[humanser] Dealing with blindness when applying to internships

[Judyth Leavitt]

Hello Melissa;

First, I have been counseling sighted individuals for the past 4 years.  My 
Clients often say the reason they connect with me so strongly is that "You 
don't judge me on my appearance...how I dress..."  I think I had many of the 
same concerns as you however rapport-building takes place despite all 
obstacles.  I hope this is helpful.

Judyth A. Leavitt, LICSW, LADC
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shannon Cook" <SCook at sccb.sc.gov>
To: "'Human Services Mailing List'" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 11:27 AM
Subject: Re: [humanser] Dealing with blindness when applying to internships


> Hi,
> The purpose of having an internship is to get experience under guidance. 
> Are you the only student who is at this point in your educational career 
> who does not have experience?  Are they asking those students to postpone 
> their internships for that same reason too?  If not, then I would have to 
> think it is definitely a blindness issue.
>
> Shannon Cook, MSW
> Older Blind Counselor
> SC Commission for the Blind
> (803) 898-8809  Office
> (803) 898-8867  Fax
> PO Box 2467
> Columbia, SC 29202
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Milissa Garside
> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 9:57 AM
> To: 'Human Services Mailing List'
> Subject: [humanser] Dealing with blindness when applying to internships
>
>                Hi Everyone,
>
> I have been on this list for a while and have enjoyed the discussions.
>
> I am currently a graduate student at Lesley University getting my masters 
> in
> mental health counseling. I am slated to begin my first internship in the
> fall of 2010. However, my advisor recommended that I put my internship off
> for a year because I do not have any "work experience." I have been 
> advised
> to get some volunteer work which I have done. Although I do not have any
> "work experience" I do have a great deal of volunteer work within the 
> human
> service field. The decision to wait another year does not sit well with 
> me.
> As a result, I have spoken to several people at the university including 
> the
> disability coordinator as well as the field training person. The field
> training person saw my resume last night and agreed that I have enough
> experience to warrant applying for an internship. However, both she and my
> advisor have raised the question how is it that a blind person can 
> establish
> a therapeutic connection with a sighted client? . I don't feel that they 
> are
> asking these types of questions because they are trying to prevent me from
> interning. They just feel that these are questions that internship sights
> are going to want to know and I am going to need to be able to answer it
> confidently. When I was first presented with this question, I did not know
> how to answer it. I'm wondering if this is something that super visors
> really want to know? And if so, how does one answer the question of how we
> as blind people establish a therapeutic connection without sight? Any help
> is greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Milissa
>
>
>
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