[humanser] Disclosure about Blindness to Clients

Fri Nov 1 02:17:24 UTC 2013

Gerardo,

I'm sorry to hear of that experience. That sounds really awful. No, I've
never heard a story like that, personally. I'd hope it doesn't happen often.
It sounds kind of odd. 

-----Original Message-----
From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerardo
Corripio
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 7:38 PM
To: Human Services Mailing List
Subject: Re: [humanser] Disclosure about Blindness to Clients

  Have you heard of cases like the one I'm wanting to share in when the
client saw I was blind, she ran away? the mother was very ashamed of let's
see if Ican get her back; I waited and waited and no client! 
Imagine how Ifelt?

El 31/10/2013 05:22 p.m., Terrie Terlau escribió:
> Hello all,
> I stay pretty quiet on this list, but am very glad to read what you 
> all discuss. I am currently doing product development at the American 
> Printing House for the Blind. However, I have my Ph.D. in Counseling 
> Psychology, am maintaining my Kentucky license, and will probably do 
> some private practice in the next few years.
>
> I am totally, and therefore obviously, blind.
> When I saw clients at The Ohio State University  Counseling and 
> Consultation Service, in private practice, at a Rape Crisis Center, 
> and my university clinic, I went to the waiting room with my Seeing 
> Eye Dog and called my client's name. When he or she answered, I would 
> walk toward the person, sometimes they would meet me half way, and I 
> would shake hands. I would then ask them to follow me back to my 
> office. Because I was obviously blind, I brought blindness up in my 
> first session along with all the other confidentiality and procedural 
> paperwork. I mentioned that I would not have direct eye contact 
> because I couldn't see and that I would jot down some notes in 
> braille. I used a slate and stylus in a binder in my lap, where I also 
> kept labeled hole-punched folders for the forms and paperwork that we 
> had to deal with. I usually said that I paid attention to lots more 
> than what they said and that I communicated with my face and body to 
> them as well. I said that my blindness is a part of me just like my 
> brown hair, and I said that any questions, concerns, or thoughts about my
blindness were always appropriate to bring up.
>
> Usually, people just took my blindness in stride. I had one client ask 
> for a sighted therapist because she wanted to work with someone who 
> could see her artwork. I thanked her for asking for what she needed 
> and she was transferred to someone else. This felt like a totally 
> legitimate request. I also firmly believe that a blind therapist can 
> work with drawings that sighted clients make. However, if someone 
> wants to work on creativity and wants the art to be seen visually by a 
> therapist, I think they should be able to have that.
>
> I would think that, if I traveled without a cane or a dog, I would 
> bring up my low vision at some point early in treatment. I would not 
> want to surprise someone if I had to hold a form very close to my face 
> to read it or if I took notes in such large, bold print that the 
> client could read it upside-down eight feet from me. But we all need 
> to find out, sometimes by trial and error, what works best for each of us.
>
> Best regards,
> Terrie (Mary T.) Terlau
> terrieter at gmail.com
> -----
> From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Karen 
> Rose
> Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 6:55 PM
> To: Human Services Mailing List
> Cc: Human Services Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [humanser] Disclosure about Blindness to Clients
>
> I find them blindness can be a very good Rorschach tool with clients. 
> It is interesting to see how or if they react to it. If not then I 
> usually bring it up by end of second session or so just to make it 
> safe. Karen
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Oct 31, 2013, at 3:01 AM, "justin williams"
> <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>  wrote:
>> So you have a job where it might matter?  If not, then I would say 
>> that it is up to you.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
>> Dorothea Martin
>> Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 5:29 AM
>> To: humanser at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Disclosure about Blindness to Clients
>>
>> Hello, Elyssa,
>> It seems to me that trying to conceal something that is obvious to
> everyone
>> who can see is pointless. The converse is also true:  We might not 
>> need to alert someone to something he can s clearly see. One reason 
>> I've found for raising the topic of my blindness at some point early 
>> in a relationship is that this takes the subject off the taboo list 
>> and allows the other person to ask questions.
>> Dotty Martin
>>
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