Author: Rehab Expert

Intimidators: Tailgaters, Drunken Jerks or Glaring Attorneys? Need an Expert? I’m Here to Help!

Reading Time: 3 minutes
Remember the last time someone tried to intimidate you? How about when a person (for example, that careless tailgater or the drunk in the same beer line as you) may think they can make another person do something or react in some way? Exceed the posted speed limit ~ NOPE! Pay attention to public intoxication ~ NOT INTERESTED! or say something to the drunken jerk ~ NO WAY!Go ahead be one, I don’t care!

During cross examination in the past, I’ve received a pretty mean looking facial expression/glaring eyes/stare down/stern voice/condescending attitude and a critical tone to the long litany of questions arising from the mouth of an attorney on a workers’ compensation court case. I knew this attorney was trying hard to intimidate me. Go ahead, try!

But, I answered all questions calmly. P.S. ~ I love it when the attorney can’t even remember what was asked and has to refer to the court reporter! I stuck to my guns (aka: my knowledge base) during my testimony, and talked about what I knew about. I knew what I knew.

I know, bring it on!

I’ve never been intimidated much by people (places, things or even animals either for that matter). Okay, okay, I am intimidated by Mother Nature, a force to be feared, and treated with utmost respect e specially when she zoome a mesocyclone or other tornado-like activity my way. I’ll never forget the evergreen tree in my front yard crash down on the car in my neighbor’s driveway during a mesocyclone many summers ago. The storm was in full fury just as I was peeling away in our minivan to get my two youngest children who were about 1/2 mile away at a park for a daycamp.

I have always been able to speak my mind (ask anyone who knows me) and yes it’s gotten me in a pickle or two from time to time (just like my dad!). I try to express what’s on my mind being mindful of who I’m communicating with, the content of my speech/body language, and the context of how/when my message is delivered. In other words, I’m not the type of person who “blows up” or “blabs” and I definitely don’t overshare!

I do tend to speed up my talking and need to watch that so I don’t sound nervous, however that is a natural consequence of my hard wired fight and flight response! I read the “butterflies in your stomach” occur as blood from digestive system is redirected. (So I try to eat healthy before a court date!)

There is truly a difference between a cocky person and a confident person!

When on the witness stand, my role is to explain what I did on a case so the judge understands; and ultimately educate the jury on why what I did was important to the case. I accept confidence with the work I do. My role allows me to serve as an expert witness & educator all while consulting within the scope of my practice. I keep a placement, rehabilitation, and quality of life orientation at the forefront of any topic.

Every day, I learn more about how to help others. My Attorney Reader, please know I am here to help you help your client. Give me a call and brief me on your case involving work and disability (or just work, or just disability), whatever it may be I’m interested to hear about it!

Give me, Amy Botkin, a call at 515-778-0634 or email me at amyebotkin@lcpresourcesplus.com to start a discussion about your case. Thank you for reading!

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

July 23, 2019
Seen The Reasonable or The Unreasonable Person Lately? I Look Every Day!

Reading Time: 5 minutes
This is a summary of my written responses to a discussion question while studying forensics through George Washington University a few years ago. It includes edits and additions of course, because that’s what a writer does!

Question: What does the term “reasonable man” as a legal expression used in both criminal and tort law mean to you? (That’d be me, Amy the student at the time, with the online discussion involving my cohort from across the country!)

Answer: To me, the term “reasonable (ahemm) person” can refer to a person who would think, say, act upon or not regarding a certain situation or circumstance using average knowledge or skill; then this hypothesis can be used to compare others when deciding issues of liability in civil or criminal cases involving negligence.

…But then I asked myself more questions, like, so how would an average person behave under the “exact same circumstances and conditions” because how could the context or a situation ever be the same to more than two people? With unique personalities, the many layers of culture in society, who really is average?…and doing more of my own questioning, I thought, just how is one average person selected during the jury formation process, let alone finding up to 12 “average people” who are impartial to the case and have the energy and focus needed to develop into a jury pool?

I’ve been summoned for jury duty once in recent memory, but didn’t move through to a next step. I have no idea why! Although I would love to serve on a jury, as it is a right and a duty, I wonder if my profession for some reason had anything to do with the selection process. The one thing that would bother me though is sitting for a long time during a trial. Ouch! Would need yoga!

