[humanser] newly blind

Judith Bron jbron at optonline.net
Tue Dec 16 16:17:44 UTC 2008 

Rockland, NY.  Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Diane" <dianefilipe at peoplepc.com>
To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind


> Judith,
> Are you in Rockland Maine or Rockland Mass?
> Diane
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 7:15 AM
> Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind
>
>
>> For the past 6 months my co-worker and I at the Rockland Independent 
>> Living Center have been trying to start a program for the newly 
>> physically disabled.  I am legally blind.  It took me six years to go 
>> from a depressed nobody to a person with self esteem, goals and pride. 
>> It is a much needed direction when you are talking about the newly blind 
>> or people who are becoming blind.  One of the major problems is that a 
>> person who has never had to confront a physical challenge has no idea 
>> what is out there for people who are impaired.  I'll tell you from 
>> experience, it's an uphill battle.  One time I even had the head of a 
>> mental health department tell me that all the services that I thought 
>> necessary for the newly physically disabled were available in her 
>> Department of Mental Health.  I told her she didn't get it.  A person who 
>> couldn't see anymore didn't hav a    head problem, but an eye problem.  A 
>> pperson who became paralyzed and was whealchair bound didn't have a head 
>> problem, but a leg problem.  The world still doesn't get it.  Judith
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Julie Russell" <jar90880 at yahoo.com>
>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 6:56 AM
>> Subject: [humanser] newly blind
>>
>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> This topic is so important and so rarely touched.  I can not imagine 
>>> losing a function of the body - any part without a grief / loss 
>>> adjustment. Hopefully Axis IV allows for this to be taken into just what 
>>> it is - without that in the first months it seems MDD and GAD could be 
>>> on the horizon.  This is a dream study of mine.  While being blind does 
>>> not mean one needs therapy likely the loss of a body function whether 
>>> vision, legs, or other is a huge part of identity.  To rebuild that 
>>> identity in a way that is meaningful and healthy is essential.  This may 
>>> not mean therapy but it may.
>>> To take the NFB attitudes means changing one's thought about blindness 
>>> and often one's thought about self if a period from onset to training 
>>> has been long in the making.
>>>
>>> I agree with Mary Ann.  I knew a man and after becoming blind he engaged 
>>> in therapy weekly by phone.  In LA this is not prohibited by the LPC 
>>> board. The reason was how hard it was for him to leave his house and get 
>>> to the office.  The rest I can only imagine.
>>>
>>> Do people have thoughts on this?
>>> What is up with phone therapy?  I am not talking a 900 number (LOL)
>>>
>>> Julie Russell, LCSW
>>> New Orleans
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Mary Ann Rojek" <brightsmile1953 at comcast.net>
>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 9:44 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] the homeless blind
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi JD and other list members,
>>>>
>>>> I couldn't agree more.  If clinicians who are providing therapy are
>>>> unfamiliar with the NFB philosophy or don't have a positive attitude 
>>>> about
>>>> the potential of blind individuals, vulnerable folks could be receiving
>>>> treatment that is detrimental or damaging.
>>>>
>>>> Mary Ann
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "JD Townsend" <43210 at bellsouth.net>
>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 9:57 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] the homeless blind
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi Mary Ann and Human Service Division Members:
>>>>>
>>>>> I agree that therapy is not used in blind rehab - most frequently it 
>>>>> is
>>>>> assumed that mental health issues are not involved, or that a positive 
>>>>> NFB
>>>>> attitude is sufficient.  We in the field know that the insult of 
>>>>> blindness
>>>>> adds to the multi-featured structure of our complex 
>>>>> cognitive-emotional
>>>>> selves as does any other of our personal features.
>>>>>
>>>>> Frequently blindness rehab counselors feel that they are qualified to
>>>>> provide psychotherapy.
>>>>>
>>>>> In my own therapy blindness has been a minor part of therapy, but a
>>>>> significant minor part.  Newly blind folks, or those in rehab centers
>>>>> would
>>>>> benefit from a psychotherapy that encompassed the ideas of the NFB
>>>>> philosophy while working with the whole person.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just my little ideas.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> JD Townsend, LCSW
>>>>> Daytona Beach, Florida, Earth, Sol System
>>>>> Helping the light dependent to see.
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>> From: "Mary Ann Rojek" <brightsmile1953 at comcast.net>
>>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 8:49 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] the homeless blind
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Shalom David,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am a social worker in Michigan.  I've worked with some mentally ill
>>>>>> blind
>>>>>> folks, but one who were homeless.  I know of no system for tracking 
>>>>>> this
>>>>>> data.  It sounds like an area that warrants further exploration.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To add to the mix, I also believe that folks who are losing their 
>>>>>> sight
>>>>>> may
>>>>>> not be getting adequate therapy for coping with vision loss.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mary Ann Rojek
>>>>>> LMSW, ACSW, CAAC
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>> From: "David R. Stayer" <davidandloristayer at verizon.net>
>>>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 6:57 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] the homeless blind
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Shalom.  As we make our recommendtions perhaps something will 
>>>>>>> happen.
>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>>> From: "JD Townsend" <43210 at bellsouth.net>
>>>>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 10:39 AM
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] the homeless blind
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Shalom David:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I worked with homeless peoples in New York City for many years 
>>>>>>>> during
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> late 1980's and early 1990's, running programs to house homeless
>>>>>>>> mentally
>>>>>>>> ill and/or substance addicted populations.  I did work with some 
>>>>>>>> deaf
>>>>>>>> folks, some wheelchair folks, and with a variety of disabled 
>>>>>>>> homeless
>>>>>>>> folks;  but, never a blind person.  Until your message the lack of
>>>>>>>> blind
>>>>>>>> homeless never struck me.  Where were they?  I did know of many 
>>>>>>>> blind
>>>>>>>> folks who rented a room in someone's apartment, living off a SSI or 
>>>>>>>> SSD
>>>>>>>> check;  however they never seem to have made it to the homeless
>>>>>>>> shelters.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Now you've done it, given me something new to wonder about!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> JD Townsend, LCSW
>>>>>>>> Daytona Beach, Florida, Earth, Sol System
>>>>>>>> Helping the light dependent to see.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>>>> From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
>>>>>>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:56 AM
>>>>>>>> Subject: [humanser] the homeless blind
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I don't think you can research a group of people based on 
>>>>>>>>>disability in
>>>>>>>>>New York State.  Judith
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>> 12/12/2008
>>>>>> 6:59 PM
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
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>
>
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