Working in Rehabilitation: Which Therapy Profession Is Right for You?
It’s time for a quick run-down of three very different therapy professions. When we think about ‘rehabilitation’, we tend to think about multiple concepts. For some, the word ‘rehabilitation’ might conjure thoughts of physical recovery and someone’s gradual progress to being physically capable after an accident or injury. For others, the concept might mean something more like a journey to emotional wellbeing after a turbulent time.
No matter the type of rehabilitation you are interested in or knowledgeable about, there are a number of different therapy professions which could be suited to you. In this article, we’ll be exploring three of them: physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.
What is physical therapy?
At its core, being a physical therapist is about diagnosing a patient’s physical problem and designing a rehabilitation routine that will see them restore their physical capabilities.
No matter if a patient is affected by injury, illness or disability, your role will be to work with them to build their strength back up to how it was. You would likely be helping them undertake a series of exercises that reduce their chances of struggling with their physical issues in the future.
- Being a physical therapist could offer you decent work-life flexibility and a variety of work environments to choose from, including hospitals, clinics, or even as a private at-home practice.
- It can be extremely rewarding to watch your patient progress through their physical limitations, coming out happier and healthier on the other side.
- Being a physical therapist can keep you in shape! You often need to perform all sorts of stretches and physical activities alongside your patient, so this can be really beneficial for you.
What is speech therapy?
As a speech therapist, you would be providing care and rehabilitation for children and adults who are experiencing difficulties with speaking and communicating. Secondarily, you might also help patients struggling with other oral functions such as eating, drinking or swallowing.
Speech therapy has somewhat more of a psychological slant than physical therapy, but you will also need to learn how to prescribe physical interventions for those struggling with the above.
Being a speech therapist could be right for you, if:
- You gain a deep sense of satisfaction from helping others improve their relationships with others via speech and communication.
- You are prepared to spend six to eight years getting qualified for the role. This usually starts with a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology, audiology or communication disorders.
- You would be happy to work with children and in schools. Many speech therapists often help children who might be struggling to communicate, or with other issues like stuttering.
What is occupational therapy?
A great option if you want to get into healthcare and therapy without specializing in just one area, occupational therapy focuses on holistic healing.
As an occupational therapist, you would be helping a wide range of people win back their everyday functions in a wide range of settings. One day you could be working with a child in a school, and the next day be helping a dementia patient and their family to address personality changes.
To enjoy working in occupational therapy, you should:
- Be prepared to work with a challenging variety of patients, although helping such a diverse range of people could be deeply rewarding.
- Be a problem solver who will need to adapt to the specific rehabilitation needs of every patient.
- Above all, be a compassionate people-person! You will need to be empathetic to a wide range of people, and understand what they are going through in order to suggest effective treatments.
No matter which path you choose to go down, every career in rehabilitation therapy offers a deep sense of satisfaction, great pay and varied work. At Burger Physical Therapy, we offer a number of opportunities both in the field and on the administrative side of rehabilitation work.
