[humanser] Looking for Professional Sources on the topic of challenges that Counselors with Disabilities Face

[Sarah Meyer]

Hi everyone,

 

For one of my classes, I have to write a research paper with 6-10 sources
(primarily professional ones) that meet the following criteria:

Write a paper on a current issue for counselors. Discuss the research
literature on the topic, and how it affects LMHC practice. Be sure to
address the following in your paper:

         i. Describe the problem or challenge being faced by counseling
professionals and/or the profession.

         ii.       Detail the various aspects associated with this problem. 

         iii.      Describe some ideas in addressing this challenge.

 

The topic I am writing about is challenges that counselors with
disabilities, primarily sensory disabilities, face, such as what research
has to say about the process of self-disclosure with clients, dealing with
records and now electronic health records, issues of perceived
warmth/competence by clients, and therapeutic attraction/openness in the
therapeutic relationship as well as counselor disability status on
relational dynamics in general, etc.  However, many of the articles that I
find when I search our online database are not current, as in from the 90s,
and so I am wondering if anyone knows of any more recent sources.  Also,
when I search using phrases like "counselors with disabilities" or "blind
counselors," many of the results are coming back with articles dealing with
issues specific to rehab counselors but not mental health counselors, and
another major issue is that most of the articles are about working with
clients with disabilities, not about counselors themselves who have
disabilities and must navigate a unique set of dynamics in their
environment.

I may need to change gears with my topic and include all disabilities; we
shall see. But I would like to examine how this issue also effects the
profession as a whole, if that makes sense.

If anyone has any suggestions for narrowing down my research results or has
any sources to share, it would be very much appreciated.

 

Thanks so much,

 

-Sarah

 

Sarah K. Meyer

Graduate Student, Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Social Psychology

Ball State University

Board Member, National Federation of the Blind Human Services Division

Board Member, National Federation of the Blind of Indiana State Affiliate

sarah.meyer55 at gmail.com

(317)402-6632

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. You can live the life you
want; blindness is not what holds you back. Together with love, hope, and
determination, we transform dreams into reality.