KnowBarriers Peer Mentor and Life Coaching services

 Peer Support 

Rancho KnowBarriers is one of the largest peer mentoring rehabilitation programs of its kind.  This unique program blends the life experience of former Rancho patients, who have achieved life success following their injury and received specific training in the skills of peer mentoring and life coaching. 

Our mission is “to empower people with disabilities to create a vision of personal success, develop confidence, and achieve life goals through individualized life coaching and peer mentor services.” 

Peer Mentoring Services 

KnowBarriers Peer Mentors play an integral role in the rehabilitation and medical services at Rancho. They work alongside the clinical professionals to provide patient education, skill demonstration, resource referral, emotional support and display authentic life models of living with a disability. Perhaps most importantly, the team of Peer Mentors motivate our patients to believe in their own abilities to achieve a positive quality of life, despite their situation. 

 Support Groups 

KnowBarriers Peer Mentors co-facilitate the majority of Rancho support groups.  Peer Mentors develop a rapport with patients during their rehabilitation program and encourage the patients to continue their recovery by attending the support groups.  Patients often feel more comfortable attending knowing there will be a familiar face to welcome them.

Resource Center 

The Rancho Resource Center serves patients, visitors and staff.  Services include computers with internet access, literature on Rancho and community-based programs to support people with disabilities, and informational presentations. KnowBarriers Peer Mentors provide individualized support to assist patients and family members to research resources, apply for services, and to enroll and navigate the lahealth Patient Portal.  

Rancho employees and students have the additional expertise of a medical librarian to assist them in locating resources.   

 The Resource Center is open Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm.  

For resource assistance, call (562) 385-6007 

Pain Coping Skills  

People with disabilities may be susceptible to chronic pain due to the physiologic nature of their injury/illness or the additional physical strain of using our body in a way other than how it was intended.  

The Pain Coping Skills classes provide patients with an opportunity to learn more about the physiology of chronic pain, as well as a wide array of strategies to address it from a person with a disability who has learned to manage their own chronic pain. The KnowBarriers Peer Mentor provides information developed by clinical experts in pain management. These classes are part of a continuum of pain management services offered at Rancho. 

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Life Coaching Services   

KnowBarriers Life Coaches are individuals with disabilities who have specialized training to assist patients to develop tools to set and achieve their life goals.  

Intro to Goal Setting class 

Participants learn how to create a S.M.A.R.T. goal and how the elements of the KnowBarriers life coaching program assist in achieving success.  

Achieve a Goal course 

Through a series of classes, participants will work in small group to make progress on their individual goals. The Life Coach will introduce a new element of the life coaching model each week for the participants to apply towards their goals. This course helps patients determine if the individualized life coaching program is a good match for them. 

 Individualized Life Coaching 

KnowBarriers offers a one year individualized life coaching service for patients to work on goals to improve the quality of their life. Life Coaches provide goal setting, problem solving, peer support, accountability and resource referral. Services are provided in person and virtually on a weekly basis. Participants commit to attending life coaching sessions and working toward their goals between sessions. Graduates of the program have demonstrated improved confidence, decreased level of depression and an overall improved quality of life.  

 To learn more about any of the KnowBarriers peer mentor or life coaching services, visit the Rancho Resource Center or call (562) 385-8175.