Okay, so I continued with my thought process and answer: Our legal system compares actions of people and makes a decision based on the factors involved whether or not a reasonable person would or would not do the same thing. Using this standard can lead to strange outcomes I’ll bet. For my research, I found an interesting read titled Brigham Young Law Review titled Better Off with the Reasonable Man Dead or the Reasonable Man Does the Darndest Things

It’s written by Randy T. Austin in 1992 and includes numerous citations and some funny foot notes! One part reads: The Reasonable Man first appeared in the law in the 1837 case of Vaughan V Menlove. The defendant’s haystack caught fire due to poor ventilation. The defendant had been warned on numerous occasions that this would happen if he left the haystack. The defendant argued he had used his best judgment and did not foresee a risk of fire. The court held his best judgment was not enough. He was to be judged by the standard of a reasonable man.

Another part reads: The Reasonable Man Did he evolve? Was he created? has had many first names: Prudent, Ordinary, Typical, Ideal, Average, Right Minded. He has qualities of a good citizen, an ordinary chap.

On the other hand, others say he is inadequate, makes mistakes, is selfish and afraid. He does typical things (for example, takes out the garbage, opens doors for others) he doesn’t do atypical things (like park his car on the busy freeway to scrape a small blob of bird poop off his windshield or drive his ball when he clearly sees golfers still on the putting green.)

It was a HUGE Blob! All the drivers on the freeway should’ve known why I stopped!

The Reasonable Man is shy and he doesn’t want to talk about himself, but his best friends (judges and law professors) are happy to talk about him. And talk about him a lot they do!

The review concludes that the reasonable man has enjoyed a long and prosperous career in law and the author Randy believes due to the arbitrariness of the standard and insensitivity to gender issues, it’s time to thank him for his contributions and bid him a fond farewell. So be it.

Then I found this written by George Bernard Shaw to ponder: The reasonable person adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

Next, I decided I’m going to play a game I just made up called Reasonable or Not Reasonable? As I move throughout my city, in the community and my own hood, I’ll keep a look out for a Reasonable Person or a Not Reasonable Person and decipher what transpires (via my own eyes) and brainstorm why it may be that I think this person is or is not average. The context, situation and circumstances will matter, and whether or not I’m somehow involved in the interaction will too.

I’ll tally up how many average people and exceptional people I meet on a particular day and then talk to someone (You, my attorney reader?) about my results. What do you think my probabilities will look like? No doubt in my mind this will be a fun learning experience! As a counselor, I have that sixth sense about others!

As an aside, have you seen the play production 12 Angry Jurors? I saw the play at North High a few years back, with Taylor and Bridget being 2 of the jurors. I’ve also seen it at the Civic Center with Richard Thomas as the lead. It’s a great dramatic production and makes you really think about doubt!

I’m sure you’ve studied the “reasonable person” standard, please share any good legal case stories! Thank you for reading, and just a little more, here’s the link to my disclaimer because I’d like you to read it, too. Let me know what I can do to help you help your client, especially with a case that’s going to trial!

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

April 30, 2019
2019 ~ Year of the Pig, Bank on It!

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I look forward to creating more business, working with new and existing customers, and making more money in 2019, what about you? In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth.

Like a piggy bank with a cute chubby face and big ears (and full of money!) I’ll bank my fortunes for the new year carefully!

The plan is to continue to operate my small business, learn creatively, and bank on the fact that my work is useful in many ways for many people (including the great attorneys I consult with)! Good luck with the growth of your practice into 2019, the Year of the Pig!

Thank you for reading my blog post! To discuss a case, please contact me at 515-282-7753 or at my new email address amyebotkin@lcpresourcesplus.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybotkin

https://lcpresourcesplus.com/

Matching People With Their World of Work

1999 – Celebrating 20 Years – 2019

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

January 1, 2019
Seasons Greetings and Cheers to the Rest of Our Year!

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Cheers to the Rest of Our Year!

May our year of 2018 leave us in a calm manner and lead us on into a fabulous 2019!  I wish you and your family the very best seasons in life! What are your plans for 2019? I plan to keep the year simple and focus on what really matters!

