Counseling

Disability classifications for this Service

Examples of a students who can benefit from the related service

Activity Involvement

How It helps

Counseling is for EVERYONE that has been diagnosed with a disability. Society and people without disabilities often view it as a negative. Everyone needs assistance in comprehending and understanding their diagnosis. (Walz&Bleuer, 2014)

Counseling can specifically help students with developmental delays like Learning Delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cerebral Palsy, and Intellectual Disabilities.

Counselors try and help the disabled person and their families use person-first language. (Walz&Bleuer, 2014)

Counseling can help the individual with the disability identify and overcome self-imposed barriers and Other-imposed barriers. (Walz&Bleuer, 2014)

A student recently diagnosed with ASD.

What are Related Services?

Related Services refer to the specialized help a child receives outside of the general education and the special education classroom. They are apart of a child's IEP or 504 Plan.

Academic Achievement

Physical Well-being

Social-Emotional Well-being

Occupational Therapy (Click to View)

IDEA Disability Classifications Eligible for OT ➕ Why These Categories are Eligible for OT

• Specific Learning Disability ➕ difficulty reading, writing, and/or mathematics
• Other Health Impairment ➕ limited strength, vitality, alertness due to chronic health issues
• ASD ➕ developmental disability affecting verbal/nonverbal communication and social skills
• Visual Impairment, including blindness ➕ irreversible loss of vision
• Deaf blindness ➕ consistent and simultaneous loss of vision and hearing
• Deafness ➕ irreversible loss of hearing Hearing Impairment (permanent or fluctuating loss of hearing)
• Orthopedic Impairment ➕ impairments caused by disease, congenital anomaly, and other causes
• Intellectual Disability ➕ below average intellectual functioning with deficits in adaptive behavior
• Traumatic Brain Injury ➕ brain injury resulting in partial or total functional disability
• Multiple Disabilities ➕ combination of impairments not including deaf blindness
• Emotional Disturbance ➕ difficulty learning, building relationships, displaying feelings normally etc.
  

Examples of Students Who May Benefit from OT ↔ Possible Treatment Activities:

According to the organization Occupational Therapy for People with Disabilities, individuals experiencing the following may find benefit in receiving occupational therapy:

• Autism or sensory processing disorders ↔ social participation techniques and confidence building
• Developmental delays or learning disabilities ↔ memory aids and techniques to develop memory
• Broken bones or orthopedic injuries ↔ specialized equipment like wheelchairs, splints,
• Birth injuries or defects ↔ motor skills development, specialized equipment use, pain and fatigue management
• Amputations ↔ support to perform activities at school, work etc.
• Traumatic brain injuries ↔ memory aids and techniques to develop memory, self-regulation management and emotional management strategies, motor skills development
• Mental health or behavioral problems ↔ self-regulation and emotional management strategies
• Cerebral Palsy ↔ hand-eye coordination, motor skills development (hand grips, handwriting, teeth brushing etc.)
• Chronic illnesses ↔ pain and fatigue management
• Fatigue ↔ pain and fatigue management
• Emotionally Disturbed ↔ self-regulation and emotional management strategies
  (Occupational Therapy for People with Disabilities, 2019)
  

Counselors my teach the student coping skills through an activity book

A student my build a "pizza" to develop the ability to follow auditory sequencing instructions

A student may be asked to draw emotional facial expressions on different colored balloons

Students may play paper toss basketball to develop hand strength

Scenario of a Student Who May Benefit from Occupational Therapy

Adam is an 8th grade student diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder - excessive, perpetual, and uncontrollable worry to the extent that interests and performance in daily life routines and activities are interrupted even neglected and inhibited (Mayo Clinic, 2021). Because GAD stops people from focusing on important life activities causing slow information processing, poor initiation and motivation, low concentration, fatigue, loss of sleep, muscle tension or muscle aches, trembling, twitching, nervousness, nausea, phobias, difficulty speaking up in class, social isolation, poor ability to understand and follow directions, poor ability to complete assignments, difficulty managing thoughts and worries, an Occupational Therapist can help them. Occupational Therapists " use meaningful activities to help children and youth participate in what they need and or want to do in order to promote physical and mental health and well-being. Occupational therapy practitioners focus on participation in the following areas: education, play and leisure, social participation, activities of daily living (ADLs; e.g., eating, dressing, hygiene), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs; e.g., meal preparation, shopping), sleep and rest, and work. These are the usual occupations of childhood. Task analysis is used to identify factors (e.g., sensory, motor, social–emotional, cognitive) that may limit successful participation across various settings, such as school, home, and community. Activities and accommodations are used in intervention to promote successful performance in these settings" (AOTA, 2021).

Strategies the OT Will Use to Help Children with Mental Disorders

1. Create a sensory modulation kit and/or a sensory diet.
2. Use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
3. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to help students develop skills to recognize and manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
4. Teach relaxation techniques and positive self-talk that students can use in the classroom and at home.
5. Promote participation in meaningful leisure activities. (AOTA, 2021)