What is Rehabilitative Therapy?
People dealing with mental health concerns might feel like outsiders in society. They may wonder how they can reintegrate and lead a healthy, fulfilling life after a mental health diagnosis. Rehabilitative therapy aims to make the process easier by empowering people with the tools, therapy, and support to succeed in their work, school, and personal lives.
At its core, mental health rehabilitation works to help a person re-establish a sense of emotional health so they can once again function in their regular life. Often, rehabilitative therapy includes in-patient or intensive outpatient support for individuals recovering from mental health diagnoses.
Many mental health rehabilitation programs use a whole-person approach to treatment. This approach, called Psychosocial Rehabilitation, means rehabilitation centers include mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual tools to help enhance healing in many different aspects of life.
Principles of Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Some principles guide mental health professionals in their psychosocial rehabilitation work. With the ultimate goal being to reintegrate into society with an optimal level of functioning, this work uses principles that support this goal.
- Encourages Hope – Supports the idea that while there will be struggles, there is hope for every individual, no matter their specific mental health concerns.
- Empowers – Gives people the tools to continue to use even after psychosocial rehabilitation.
- Skills – Helps people practice concrete skills that will support their unique treatment plan and lead to healing in their regular lives.
- Supports – Acts as a safety net of resources people can return to if they need extra support.
Who Can Benefit From Psychosocial Rehabilitation?
Mental health professionals who work in rehabilitative therapy recognize that each person is as unique as their recovery. But, some people experience similar mental health conditions or have certain levels of functioning that are more likely to benefit from psychosocial rehabilitation.
- People With Mental Illness, Including Addiction – People diagnosed with conditions that make daily living difficult, such as schizophrenia, substance use disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, neuropsychological disorders, developmental disorders, and other serious mental illnesses, may benefit from mental health rehabilitation.
- People Who Were Abused or Neglected – Abuse during early childhood, or at any point in a person’s life, can cause difficulties in functioning and can lead to conditions like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and substance use. Mental health rehabilitation can be effective for these people as it combines different types of intensive treatment in one place.
- People Who Need Help After Trauma – Sometimes, a traumatic experience can lead to difficulty in everyday tasks and interpersonal relationships. Rehabilitation services help restore optimal functioning for people who have difficulty feeling secure.
- People Who Lack a Supportive Environment and Resources – If a person is experiencing a mental health issue and lacks a support system, they may be more likely to encounter difficulties, including trouble with the law, lack of housing, and low income. A support system is key to recovery, and mental health rehabilitation centers can provide that.
Goals of Rehabilitative Therapy
Ultimately, rehabilitative therapy for mental health conditions aims to develop coping skills and a bank of resources people can carry in their transition back to their day-to-day life. These skills help manage stressful or triggering situations to increase overall mental health and life satisfaction.
- Learn or Re-Learning Life Skills – This learning could include communication and functioning in relationships, daily living tasks, work skills, and decision making.
- Increasing Life Functioning – Depending on the mental health concern, this may involve skills training or coping mechanisms.
- Lessening or Stopping Substance Use – Often, assisting individuals with substance use issues involves developing healthier coping skills, identifying triggers, and establishing and maintaining a support system.
- Promoting Healthy Living – Whatever this means for the individual, rehabilitation professionals are there to assist in promoting healthy living.
- Boosting Self-Esteem – Self-esteem helps all areas of life, specifically for people who experienced trauma or who have severe mental illnesses.
- Developing Better Coping Mechanisms – Key to rehabilitation is finding coping mechanisms that help alleviate stress or difficult emotions during challenging situations.
Areas of Concern for Rehabilitation
The team of professionals available for people at rehabilitation centers often has specific areas of specialty. This rehabilitative therapy team works together with each individual to increase their functioning in various areas.
- Work – Finding a job or way to become financial security is crucial to life after rehabilitation. Social workers, counselors, and career coaches may be available at mental health rehabilitation centers to work with individuals on job skills, resumes, and interviewing to find a job that works for them.
- Housing – Housing is key to stability after rehabilitation. The recovery journey continues after acute rehabilitation, and having stable housing is important for people for safety reasons. Securing housing can also be a point of pride and accomplishment. Professionals can assist people in securing housing at price points that work for their situation.
- Community Functioning – Reintegrating into a community after rehabilitation can be intimidating. Counselors, therapists, and social workers are available for people to make a plan for enjoying themselves in their community. This plan may also include safety measures if the person becomes triggered during a community event, outing, or gathering.
- Relationships – Working on relationships is a constant in life. People dealing with mental health concerns may face even more difficulty in relational functioning. During rehabilitation, therapists and counselors often work to address core issues that lead to difficulty in relationships, processing emotions, and developing communication and coping skills that work for them.
Finding Rehabilitative Therapy Professionals Near You
If you or someone you know is considering rehabilitative therapy, you can find help at All Counseling. Search for therapists in your area specializing in recovery and mental health rehabilitation, learn more about rehabilitation centers, and get the mental health help you deserve.