Let me know what type of consulting I could provide to help you with employment and disability cases, whether there’s litigation involved or not! I’d love to help you help your client.

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

December 25, 2018

Happy 19th Anniversary Vocational Resources Plus

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Vocational Resources Plus LLC Celebrates the beginning of 19 years in business!

September is a special month for me. My birthday is on September 15 and I started my own business on September 15…back in 1963 and 1999 respectively!

Please read on for information on Vocational Resources Plus LLC. I offer life care planning as well!~ Vocational Resources Plus LLC offers an array of vocational rehabilitation services with a focus on placement.

Vocational rehabilitation is a set of services designed to facilitate the return to work process (also known as placement) for individuals following a serious accident or illness that disrupted employment.

Placement is the bottom line of vocational rehabilitation, and therefore is the most in demand service. Placement can be simply defined as finding suitable employment. Continue to read on for more detail on Vocational Resources Plus LLC’s placement services and procedures.~ Vocational Resources Plus LLC designs unique placement services to return-to-work problems that arise on workers’ compensation, personal injury and disability cases.

The objective of each placement assignment is to research key details on an individual’s employability. This information provides the base to plan for courses of action. Action is presented in the form of service delivery, case management, and reporting services, or whatever is needed to bring facts on board.

The goal of each service is to identify strategies that are proven to achieve positive employment related results. The objectives set forth in a service plan will effectively place the person back into his or her working world. This ‘pathway to work’ expedites resolution, details the scope of occupational loss, and ultimately addresses the monetary figure of claim that is in litigation.~Vocational Resources Plus LLC offers comprehensive placement services to address labor market conditions, workforce issues, and attributes of specific occupations. The value of designing a service specifically based on the individual’s personal background, work history, transferable skills, knowledge and abilities, coupled with his or her interests, aptitudes, personality factors along with various vocational and physical attributes is higher than the actual cost of providing the service.

The case is covered carefully while the individual and all representatives associated with the claim are provided with specific details of the situation to better understand the priorities of successful rehabilitation. All services are documented and a narrative report is useful to evaluate the claimant’s rehabilitation potential, to determine the extent of loss of job, or pay, or of employability.

Specific details on level of cooperation to secure employment, worker qualifications compared to existing employment opportunities, and compliance regarding recommended therapeutic intervention or physical exercise are a few examples that are assessed for the individual to adjust to their situation.~ Vocational Resources Plus is often called upon to help when a case is in litigation or has the potential to become overly problematic and costly. Referrals are welcomed from attorneys and employers! The strategy of assigning your difficult cases to a knowledgeable consultant saves time and reduces long-term effects of any claim. I’m here to help!

MISSION STATEMENT

~ Vocational Resources Plus LLC commits to helping with the needs of its clientele by providing consulting services that exceed the standards of practice expected in the field of vocational rehabilitation.

COMPREHENSIVE JOB PLACEMENT OFFERED THROUGH

Vocational Resources Plus LLC

Job placement is a professional procedure. The purpose is to assist the job seeker to find a job matching his or her knowledge base, skill sets, abilities, work capacities, interests and aptitudes, as well as needs for location, work scheduling, level of earnings, benefits, plus more!

Comprehensive placement on average can take 4 weeks – 6 months (based on available employment opportunities and client cooperation). Placement is broken down into 3 phases: Information Gathering, Accessing the Labor Market and Placement. Other services such as Job Seeking Skills Training, Vocational Counseling, and Outsourcing are available on an as needed, individualized basis.

Within the first few weeks of placement, the placement specialist may be able to discern if success at obtaining employment is likely or not. All case activities, research and results of efforts are reported. Expert testimony is available.

Phase I ~ Information Gathering

This phase is time intensive and involves meeting the client, orientation, paperwork, appraisal of qualifications and transferable skills, and participating in other preliminary processes. The individual’s skill set is matched with existing employment opportunities. Resumes are prepared, reference building is performed, specific, information details are gathered and goals are set.

Timeframe: 1-3 weeks. The placement specialist can spend from 10-15 hours per week on preliminary processes. The placement client spends as much time as necessary to support this phase.

Phase II ~ Accessing the Labor Market

This phase involves designing a flexible marketing strategy to assist the client in establishing informational interviews and job interviews. Results are evaluated to help make decisions and to clarify career choices. It involves identifying and contacting businesses in appropriate markets and industries to assist with finding adequate profiles of persons to meet marketing needs and job opening requirements.

