[humanser] Blind counselors and body language

[Carly Mihalakis]

Evening, Maureen,

I'm from downtown Berkeley, myself. Glad to hear there are a few of 
us Berkeleyites here!
If only sighted people were aware of the little auditory cues with 
which we discern meaning from every scenario, just how many cues we 
become aware of in order to extract meaning from the goings-on. It's 
remarkable how they don't even think to associate which ever sound 
with the profound meaning itsometimes offers us! how do they  miss 
such texture? Oh well. They have the situational specifics they might need.
Car59 AM 9/1/2017, you wrote:
>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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