and accidents, may cause a person’s disability. Temporary or permanent, however minor or serious, this can greatly affect the lives of the victim and those close to them. They would need constant reassurances, and plenty of love for them to find meaning in their lives again. This is where rehabilitation psychology comes in. 

When speaking of disability, it does not necessarily mean a total injury or impairment of the physical aspect. It can be anything from physical, sensory, cognitive, or emotional limitation of functions. Nevertheless, however small this disability is, the impact in the lives of the person and their family is still there. It could affect their relationships with other people, their work, and learning ability. This is the reason rehabilitation psychology is necessary. 

Rehabilitation psychology allows the individual to function as close as possible to how they used to function before the disability. Families and friends are also encouraged to have rehabilitation psychology so that they may better care for their loved one. There are several services provided by rehabilitation psychology, some of which are: assessment, counseling, wellness promotion, job placement, and education and consultation. 

There are many services rehabilitation psychology provides. There is health and behavior consultation. This allows one to learn about information on a particular health condition and how it can affect one’s life. Another service offered by rehabilitation psychology is counseling and psychotherapy. This is geared towards influencing one’s attitudes and emotions with the need to change one’s behavior. Cognitive remediation is a service that helps an individual achieve cognitive abilities necessary with school or work, or their life in general, and is important in their practice of independence in the community as well. 

Rehabilitation psychology can only help the individual go back to a normal life again. It does not cure the disability itself. Furthermore, it also does not guarantee a worry-free life. It is just there to give the individual a sense of self-worth and aid them in accepting their disability. Rehabilitation psychology is just the way for them to achieve a more productive and happier life despite the disability that came into their lives.

Summary: Rehabilitation psychology is the profession which helps individuals and their families accept and positively live with the effects of a disability.