[humanser] Blind counselors and body language

Sat Sep 2 17:16:43 UTC 2017

Great job on persevering and proclaiming the truth about blindness and your 
capabilities.  It ultimately resulted in your success.

Mary Ann
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Miranda via HumanSer" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
To: "Human Services Division Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Miranda" <knownoflove at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2017 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: [humanser] Blind counselors and body language

> Hi,
> I really like that you brought up this point, because I don't think it's 
> something that many sighted people consider in this conversation. I have 
> dealt with nonverbal body language as a blind individual when applying for 
> a volunteer client advocate position. In this role, the client advocate 
> meets with a client one-on-one as a peer (non-professional) counselor to 
> work through the presented challenges as trained by this facility. When 
> told that I could not do this, because I would not be able to read 
> nonverbal body language due to my blindness, I explained to the volunteer 
> coordinator that just as every client who enters their facility comes with 
> their own set of strengths, weaknesses, and challenges, they are not 
> discriminated against based on their circumstances. Moreover, I have been 
> blind for my whole life, and therefore I have learned to read auditory 
> cues instead of visual cues during any conversation. I have been told in 
> both professional and personal capacities that I am ann effective 
> communicator and effective listener. Lastly, I pointed out that there are 
> many successful counselors, therapists, social workers, etc. who happened 
> to be blind or visually impaired and thus do not depend on visual cues as 
> a sighted person does. I am happy to report that I am in my second phase 
> of training for this volunteer position, and the volunteer coordinator has 
> repeatedly expressed gratitude for my patience in working to break down 
> barriers and misconceptions about blindness.
> I say all of this to encourage anyone struggling with this conversation to 
> know that there is hope, and you can be successful in your profession 
> without reading visual cues.
> Thanks for exploring this topic, and have a wonderful week!
>
> Best wishes, Miranda
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Sep 2, 2017, at 11:24 AM, Quinto Sanchez via HumanSer 
>> <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Like others have indicated I have found no problem discerning what the
>> client is doing and whenever wondering I simply ask. However, I had this
>> conversation with a sighted supervisor and I said well counseling is 
>> being
>> taught and has been studied from a sighted persons perspective but I 
>> think
>> the sighted person could miss out on auditory subtleties' things such as
>> subtle sighs, pauses, and intonation. If you ask a client about something
>> they are uncomfortable about they might have a smile on their face to try 
>> to
>> disguise the hurt they are feeling but , in their response to the 
>> question
>> you noticed that their pitch and velocity changed. The sighted person
>> wouldn't notice that because they see the big smile on the clients face. 
>> .
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: HumanSer [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Schulz,
>> Maureen, SSA via HumanSer
>> Sent: Friday, September 1, 2017 2:00 PM
>> To: 'Human Services Division Mailing List'
>> Cc: Schulz, Maureen, SSA
>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Blind counselors and body language
>>
>> Hi, I'm Maureen from Berkeley, social worker. The body language 
>> discussion
>> is hard to resolve, because of course to us we discern what we need to 
>> and
>> more without it, but any sighted person advancing this argument would 
>> say:
>> well, how can you know you're not missing anything important that I/we 
>> could
>> pick up much quicker... Hearing that is the frustration.
>>
>> Maureen Schulz
>> Alameda County Senior Information
>> 510 577-3530
>> Aging is All About Living
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: HumanSer [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ally 
>> Matt
>> via HumanSer
>> Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2017 6:09 PM
>> To: Human Services Division Mailing List
>> Cc: Ally Matt
>> Subject: Re: [humanser] Blind counselors and body language
>>
>> I have been able to discern the important information throughh voice cues
>> and other audible indicators. I have actually had some clients find my
>> visual impairment a benefit. I had asked a client expressed gratitude 
>> that I
>> would not be able to judge her body because I couldn't see. I have had a
>> couple of clients expressed concern about being able to work with me 
>> because
>> I am blind, but that has often been resolved once we meet for the first
>> time. I actually think that sometimes I have an advantage in that I can't
>> see things that might distract. I have to focus on what the client is 
>> saying
>> and at the tone of their voice.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Aug 31, 2017, at 4:02 PM, Ayoub Zurikat via HumanSer
>> <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello family, I hope you are all well.
>>> I am currently doing my masters degree in clinical mental health
>> counseling. Thing is, I have had this concern ever since I started the
>> program, and I need advice or feedback.
>>> So a crucial part of therapy is the therapist's ability to read and
>> interpret client's nonverbal body language. However, being blind I cannot 
>> do
>> that. Here are my questions.
>>> 1- has this been an issue for employment? In other words are counseling
>> centers/employers hesitant to work with blind counselors because of this
>> issue?
>>> 2- for those of you who are practicing therapists, how do you deal with
>> such an issue? Are their skills that can be learned?
>>> 3- am I going to have to limit myself to do therapy with blind/disabled
>> clients because of this?
>>> 4- do any of you know of internship sites in the Chicago area that are
>> friendly towards blind interns?
>>>
>>> I've been very concerned, and quite stressed because of this. Your
>> feedback and help are so greatly appreciated.
>>> Thank you
>>> _______________________________________________
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