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Abstract: At 100 years old, rehabilitation counseling (RC) must think systematically about its advancement going forward. Given the increasing demands that professions face these days, it behooves rehabilitation counseling to consider and plan for its sustained viability. This discussion offers the three strategies of leadership, research, and positioning of the profession that if embraced could render rehabilitation counseling (RC) nimble, able to reinvent itself, and relevant over time. For leadership, it is recommended that rehabilitation counseling (RC) embrace Transformational leadership combined with several specific leadership skills. Research should involve using strategic research deployment to target research efforts in a way to advance the rigor of the science and the status of the evidence base. RC also needs to think intentionally about positioning itself, capitalizing on its unique niche and attributes to expand its relevance and influence. Together, leadership, research and positioning could have a positive impact on the profession in 2018 and beyond. Keywords: advancement, future, leadership, research, rehabilitation counseling, positioning
The profession of rehabilitation counseling (RC) is now a century old. In the first 100 years of existence, the profession has played an instrumental role in mainstreaming the concept of disability into American society and improving the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. Today in the United States, there is not total acceptance of disability nor a level playing field of opportunities for persons with disabilities. However, the positive role of RC in advocating for such over the years is undeniable (Premuda-Conti & Lewis, 2011).
In 2018 and moving forward, there is still significant work to be done and RC can continue to play a valuable role. However, the role will have to include new tasks related to leadership, research, and positioning of the profession. Taking on these new tasks in addition to the clinical and advocacy roles that RC has traditionally assumed will advance the profession to be nimble and able to re-invent itself going forward to remain relevant.
Maintaining relevancy today continues to be a challenge for professions given the pressures of the current social and economic landscape, and the rapid pace of change. The competition for market share has never been greater as a function of the higher number of competitors in every sector of the professional and service...