Many staff members have told us this is their greatest challenge. In vocational rehabilitation work, you will deal with many people who have mental disabilities, mental illness or emotional problems. Sometimes lack of motivation, depression and anger may be related to the need to adjust to a disability, other times problems may be due to environment or simply part of an individual's personality. There are people who think that everyone with a disability is someone to be admired or just needs a caring person in their life and then they will be grateful and everything will be wonderful. Those people don't have much experience in vocational rehabilitation. People with disabilities are like everyone else. Some are very capable, motivated and easy to work with. There are other people who, when you see them walk in the door, you wish you had called in sick.

How to drive Dr. De Mars crazy
A staff member at a vocational rehabilitation program complained about the consumers,

Dr. De Mars looked at the person in disbelief for a minute. Dr. Longie has strongly cautioned her against whacking people upside the head, no matter how tempting it may be at the moment. Then, she replied, very slowly,

"Those are the people who need vocational rehabilitation, and that is why you have a job. I have a sign over my desk that says, 'Be thankful for all of the people who annoy you and things that go wrong during your day. If it wasn't for them, someone half as qualified would be doing your job for half as much. ' If those people did not have those problems, they would get a job without your help. The purpose of your program is to help them overcome those problems, if possible, and, if not, help them get employed despite those problems."

Easier said than done? Well, of course. Isn't everything?