[humanser] newly blind

Judith Bron jbron at optonline.net
Wed Dec 17 04:35:19 UTC 2008 

That's a problem that has afflicted a lot of people who walk out of the 
right school, with the right piece of paper and get that right job because 
they are overly qualified.  Again, not all, but enough to mess up a lot of 
good people.  Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mary Ann Rojek" <brightsmile1953 at comcast.net>
To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:29 PM
Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind


> There are many people working at agencies in the blindness field who have 
> had virtually no training in skills and issues related to blindness.  Many 
> of
> them have low expectations for clients who are blind and are making 
> decisions based on misconceptions and stereotypes.  They often believe 
> that they are to be caregivers, that they know what's best
> and that their clients are incapable of making decisions for themselves.
>
> Mary Ann
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 8:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind
>
>
>> How can a rehab counsellor be negative on the handicapped?  What kind of
>> rehab do they do?  Judith
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Mary Ann Rojek" <brightsmile1953 at comcast.net>
>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 6:36 PM
>> Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind
>>
>>
>>>I would be very interested in grants also.  I have no doubt that many of
>>>the newly blind in Michigan are not getting the services that they need.
>>>To my knowledge, there is no data collection to track the number of
>>>affected individuals either.  Unfortunately, I think that too many
>>>clinicians and rehab counselors, and, I do mean rehab counselors, view
>>>disabilities as tragedies that can't be overcome; and they don't have
>>>positive attitudes about the potential and capabilities of disabled
>>>individuals. I believe that nationally numbers could be staggering.
>>>
>>> Mary Ann-
>>>
>>> ---- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
>>> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:12 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind
>>>
>>>
>>>> Funny you should mention this.  The three categories of the newly
>>>> disabled
>>>> are: Accident, illness or military service.  Does anyone know of any
>>>> grants
>>>> that would support this kind of program?  Judith
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Melissa Ann Riccobono" <melissa at riccobono.us>
>>>> To: "'Human Services Mailing List'" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:07 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I think this is especially important because of the number of young men
>>>>>and
>>>>> women who are coming home from the wars blind or otherwise physically
>>>>> disabled.
>>>>> Melissa
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>>>> On
>>>>> Behalf Of Judith Bron
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:15 AM
>>>>> To: Human Services Mailing List
>>>>> 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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