Rehabilitation counsellor Jo Muirhead says she meets her share of people who don’t know what she actually does for a job.
Many hear the word “rehab” and assume she must work in drugs and alcohol. But as the Australian Society of Rehabilitation Counsellors indicates, rehabilitation counsellors assist people living with disabilities, health conditions or social disadvantage to undertake employment, live independently and access services in the community.
Muirhead’s clients, who are experiencing everything from post-cancer fatigue to depression, are often on the precipice of major transitions and transformations.
“There comes a point in time where people ask, ‘Well, what’s next for me? How do I contribute to the world?” she says.
“That is where rehab counselling really starts to shine. We help people make sense of where they fit within the world after they have experienced an injury, illness or traumatic event.”
Muirhead is the founder, director and principal consultant at rehabilitation consultancy Purple Co. She leads a team of clinicians who provide education, resources and support for clients who need to make challenging decisions about working.
Muirhead brings about 20 years of experience to her role. A typical day on the clinical side might involve seeing a client with an acquired brain injury about a pre-apprenticeship program, conducting a forensic-style assessment for an insurance company and spending time with a depressed client who is reconsidering their role in the workplace.
She estimates she devotes about 30 per cent of her overall role to her clinical work.
“I’m probably never going to give that up because I love the work that we do”, she says.
Muirhead’s qualification include a Bachelor of Health Science (Rehabilitation Counselling) and a Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and Training.
The Australian Society of Rehabilitation Counsellors accredits rehabilitation counsellor training programs at just a couple of Australian universities today (La Trobe University and Flinders University) but counsellors trained in other programs can qualify for membership with the society on a case-by-case basis.
Muirhead says rehabilitation counsellors should prioritise becoming clinically competent and developing clinical expertise in their early years.
“Just because you have a university degree does not mean you are well qualified to work with clients”, Muirhead says. “That gives you a framework to then start your learning”.
Muirhead was awarded Rehabilitation Counsellor of the Year at the 2018 Australian Allied Health Awards.
This year, some of her goals include expanding the company’s client base, resetting client thinking about how to make work work and educating people about rehabilitation counselling.
“I’d also like to continue to raise the profile of rehabilitation counselling so people understand we do have something unique to offer people”.
Published on The Sydney Morning Herald
By Josh Jennings