Timeframe: Commonly starts in the 3^rd week and continues as long as feasible opportunities are identified, up to approximately the 6^th week. The placement specialist averages 5-10 hours per week. The placement client spends as much time as necessary to support this phase.

Phase III – Placement

When the client has sufficient opportunities available and is cooperative with placement procedures, this phase unfolds. When the client is placed, follow-up occurs at appropriate increments. If the client is uncooperative or if excessive barriers do not allow for a successful transition into the workforce, other Vocational Resources Plus, LLC services are available or referrals can be made.

Timeframe: Starts at approximately 3 or 4 weeks into the assignment, depending on the client’s situation and continues until placement occurs. A minimum of one month of post-placement services are offered. The placement specialist averages 1-5 hours a week. The placement client spends as much time as necessary to support this phase.

Thanks for reading….now give me a call! There’s a sample employment packet the client receives, it’s located to the right on my website. Take a look around at all the resources available! I have even more to share!

515-282-7753 or email VocResources@msn.com

lcpresourcesplus.com

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

September 18, 2018

Felix…One Cool Cat!

Reading Time: 4 minutes
I miss my Felix. He had to be euthanized late afternoon on Friday, September 11, 2015. He was not eating and had lost way too much weight. It was so sad and I felt so bad that I couldn’t help him other than loving him and petting him.

Dr. Michael Forret, our outstanding vet since 1994, diagnosed Felix with a stomach tumor. Felix didn’t have a temperature and his vitals were okay, indicating thank goodness that he wasn’t in too much pain.

Feef

A lasting memory of Felix & Me

Felix showed up in our neighbor’s garden in June 2002. Jacob heard meowing and checked it out, bringing a completely black fluff ball back with him. I remember the first night….just holding this black kitten out in the garage.

Most of his life he pretty much was a garage/outdoor cat, but certainly loved coming inside and hanging out in the mondo, sleeping on the futon, or just chillin’ wherever suited his liking!

Fluff Man. At his glory he weighed over 15 pounds, all claws and one incredible meow!

I heard once that good cats get petted as much as they want in heaven. They get whatever they loved here on earth at their pawtips! Felix had a great life and yes, he had his share of injuries (eg: broken paw, chipped ear, gouges from jumping a fence) and vet procedures (eg: front incisor had to be removed).

He always smelled like he was wearing leather and had recently been at a (smoke-free) bar. He had a beautiful wart under his left eye. He was downright cool.

God I miss him. Pets are so important to people’s lives. I keep on thinking I see him out in the backyard, or under the house where he had a special spot to sleep.

I will never forget the sound of his meow. Or how he would bump your arm just enough so more cat food would land in his bowl (he taught that to our white cat Alaska). Oh, and he taught our dog Bella how to jump the backyard chain link gate (booh).

Felix was also known by me as cafe’ kitty, as he would lay non-chalantly on the curb of our driveway with one paw either crossed or draped over the edge. And when one of us would make the drive up our driveway, we’d have to go very slow because Felix was leading us up (like a sheep dog) and at times he would just plop down in front of the car. You simply had to stop. Silly cat.

I also remember one time many, many moons ago…when Felix was missing for 10 days. I thought he was gone for good…and prayed he wasn’t. But returning from church one early, crispy cold winter morning (back over 10-11 years ago when we celebrated Mass at St. Ambrose), there he was down the street.

I yelled to Randy, stop the car! Then opened the door and ran through the snow to him, picked him up and hugged him sooo long, then carried him home.

For the next 10 days solid following the “rescue” he slept with me at night, snuggling right up. We figured he was stuck in someone’s garage as he had gotten really thin. Then Fluff Man returned to his normal acting feline nature and back to his hunting escapades (oh the critters he brought and left right outside the back door…)!

I love you Felix, AKA Fluff Man and am heart broken.

One way to say I love you to a cat is to gaze into their eyes and slowly close your own! I love you!

Our neighbors liked Felix all and all, and people would comment how huge he was! I know Felix’s feline sisters Samantha Josephine (who also came into my life in March 2002 as an Aqualand store bought from the kitty window) and Alaska (who also showed up…followed Jacob and his friend down the street) back in 2012 misses you too.

