[humanser] Self-disclosure of blindness with a specific population

[Janice Toothman]

Hi Kalti,
I think that you have to evaluate whether you hesitation not to tell 
them is due to you perception that of vulnerablity and that as a 
therapist you need to be the "expert".

The  two things I want you to consider is that when clients identify 
with you in some way or feel that you are "like them" then they are more 
likely to change or to talk about themselves and their experiences.

Also, the judical use of self-disclosure will further the therapeutic 
alliance.  Even in a group setting, it is important for the leader to 
model appropriate behavior.

As to whether everyone will remember what you said, probably not. That 
is the nature of the population you are working with. However,  when you 
respect your clients and treat them with dignity (i.e. self-disclose).  
This clears ups speculation and inaccurate thinking and conversation 
that either you deflect or are vague in answering (my speculation here).

Finally, when I worked with intellectually and developmentally disabled 
adults, I self-disclosed that I am deaf-blind. My clients had to 
use/wear my FM system in order for me to hear them.  I had a guide dog 
(which they loved and wanted to pet and I had to remind them that they 
could not pet a working guide dog.  However, on my last day of my 
internship, I took of my guide dog harness for a period of time to allow 
anyone to come an pet her.
These individuals quickly became accostomed to wearing my FM System and 
none were fearful of my guide dog.

Janice

On 3/23/2015 11:55 AM, Kaiti Shelton via humanser wrote:
> Hi, all,
>
> I'm wondering if I could get some advice here.  I'm a music therapy
> student, working in an assisted living facility for one of my
> practicum courses.  The population I am specifically working with is
> residents on a memory support unit with mild-moderate Alzheimer's and
> dementia, although it is a locked unit.  This is the second time I've
> worked with some of these residents, and I'm very pleased with their
> progress and their responses to the music therapy.
>
> Last year my supervisor advised me not to disclose information about
> my blindness, but this time the supervisor after talking to a blind
> music therapist agrees that it is important.  Especially since these
> residents can feel very vulnerable at times, disclosure can help with
> the therapeutic relationship-as I'm sure those of you who are
> practicing other human service fields know.
>
> Some of the residents show glimpses of recognition from time to time,
> though I can't be certain that they really understand that I'm blind
> because of their confusion.  One resident, who was more mischevious,
> would move things on me and always told me not to run into stuff, so
> I'm pretty sure she knew.  Another resident who is a little more high
> functioning may know because until I greeted her with her name, to
> which she responded, "You've got it now," she would tell me her name.
> She recognized that I learned her voice and then stopped telling me
> her name every session.  One resident noticed my glasses had slid a
> little down my nose the other day and told me to push them up.  She
> started saying, "You should get some new glasses so you can see better
> (my lenses are quite scratched from trying to get close to read print
> things) and she said, "I'll be happy for you when you get new ones and
> can see a little better."
>
> It's remarkable that some of these things have happened because some
> residents who have said things are quite confused most of the time.  I
> haven't felt right in self-disclosing to them yet.  There has always
> been something that happened in the session that made me hold back
> when I've thought, "This session might be good for self-disclosure."
> My partner in the class has also tried to facilitate opportunities for
> me to self-disclose in sessions she has planned, but it has just never
> felt right yet.
>
> My supervisor agrees that I need to go when the time is right, but I
> don't know why it has taken this long.  I'm usually not uncomfortable
> telling complete strangers that I'm blind when I need help or want to
> ask a question, so why am I struggling here with these clients who may
> not even remember it later on?
>
> Any tips or advice would be appreciated.  I'm using "Hit the Road,
> Jack" in my session on Tuesday and thought I could use Ray Charles as
> a gateway into the self-disclosure conversation, but I want to do it
> soon since we're terminating services at the end of the month.  My
> partner has already self-disclosed that she was a diver and that was a
> big part of her life before college, and that has resonated with a
> resident of our's who also dived as a teenager.  I know some of the
> residents have eye problems as well, so I'd like to make that
> connection if possible.
>
> Thanks,
>