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January/February 2004

By Sarah Schmelling

Having lived most of my life in the Midwest and now residing in Los Angeles, I have managed to learn a lot about the power of perspective. As people in Southern California could tell you, we are currently suffering a “cold snap” with “freezing” temperatures, which are mostly in the low to mid 50s. While people here complain bitterly and wrap themselves in wool scarves and hats, I can’t help thinking that the same temperatures in Chicago would have people outside, in shorts, barbequing. It makes me see that the way you look at the world really winds up being about the specific environment you are in.

This idea can easily be applied to the work environment. You may love your actual profession—the functions of what your job should be—but if your workplace just isn’t right for you, it could lead to doubts over whether you are in the right line of work. Luckily for rehab professionals, however, you are in an industry that is all about flexibility. And if you find yourself in a job situation that doesn’t feel right, there are so many other places a therapist can find an interesting and rewarding career.

Take the topic of our cover story for example (“Back to School,” page 14). As you will learn, Shaelene Ibbeteson, MS, CCC, SLP, worked in a variety of environments before she found the field she really wants to be in—providing pediatric speech-language therapy in schools. While she says she finds the work challenging, she believes she has much more independence now than she did when working for medical facilities. The company she works for, Progressus Therapy Inc, places PTs, OTs, and SLPs in schools to work directly with children. Progressus uses a “managed therapy” approach, meaning that in addition to working with the schools, the company also provides training, orientation, and a network of peers for its employees. While there are certainly other programs that put rehab professionals in schools—The Bridge School, cofounded by Pegi Young, the wife of musician Neil Young, is perhaps the best-known example—it is important to see such innovative programs continuing to grow.

If this isn’t enough proof of the variety of career options open to you, this issue also provides some other examples. In “Therapeutic Light,” page 20, you can learn about low level laser therapy, a practice quickly becoming a great way to treat tissue injuries and pain, written by a recognized expert in this field, Chukuka Enwemeka, PT, PhD, FACSM. On page 30, you will find an article on a topic you’ve heard about before—the special needs of geriatric clients using assistive technology; however, the author, Susan Nochajski, PhD, OTR/L, takes a newer perspective by discussing working with older clients who have developmental disabilities. These topics demonstrate just a few of the many facets of this ever-widening industry. So, if your job is currently getting you down, look around. Maybe the problem is not what you are doing, but where you are doing it. Remember, every 55-degree icy tundra is somebody else’s 4th of July.

Sarah Schmelling
cwolski@medpubs.com

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