The Evolving and Often Overlooked Potential of Self-Management in Rehabilitation Counseling: The Example of Multiple Sclerosis Self-Management

Background: As a comprehensive and holistic health, wellness, and self-advocacy framework, self-management has an important but underdeveloped role in assessment, health promotion, case and career planning, and employment support in rehabilitation counseling. Objective: In this article we (1) define self-management, (2) explore the continually evolving process of refining this fundamentally client-centered construct, and (3) explore its potential utility in rehabilitation counseling evaluation and case conceptualization, planning, and services. Method: We describe effective integration of self-management scales and constructs in rehabilitation assessment and case conceptualization and planning in the context of multiple sclerosis, a prevalent chronic health condition with potentially significant health and career impacts. The Multiple Sclerosis Self-Management Scale (MSSM) is described as an exemplar of the evolution of self-management and used as an example of the proposed application of self-management in rehabilitation counseling practice. Conclusion: Self-management is both consistent with the established values and principles of rehabilitation counseling and useful in guiding and informing rehabilitation counseling practice.