[humanser] Question for discussion

Wed Jan 28 03:24:57 UTC 2009

I think the issue here is the fact that some people think that everyone who 
loses their sight needs a lot of psychological counseling. I disagree with 
this theory. On the other hand, if a person is exhibiting symptoms of 
depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, then they do need 
counseling. I work for State Services for the Blind, and in my early years 
as a client I was given the MMPI psychological test at least a half a dozen 
times. It was just administered to every blind person. Now this is a test to 
detect mental health issues, and I know I resented having to take it over 
and over. Now that I am a counselor, I only have that test administered if I 
suspect a mental health issue. I think this is where some of these issues 
have stemmed from, and why some blind people feel the way they do.

Jan

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 8:20 PM
Subject: Re: [humanser] Question for discussion

> Carmella, You summed it up beautifully.  Does this woman think that the 
> handicapped aren't people too?  In today's world there are counselling 
> services for everyone ranging from the individual with a chronic mental 
> health issue to the person who suffers from hangnails.  Counselling 
> services people with different situations that have to be addressed.  What 
> you said about self esteem is true.  If a person sees everyone around him 
> or her functioning in one way but feels self conscious because they have 
> to do it differently due to a handicap, they should seek help to deal with 
> this problem before it starts affecting all the good they have to offer as 
> a person.  Judith Bron
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Carmella D Broome" <cdbroome at worldnet.att.net>
> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 7:20 PM
> Subject: [humanser] Question for discussion
>
>
>>I know something similar came up on this list when we talked  about Voc 
>>Rehab counselors a while back.  A counseling colleague recently emailed 
>>me. She stated of knowing of a woman who  was director of a local program 
>>for people with disabilities. This woman told my colleague that people 
>>with disabilities didn't "need" counseling. My colleague is perplexed. 
>>Below is part of her comments and my response.  I asked  if I could open 
>>her concerns for discussion and she said sure, as long as I  didn't give 
>>any identifiable info. So, please feel free to  let me know on or off list 
>>what you think.  I will share responses with  my counseling colleague.
>>
>> Colleague: She says people with disabilities don't need counseling.
>> In fact she says it hurts them...  I know that counseling will not change 
>> a disability
>> whether it is physical or psychological, but I can think of many ways
>> it can help a person with or without a disability.  What are your
>> thoughts?
>>
>>
>> My response:  I can see how counseling from someone with  a negative  or 
>> limitting view of  disabilities
>> or the people living with them could be a problem.  Clients wouldn't need
>> pity or to be cottled or to have things sugar coated for them. 
>> Counseling
>> can be just as appropriate for this population as for any other, though. 
>> I
>> don't think someone with a disability automatically needs counseling, and
>> there are times when they may need counseling for issues  completely
>> unrelated to their disabilities.
>>
>> I think  some issues in my book relate to how someone with a disability
>> could be helped to accept their limitations, capitalize on their 
>> strengths,
>> address self-esteem issues and identity formation, etc. through 
>> counseling.
>> I may have been more "well adjusted" if I'd had some counseling around 
>> these
>> issues in high school or early college. I eventually did  get involved in
>> counseling for other reasons, but it helped with these blindness related
>> concerns, as well. I also  think the  ongoing stress associated with 
>> living
>> with any chronic physical concern that  causes a person to constantly 
>> have
>> to "work around" it  could bring about, at some point, the need for
>> counseling. Things such as rejection,  the discrimination that still 
>> exists
>> and is alive and well, and  the extra effort that goes into planning and
>> executing some daily tasks, can lead  to feeling depleted and frustrated 
>> at
>> times and counseling may help with these things. Any depression or 
>> anxiety
>> condition that may be associated with a physical  disability is just as
>> appropriate for counseling as anything else.  I wonder what she   thinks
>> counseling is for, if not for adjustment and life issues?
>>
>> She may think that peer support is the best thing, such as those in AA 
>> do.
>> That idea would be that no one else could understand. She may also think
>> that counseling "pathologizes" a disability.  Why would that be anymore 
>> than
>> it  "pathologizes" marriage problems or even real mental health 
>> conditions,
>> such as depression, bipolar illness, etc.  I don't get it.  Is she saying
>> people with disabilities should "never" see a counselor, or that they 
>> don't
>> all automatically need to see a counselor?  Does she have a disability
>> herself?
>>
>> Can I  post this, anonymously, to  a couple lists I'm on for other
>> counselors who are blind?   I can then forward you any responses they 
>> have.
>> I'll just say "I have a colleague who is concerned about..." and 
>> paraphrase
>> what you've said here about confusion over why someone working as 
>> Director
>> of a program for people with  disabilities would maintain disabled people
>> shouldn't have or don't ever need counseling. Let me know if this is 
>> okay.
>> I won't do it without your consent.
>>
>> Carmella
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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