[humanser] Working with Potentially Dangerous Populations and Assuaging Sighted People's Fears

[Peacefulwoman89 at cox.net]

Props to you for being proactive! You turned some negative experiences into
learning opportunities and in the process have gained the respect of
previously bias supervisors. It's sometimes difficult to take the rejection
when you know it was based on biasness.  Again, props! 

Lisa Irving
-----Original Message-----
From: HumanSer [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sarah Meyer
via HumanSer
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2018 8:36 AM
To: humanser at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sarah Meyer <sarah.meyer55 at gmail.com>
Subject: [humanser] Working with Potentially Dangerous Populations and
Assuaging Sighted People's Fears

Hello everyone,
I am in Practicum right now and applying for various group counseling
opportunities. I have already been accepted as a co-facilitator for a
Wellness Group which is part psychoeducation and part process/experiential
for members living at an assisted living facility. I was recently rejected
for a co-facilitator position for a Grief and Loss psychoeducational group
for a men's correctional facility though. I was simply told that they had
decided to go with other applicants. I suspected that I may have been turned
down due to blindness, but also didn't want to jump to conclusions, so I
emailed the group supervisors and asked if they could provide me with
feedback about how I could improve my application for future opportunities,
if they could tell me what they were looking for in applicants, etc.

Well, one of the group leaders told me they would be willing to meet, so we
met this morning. He was friendly and honest, and he told me that he and the
other supervisor had made some assumptions without talking to me and should
have involved me in their discussions before turning me away. He said that
some of there concerns had to do with safety because the inmates at the
prison might become rowdy, and while there's technically supposed to be a
guard posted, that usually doesn't happen. I told him that I appreciated his
concern for my safety, but my safety is my responsibility just as much as it
is any other therapist's responsibility. I also expressed that I would hope
that they would have the same level of concern for all therapists as they
would for me and no different.

Another concern they had was regarding accommodations provided by the
prison, but they hadn't asked me what accommodations I would even need, so I
explained that if there were any orientation materials, I would work with
the prison to make sure the materials would be made accessible, and again,
it would be partially my responsibility, and the prison wouldn't be able to
give an accurate response without my making an informed request.

The supervisor said he is now open to my participating as a co-facilitator,
but I will need to meet with the faculty supervisor for the final approval,
since it would be his license under which I would be operating. So before I
meet with that person, I was hoping to find out if any of you have worked
with violent offendors in the past or at least know enough about the law so
I can come informed to this next meeting with reasons for why I should be
given just as much a chance as any other therapist.

What I said in this last meeting was that I'm an adult, and when I sign
consent forms, I'm aware of the potential for risks I'm taking when I go in
to a setting, just as much as any other therapist. This supervisor was very
appreciative and admitted that he had been biased and trying to think for
me, and he apologized and appreciated my willingness to meet with him. All
in all, I'd say this has been a positive experience. Even if it doesn't work
out for me to help with this group because of scheduling purposes, at least
I will have educated some folks about not making faulty assumptions about
blind clinicians.

All the best,

Sarah

--
Sarah K. Meyer
Graduate Student, Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Social Psychology Ball
State University 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.

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