Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Practice

The international classification of functioning, disability, and health (ICF) conceptualizes health as the interaction between individuals with health conditions and their environments. This perspective emphasizes that health is not solely defined by the presence or absence of disease but rather by how individuals interact with their surroundings and how various factors such as physical, social, and environmental influences shape their experiences of health and disability.

This holistic approach recognizes that functioning can be affected by personal factors (like age, gender, and coping styles) and contextual factors (like social supports and barriers). It underscores the importance of understanding health in the context of people's lives and how their environments facilitate or hinder their ability to participate fully in activities, thus promoting a more comprehensive understanding of health that goes beyond mere medical models focused only on pathology or impairment.