[humanser] newly blind

Wed Dec 17 04:38:11 UTC 2008

JD, In the examples you give there is a definite need for mental health 
services.  However, there are plenty of us who only need these kind of 
services when we are learning to deal with a situation that is totally 
foreign.  Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JD Townsend" <43210 at bellsouth.net>
To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:59 PM
Subject: Re: [humanser] newly blind


>
> Hi All:
>
> I have worked as a consultant in a state adjustment center for blind folks 
> and participated in one other.  I have also presented in two other state 
> centers.  What I have found are people who had mental health issues prior 
> to the advent of blindness whose mental health issues became exasperated 
> by their vision losses.  Severe anxiety, severe depression, rage, serious 
> substance abuse and acting out behaviors were the results and these 
> conditions make the adjustment to blindness almost impossible.  Mental 
> health services can be a great adjunct to rehabilitation and adjustment.
>
> Melissa makes a great point, that bad mental health services are 
> destructive and can create problems - much like working with the person 
> coming out of an abusive relationship and focusing on the abuse rather 
> than on the client's strengths, abilities and independence skills.
>
> I do not see a conflict;   but, I do see a need for greater acceptance of 
> a mental health component in rehabilitation of the blind.  In mental 
> health with substance abusers my training identifies some clients with 
> addictive disorders with no mental health problems.  Some where the 
> chemical addiction is the dominant feature (CAMI) and some where the 
> mental health issue is dominant (MICA).  In blindness rehab I feel that 
> the same three groups are represented.
>
>
> JD Townsend, LCSW
> Daytona Beach, Florida, Earth, Sol System
> Helping the light dependent to see.
>>> Melissa
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of Julie Russell
>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 6:56 AM
>>> To: Human Services Mailing List
>>> 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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> 12/16/2008 6:11 PM
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