My name is Sarah, and I am a 2012 graduate of the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program* at Pitt. I am currently a Disability Specialist in the Department of Disability Resources and Services at the University of Pittsburgh (I just couldn’t stay away!). Prior to my current position I spent 10 1/2 years with Main Line Rehab/NeuroRestorative. If it wasn’t for my time in the Rehab Counseling program, I would not have been prepared to take on my roles in these organizations.
At Main Line/NeuroRestorative, I completed intake assessments for individuals with traumatic brain injuries and other neurological diagnoses and oversaw the daily operations of our Pittsburgh program. I was responsible for not only completing in-person assessments, but also reviewing medical records and documentation to determine severity of injury/impairment in order to generate a course of treatment. This often involved reviewing neuropsychological evaluations. I recall my time in the Counseling program, completing my assignments for my Clinical, Diagnostic, and Functional Assessment in Counseling course and really being challenged with the content. I would keep telling myself, “Just get through it, Sarah, and you will never have to do it again.” Little did I know it would become a part of my daily life. Shout out to professor emeritus of Rehabilitation Science and Technology and founder and former director of the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program Michael McCue for teaching an excellent course and being so thorough with the course content to really make sure that the students understood the concepts being presented. Although I may not have fully appreciated it at the time, having that knowledge and experience with reviewing and knowing how to read/interpret neuropsychological evaluations really gave me a leg up in my career and helped me to better understand the individuals that I was working with regarding their cognitive strengths and deficits. This in turn set me up to provide a more targeted course of treatment to meet each individual’s specific needs. For all of you thinking, “When am I ever going to use this?” trust me, it will come back around and you will be grateful for having that exposure.
In my current position I am responsible for working with Pitt faculty and staff who request accommodation in the workplace. During my time in the Counseling program, I learned the ins and outs of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its amendments as well as other legislature related to disability rights. It gave me the foundation required to know the parameters of what qualifies as a disability and what is considered reasonable accommodation. Through in class assignments, I had exposure to case studies in which I had to identify reasonable accommodations for an individual based on job requirements and identified disability. This gave me exposure to the tasks that I would later be asked to do on a daily basis in my job, which provided me with confidence in my decision-making skills. These exercises also helped me to develop my critical thinking skills to identify conventional as well as out of the box ideas and approaches to workplace accommodations.
My time in the Counseling program also taught me how to not only be a better clinician, but a better member of society-- one that strives for equality, diversity and inclusivity. I gained invaluable knowledge related to disabilities and society, societal perceptions of individuals with disabilities (including ongoing biases, prejudices and misconceptions), and appropriate interaction styles and language. I was taught the concept of a person-centered approach and using person-first language. I learned the importance of getting to know the individuals that I work with as a person, rather than just focusing on their diagnosis. This allowed me to establish a rapport that then allowed me to better understand not only the individual’s rehabilitation needs, but also their own perceived quality of life, which in turn helped me to develop a more holistic and well-rounded treatment plan.
I consider myself beyond fortunate to have been able to attend such a well-rounded program. Not everyone can say that their studies prepared them so thoroughly for their careers post-graduation, but my fellow program graduates and I are among the lucky few. We were exposed to not only the clinical material, but also the social and societal implications and attitudes towards individuals with disabilities throughout history and in our current social climate. It created a curriculum that set students up to be able to tackle all challenges that may come their way. I would not be where I am now if it were not for my time in the program, and I will be forever grateful.
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Written by Sarah Fischer (MS’ 12)
Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program*
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*The Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program will be the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in Fall of 2023.
Learn more about the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program or contact an enrollment specialist today at enroll@shrs.pitt.edu.
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Published March 7, 2023