Cats that are “a find” are the best!

Jacob got a tattoo of Felix based on his drawing. Maybe I should get a tattoo, too, someday? More likely a henna one!

“Righty-O” Felix the Cat, the Wonderful, Wonderful Cat….Whenever he gets in a fix, he reaches into his bag of tricks!

Take time to love your pets, unconditional love is all they know! Prrrrrrr. Here’s a link to a post titled People and Their Pets…Got Cat? where I write about vocational assessment and psycho-social factors, such as pet ownership. Thank you for reading and stop and pet your pet!

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

September 11, 2018
Vocational Evaluators: 3 Roles in 1. Germs, Competitors, and a Shredder Help!
Reading Time: 3 minutes
In my Iowa State Days and into the Fall of 1994, one course I recall quite well was Microbiology. Here I am, a new mother, messing around in a laboratory with germs. Okay, microbiology is better defined as “The branch of biology that deals with microorganisms and their effects on other living organisms.” Luckily I had a smart lab partner who knew what needed to be done with the microscopes, dyes, stains, aseptic procedures, identification, etc.. My partner helped me to learn and helped me to keep myself and my new baby at home safe from bad germs!

My Grade for the Microbiology Course ~ B+

I believe my grade proves I took the course seriously and I tried my hardest! This leads me to discuss the topic of the serious nature of my role and function as a vocational evaluator.

Because there is a need for vocational evaluation services to persons with or without disabilities, I continually expand my professional capacities in these areas:

1) Vocational/Career Expert 2) Disability Specialist 3) Educator

A Vocational Evaluator has 3 roles in 1!

I work with a wide variety of people and provide a mix of services to improve and expand my 3 in 1 role as a vocational evaluator.

I’ve come across several “competitors” vocational evaluation reports and found they served the best role shredded in the bottom of a recycling bin. Of course, I learn from reading them and can apply data from them, only if it makes sense to me!

In fact I’ve read two reports on two separate people by one vocational evaluator. Boy they read similarly! These reports were canned, used computer generated data, laced with irrelevant statistics, tossed with strange jargon, citing outdated sources, sprinkled with wording that all sounded the same. Both reports concluded the same thing: this person is totally and permanently disabled from all work. Wow! Was I missing something? Were there germs lurking?

The “competitor” reports I’m referring to did not contain important information (that I include in my individualized reports) such as:
- detailed information about the workers’ vocational background
- an analysis of the person’s transferable skills
- what type of work the person is interested in
- a look into current employment opportunities that match those interests and skills
- a review of reasonable accommodations and/or other ways to perform work efficiently
- real life job placement perspectives and actual comments from local employers
- recommendations for skill enhancement or ways to learn a new skill
- offering of job placement or referral to community sources for help!
The information I include is based on the context surrounding the individual and the goal of the evaluation.

Poorly written reports get shredded!

I’ve performed hundreds of vocational evaluations (and have shredded many, too)! When I combine my educational abilities and career counseling expertise while providing disability specific resources when needed, my goal as a good rehabilitation counselor is fulfilled!

I’ve posted several times on the subject of vocational evaluations ~ which happens to be one of my favorites! ~ Please take a look around my blog and let me know how I can help you.

Contact me at 515-282-7753 or vocresources@gmail.com

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.
September 4, 2018
Empathy Vs Sympathy. A Good Counselor is Empathetic

Reading Time: 3 minutes
I blog about my experiences and thoughts on emotional intelligence from time to time and want to point out an important element which has to do with empathy.

~ Empathy ~ The capacity to recognize, understand and to some extent, share feelings (such as sadness or happiness or frustration) that are being experienced by another person.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that when interacting, people often “wait to speak” rather than “hear attentively.” To be empathetic you need to really listen. Huh? What? It seems this kind of sensitive, active listening is exceedingly rare in our lives. We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, which is true empathy.

This special kind of listening is one of the most potent forces for change that I know.

To empathize with others, we understand their feelings without taking them on as our own. We are not meant to suffer when others do; each person’s pain can aid in their growth. We are meant to be there for others in a loving and supportive way by listening with our heart.

