Individuals with disabilities often state that they feel discrimmination, alienation and barriers that prevent them from getting much needed services. In order to facilitate a better relationship between the mental health professional and the client with a disability, the counselor needs to make several considerations. Counselors often overestimate the limitations of the client with a disability or may even be overprotective of the client when setting goals and treatment plans. These biases will not help therapy but only hinder and limit progress.
The American Psychological Association's Committee on Disability Issues has put together an informative booklet that points out how negative stereotypes are so detrimental and what needs to be done so the therapeutic relationship can meet the appropriate expectations of all parties involved. What mental health professionals, as well as society in general, must realize is that the person or the client should be put at the forefront of the session not the disability. For example referring to a person as a disabled person puts the disability first. In turn saying a client with a disability puts that individual first and the disability last. The person is not being described by the disability. In the same sense, using generic labels emphasizes the disability and not the uniqueness of the person. Making blanket statements such as the disabled or the Amputees says that all individuals with such disabilities are one and the same and does not encompass the special qualitities of each person.
Overextending the disability if a mistake often made by counselors. Using a preferred expressions such as individuals with a physical disability instead of the physically disabled does not imply that simply because a client may have one disability that that client is disabled in many other areas. In the same respect saying a person suffers from or is a victim of a disability implies that the person is helpless. As mental health professionals, we want clients to feel strong, powerful and confident enough to be able to reach goals. Making any kind of implication that there is a weakness will be detrimental to the client.
The implication that there is some kind of weakness involved when a person has a disablity is evident when specific services are needed. Mental health professionals must remember to include clients when formulating goals, preferences or when seeking support groups and support services. While including family members, for example, is often helpful in counseling it is the ethical responsibility to discuss this decision with the client. Counselors who believe that a disability means a weakness may believe that the client is unable to make a judgement. In most cases, this is completely untrue and it is also an ethical violation for the counselor to make that decision.
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