[humanser] Fwd: referral/advice

[JD Townsend]

 Hi David & List,

I wonder if this support group is blindness related, imagine so as it has a 
NFB philosophy.  This chapter president is smart to seek a psychotherapist 
who has the same perspective.


It reminds me of a presentation I made at a NJ NFB convention a very long 
time ago.  When I mentioned that I  at experienced a "narcisistic injury" 
when I began to see myself as blind a woman in the audience took exception 
to my statement.  While I continue to see vision loss as a major loss, I can 
now see how it need not be a continuing narcisistic injury.  Interestingly 
it was at this convention that I heard the story of a Catholic school 
teacher who had to fight to obtain employment, but had, four years later, 
become the teacher of the year.

As a psychotherapist I have had several newly blind patients and for some 
their blindness has been a short-term adjustment disorder, while for others 
it has been tragic.  Sometimes patients who have been blind from birth or 
for a long time seem to have more blindness-related issues.

I had a psychotherapist while in graduate school who told me that my 
identified issues should also include my blindness, I didn't see him for 
very long.  My current psychotherapist addresses it only if I bring up an 
issue related to blindness, I've kept her for 30 years.


I guess that I believe that psychotherapy can make every life better and 
that everyone has unique issues.


JD Townsend LCSW
Helping the light dependent to see.
Daytona Beach, Earth, Sol System