Psychology And Social Work
A psychologist is not a physician and, therefore, cannot prescribe medications. A psychologist works with behavior and coping. The psychologist helps the brain injured person cope with emotions or control behavior, or may also help the family deal with different aspects of the recovery process. Individual and group sessions are held with the clients in need of psychological services.
The sessions provided by the Social Worker are geared toward helping the clients regain personal control of their lives and increasing their level of independence. The sessions offer the clients the opportunity to express their emotions while learning to manage their behavior and interact with others in an appropriate and effective manner.
Some sessions are instructional in nature to educate the clients about brain injury and why they fell and behave as they do. Other sessions utilize various "worksheets" to assist in stimulating group discussions regarding emotions. We believe at BBRC that an individual's emotional stability is an essential component to recovery. Clients must learn about and then develop strategies for coping with their feelings and moods. This is crucial in achieving success in all rehabilitation goals. By learning these functional and compensatory skills, the client increases their involvement and interaction with their environment.
Irrational thought processes and maladaptive coping mechanisms are often a large component that requires addressing with the injured individual. The behavior team strives to provide meaningful alternatives to undesirable behavior and reinforcing adaptive behavior. Clients are encouraged to accept and love the "new person" that they have become. The behavior team along with the entire treatment team, attempts to maximize the client's choices which, in turn, allows the treatment team to encourage behavior that is consistent with recovery and personal growth.