Listen With Your Heart

There is a huge difference between empathy and sympathy. Empathy involves listening, while sympathy involves reacting. I’ve witnessed a few vocational rehab counselors (only a handful) react to others pain, suffering, anger or grief in such a way that the client was not able to express him or herself and reach their own conclusions. Out of sympathy, the counselor offered advice and solutions rather than allow others to come to their own realizations. Rehabilitation counselors do not offer advice!

Here’s just an example of being sympathetic over being empathetic:

Placement Client: “I can’t find a job.”

Vocational Rehab Counselor: “You will, all you have to do is keep trying. Here, let’s send your resume to employer XYZ. Contact them in the next 3 days and ask for an interview. Call me when it’s scheduled.”

VS

Placement Client: “I can’t find a job.”

Vocational Rehab Counselor: “Would you like to tell me what you’ve done in your job search? Let’s start from the beginning, or where you felt your job search was not progressing. Is there something you’d like to do differently? What would you like to see happen in the next week or two? I’m here to help and can guide you through the process.”

To be a good rehab counselor, you need to have true empathy

I believe rehabilitation counselors should have true empathy. Critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence are truly important as well! The more I learn and practice new skills and applications in these areas, the better counselor I become to help you help your client.

Thank you for reading this post my attorney reader. Let me know if I can help on any case involving work and disability. Contact me at 515-778-0634 or vocresources@gmail.com whenever you’re ready!

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

July 11, 2018
Florida…Recovery Mode is A Lot Like Rehabilitation!

Reading Time: 4 minutes
Originally Published on: Sep 14, 2017 We had a nice Florida trip early August 2017…finally made it! Initially, the plan was for Randy and me, our son Nick, his friend Jolee (who’s getting married to Jeremy this Saturday!); our daughter Arin and her friend Kassidy to make the trip in June 2017.

But due to a hole in the plane that didn’t happen! Instead (only due to timing issues), we along with Arin, our son Jake, and their mutual friend Bridget made it!

Arin Presenting the Ocean View!

We stayed some of the time with my mom Ann and met her brand new husband Dave (he’s a keeper!!) who live in Sebring, and went out one night with my sister Janice who lives in and works for the City of Ft. Lauderdale. Janice was recovering from a workers’ compensation related injury (neck strain) due to getting rear ended while on duty driving a city vehicle by a distracted tourist driving who was on his phone…(read more below).

We splashed in the ocean a few times (absolutely gorgeous mixture of colors); saw an alligator in the Everglades (Jake eyed him from the road!); helped complete an over 500 piece puzzle (which was nonstop until completion!); visited my brother Steven’s cemetery plot and where my dad‘s ashes are buried near Orlando….and witnessed a rainbow from above on the plane ride home!

No Stopping Until the Last Piece!

So, think (or don’t because it was too much…) of the mileage we put on in this beautiful state over the days as Randy drove us all around in a not very big rented SUV…from Orlando to Sebring, from Sebring to Ft. Lauderdale, from Ft. Lauderdale down to the Everglades, through a lot of the Everglades and back to Ft. Lauderdale, from Ft Lauderdale back to Sebring; from Sebring to Winter Haven for a stop at the cemetery and back to the airport in Orlando.

And of course lots of driving in between. Thanks for chauffeuring Mr. B, as I was “assigned” the back seat most of the time so one of the kids could co-pilot.

My father’s ashes are buried here with my brother…well, not all dad’s ashes. Janice has a beautiful urn at her home filled to the rim!

It was incredible to view a rainbow from above it on the flight home. And, come to think of it, I saw an incredible sunset on the way to Florida although one had to (if lucky enough for the window seat like me) really look behind to the West! When in the air one’s feelings can really affect the flight, as you may well know.

Back to the worker compensation situation Janice went through. The person assigned to “help her” was rude, condescending and uninformed. My sister confided to me she wanted to reach through the phone and grab this person by the neck and say…

“Hey you! My neck really hurts and I’ve recently received medical treatment. I’m recuperating at home as has been discussed with my direct supervisor and will be back on the streets when I’m better.” And Janice did return to her job quickly considering the situation, but she certainly didn’t need any more stress placed on her by someone who didn’t care!

