Need a Little Help? How Allied Health Professionals Can Support Homeschooling Families

Posted On February 2, 2024

In our previous blog post, we introduced you to a variety of mental health providers available to help support you along the way in your home education journey.

Licensed mental health professionals aside, there are numerous other professionals in what we term related fields that can provide a wealth of support to homeschooling families.

Other Types of Providers

• Addictions Counselor (formerly known as Substance Abuse Counselor) – “An addiction counselor (substance abuse counselor) helps people who have substance use disorders get treatment. They’re experts on the ins and outs of addiction and develop tailored treatment plans based on your specific addiction, needs, and goals” (from The Cleveland Clinic)
• Art Therapists (Registered Art Therapists) – “Art therapy is a mental health profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.” (from American Art Therapy Association)
• Christian Counselor – “Christian counseling integrates faith into the therapy process to promote improved mental health from a biblically-informed perspective. Christian counselors aim to address emotional suffering and dysfunction by providing compassionate support to those seeking help” (from Houston Christian University). For more information visit The American Association of Christian Counselors or The National Association of Christian Counselors.
• Educator – a person who teaches, provides instruction, or educates others; a professional educator has been certified by a state or other educational institution to teach or instruct students.
• Music Therapists – “Music therapists’ objectives are to determine and utilize music therapy approaches that effectively aid in the restoration, maintenance, and improvement of mental and physical health. Music therapists believe in the dignity and worth of every person. They promote the use of music in therapy, establish and maintain high standards in public service, and require of ourselves the utmost in ethical conduct.” (from American Music Therapy Association)
• Occupational Therapists – “Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants focus on the things you want and need to do in your daily life. Occupational therapy intervention uses everyday life activities (occupations) to promote health, well-being, and your ability to participate in the important activities in your life. This includes any meaningful activity that a person wants to accomplish, including taking care of yourself and your family, working, volunteering, and going to school, among many others.” (from American Occupational Therapy Association)
• Pastoral Counselor – “Pastoral Counseling is a unique and challenging career. Individuals must develop and maintain skills in two distinct areas counseling and ministry. It is a major challenge to maintain professional competence in these two unique fields” (from the National Board for Certified Pastoral Counselors). For more information, visit their website www.nbcpc.org
• Physical Therapists – “Physical therapists are licensed doctors who work with multiple patient populations impacted by disease, injury, and movement dysfunction. They optimize quality of life by maintaining, restoring, and improving patient’s ability to move, function, and live more active lifestyles.” (from American Physical Therapy Association)
• Professional Life Coach – “A life coach is a type of wellness professional who helps people make progress in their lives to attain greater fulfillment. Life coaches aid their clients in improving their relationships, careers, and day-to-day lives. Life coaches can help you clarify your goals, identify the obstacles holding you back, and then come up with strategies for overcoming each obstacle.” (from Very Well Mind)
• Rehabilitation Counselor – “Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, or emotional disabilities live independently” (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• School Counselor – “School counselors are certified/licensed educators who improve student success for ALL students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program” (American School Counselor Association)
• School Psychologist – “School psychologists receive specialized advanced graduate preparation that includes coursework and practical experiences relevant to both psychology and education. School psychologists typically complete either a specialist-level degree program”  (from the National Association of School Psychologists). While school psychologists typically work in public or private education environments, many also work in the private sector as consultants.
• Speech Language Pathologists – “Speech-language pathologists, also SLPs, are experts in communication. SLPs work with people of all ages, from babies to adults. SLPs treat many types of communication and swallowing problems.” (the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)

Coming Up on The Homeschool Counseling Network

Have you ever wondered about the different types of therapy practices?

Perhaps you’re curious about the difference between professional counseling and professional coaching.

Upcoming blog posts will answer all of these questions and more.

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Blessings,

Kimberly

IOH Mom

Founder/CEO, It’s Only Homeschooling

Founder/CEO, The Homeschool Counseling Network

This website is not a professional counseling website and nothing here should be construed as professional counseling advice. Although Kimberly Bennett, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she is not your counselor, and no counselor-client relationship is established unless she has signed an agreement with you. All information provided through this website is for informational and educational purposes only.