Jane* was referred to program by her psychiatrist, even though he was very skeptical about whether she could find, let alone hold down a job. Jane was in her thirties, and had been living with bipolar disorder for much of her adult life. Even though she was a qualified healthcare professional, she had not worked for over five years, a very significant gap.
When we met her, Jane was adamant that she had to get back into employment – she had a daughter who was living with other family members, and proving she could support them both was a key part of her plan to live together again.
Trying to help Jane was a challenge, particularly because she didn’t want to disclose her illness to potential employers (as is her right). She had a succession of interviews, but became increasingly frustrated when she wasn’t appointed. We worked together for many weeks, honing her interview and presentation skills.
Finally, she was offered an on-call job – not ideal, but a start. As she gained experience, we worked on managing her health on the job, as well as how the prospect of parenting again would impact the situation. All this paid off when Jane was finally offered a regular, full-time position. Even though she was so nervous during her first few days that she kept on getting lost, she gradually adapted to the challenge. Soon after, her daughter moved back in. We meet with Jane regularly now, making sure she is coping with all the challenges. These meetings often include her case manager and her psychiatrist – who is now confident in her abilities. Everyone is motivated to help Jane stay well, employed, and with her daughter.
* Stories are based on actual individuals but names and identifying information have been altered to protect the anonymity of our service users.
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