Another tidbit about our Florida trip (continual praying for Florida and all Floridians due to Hurricaine Irma, the stories I’ve been hearing), I went into the ocean the first time with all my jewelry on (STUPID), but only for a short time before I realized I really wanted to go under and do some serious splashing with these two!

Back on the beach as Randy was helping me remove my diamond tennis bracelet, it…it broke in half. I would have NOT nearly had a good time in Florida if the ocean had swallowed my bracelet. Another Lesson Learned!

My diamond bracelet is a keeper, too!

I want you to know I truly care about my family, my clients, my customers, and the work I perform. I would never be purposely rude to anyone and will always strive to understand any given situation in order to help in any way I can.

In recovery mode from Irma, Florida will be going through a lot of rehabilitation. Thank God my mom, Dave, sister Janice, good friend Bryan and all others who went through the HE double toothpicks recently are safe. I hope recovery mode and your state’s rehabilitation is timely. My mom didn’t have power at her house for several days and it was hot and miserable! I wish I could’ve tossed her an extension cord from my house here in Iowa! Hang in there during rehabilitation!

Please let me know if you are interested to learn how I can help you help your clients. Give me a call at 515-778-0634 or email amyebotkin@lcpresourcesplus.com and let me know about your legal case. I’m here to help!

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

June 6, 2018
Being Nosey, Opinions and I Make My Point Clear! Job Placement is Hard Work!

Reading Time: 3 minutes
One summer while I was walking around Gray’s Lake, I eaves dropped over a conversation two young women were having about tap water throughout the city. I was right behind them, ready to make a fast pass around…and interested in their subject!

I’m not like Gladys Kravitz all the time!

One thought Urbandale water was good and the other didn’t. They agreed West Des Moines water tastes ucky. One loved Chicago water (and I thought ewwww ucky, and the strange smell to boot). Then their conversation turned to a cute guy jogging their way…and I made my pass.

BTW, I remember where I was, nearly 1/2 way round where I started, not including the ever stop at my brother’s plaque on the bridge!

Clearly, people’s opinions vary widely around one subject!

I don’t think I will ever find a person who is adversarial to water – and specifically why water is important to a person.

However, in my role as a vocational rehabilitation counselor, I routinely find a person (actually an attorney or two!) who is adversarial to my opinion regarding whether or not a person can return to work over their stance that the same person is permanently and totally disabled.

I’ve evaluated hundreds of people and I hold firm in my opinion that work is incredibly important to a person. Rarely have I not been able to identify work for a person. In that type of return to work situation, the person’s serious mental health condition such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder comes into play more than the person’s physical capacity.

One point I’d like to make clear!

And this isn’t an opinion, it’s just the truth! It is easier to state that a person cannot work than to identify what a person can do for work.

“No, can’t work.” That’s it. “No” “Can’t Do” “No Work is Available” What a negative attitude. Is it really just too much work to find work for a person? VS “Yes, you can work” “Here’s why, how and what the person can do!” “Yes” “Can do” “I will help you!”

This is a positive attitude!

Yes, and truly the fact is that it’s a lot of work to find work for a person! That’s what I’m trained to do! And I love it!

A vocational rehabilitation counselor cannot give a person a job – the professional works to define, enhance and channel the placement client’s skills, abilities, and aptitudes into the working world.

The client is empowered with resources and strategies to perform specific and goal-oriented job seeking activities. I’ve found the outcome of return-to-work in a workers’ compensation case impacts the placement process just as much during litigation as it does following case settlement.

Keep an open mind when forming any opinion

It’s a tragedy when an attorney sabotages any job seeking efforts, whether implied or not. I do not appreciate when any one tries to negatively influence any one else, especially when it comes to work.

I keep my opinion clear, based on fact and grounded in rehabilitation. No one can steal my opinion away!

Please see a paper I wrote in August 2013 titled (it’s posted on my LinkedIn page) or ask for a copy titled:

WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE RETURN-TO-WORK DURING A LITIGATED WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIM?

Let me know what I can do to help you with your legal work regarding your client’s return to work! Thank you for reading my post!

Vocational Resources Plus, LLC * lcpresourcesplus.com * 515-778-0634 * VocResources@gmail.com

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My professional rehabilitation counseling practice is focused on helping people participate in the world around them, particularly in their own world of work.

April 10, 2018