[nfb-talk] Ideas up to speed? and defending myself

Tue Jul 8 15:17:03 UTC 2014

While I do not agree with the concept of group therapy for the blind or their families, I do agree that what the center that you were working with said and did was very wrong. Here in the NFB, we are a very large family. I have believed that ever since I attended my first national convention Where are you from? Perhaps someone on this list can help you find a local chapter.in 2011. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 7, 2014, at 12:14 PM, Ray Foret Jr via nfb-talk <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Okay,  in the first place, you can get rid of the group therapy.  Why?  Simple.  Group therapy assumes that the blind are inferior and need therapy because of blindness.  We don't.  To me, it sounds like maybe you might want to look to see if there's an organization like the NFB where you are.  Look hard enough, and I dare say you'll find some who think as we do here.  Get together with them and form an asociation so that way all of y'all can move forward together.
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> the Constantly Barefooted Ray, Still a very happy Mac and iphone user!
> Sent from my Mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind built-in!
> 
>> On Jul 7, 2014, at 10:55 AM, Gerardo Corripio via nfb-talk <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> HI guys
>> I'm kind of curious as to if my ideas are up to basics? Can't figure out why I didn't feel belonged in the local blindness association! thus here they are for feedback, on how or what a blindness association would be:
>> Aside learning the basics of Braille, O&M Daily living skills etc, I feel very very strongly that they should have some sort of group therapy or equivalent, both for the blind people, but also for the family! The family (yes I understand sometimes unconsciously) are why some blind people, even with the blindness skills in check, don't get out! This fear transmits to the blind person, thus you know what I mean? hard as I tried proposing the idea of group therapy/Psychology, I was met with "that's not in the project", or "the people don't want that" etc etc.
>> Also for fund raising, ideas that reflect the real abilities of the blind are important: I say this because in the blindness association, they wanted me to participate in ridiculous fund raising activities like going to the local market and selling used clothes, or standing around in the square or main plaza, selling stuffed apples? I felt brave and told the Association "OK if you want to foment real blindness abilabilities, but keep on fomenting sterotypes? that's kind of not congruent!" and yes this comment wasn't taken as I'd like, causing the problems that lead to leaving the association. I have many abilities (especially since I studied Educational Psychology) and hard as I tried to offer myself in helping in tasks like checking/evaluating the course work of Braille, Computers etc., or giving English classes, no luck! I was met with "no we don't need any help" and I thought well so what am I good for then?
>> As background and I don't mean to sound like I'm a know it all when I say that I manage my Twitter account, record Psychology/technology podcasts, have two blogs, thus offering myself to help in any of these for the Association, but was met with the same resistance of we don't need any help, but imagine weeks later a Twitter account was opened, and a sighted Psychologist was found? Don't they believe then in abilities of blind people? Do they seem to have preferences in getting their friends to enter, leaving out average blind people? I just don't understand the message this association wants to transmit! Hopefully the NFB isn't like that! As you see I ended up pretty traumatized by this experience, and wanted to get your feedback on this subject, and maybe if I did something wrong, or if I did the right things in standing up for myself?
>> Imagine the comment of the association of "we want to better the quality of life here in Tampico, but this (used a bad word) wants to bring us down? how did you think I felt? and these were supposedly my friends? Wow!
>> ON your speeches, I hear frequently how you guys in the NFB are a family? Well here in the blindness association, I never felt like I belonged; I felt like the left out, like the superior one etc etc; I never felt like we had the same ideas, and especially I felt betrayed because as they put it before this started, they'd start afresh with electing a new board of directors, and again don't mean to sound like a know it all, but deep deep down; I feel I deserved being on the board especially because I feel my ideas if put right, might revolutionize the blind; what did I find when going to the first meeting? the board had already been elected, thus resurrecting an old association; they had these pretty neat projects of bringing in specialized blind Psychologists etc etc., when my thoughts were OK isn't the goal of a blindness association work with what it'is here? Go figure! What do you guys make out of this then? Am I right and are they wrong? or vice versa are they wrong and am I right? Thanks for feedback. Again my dreams of trying to help the blind here are very strong!
>> 
>> -- 
>> Enviado desde mi lap
>> Gerardo J Corripio Flores Psicólogo, Terapéuta Reiki
>> Saludos desde Tampico, Tamaulipas México
>> RompiendoBarreras espacio de psicología/Superación Personal Sábados 10PM México http://radiogeneral.com ¡los esperamos!
>> 
>> 
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