This module focuses on practical, everyday support skills that can be used by vocational rehabilitation counselors and disability-support professionals when working with people experiencing mental distress. It centers non-clinical interactions, ethical boundaries, and small, supportive actions that can help reduce distress in the moment.
If you need a refresher, revisit Module 2 – Depression, Anxiety, and Panic.
What this module covers
- Everyday support strategies that can be used within professional scope
- Communication approaches that support regulation and understanding
- Common myths about mental distress that can shape responses
- The role of boundaries, expectations, and peer support
What you’ll practice using
- Simple communication tools to help someone feel heard and grounded
- Ways to acknowledge distress without attempting to fix or diagnose
- Approaches for breaking overwhelming situations into manageable steps
- Language that supports autonomy rather than pressure or shame
Included in this Module
- The Six Steps to Success
- Using OARS in non-therapeutic settings
- The “Yes, And…” Technique
- Replacing “Should” Statements with SMART Goals
- Burnout Prevention for Practitioners
- Module 3 Summary and Reflection
This module emphasizes practice over perfection. You can return to these tools as often as needed and adapt them to your context.
A summary and reflection exercise is included at the end of this module for those who want to pause and reflect.
When you’re ready, continue to The Six Steps to Success.
Disability and Mental Distress 