Finding disability justice centered counselors is so hard but so important. I had the privilege in undergrad, but when I reached out for mental health support in grad school I was told that student counselors "didn't cover disability." 1/7
Disabled people deserve counselors who understand medical gaslighting, who get the risk of even going to a counselor. Many people with health issues who disclose mental health struggles to their providers will be told their physical realities are all psychosomatic. 2/7
And so it takes a lot of courage for disabled people to reach out for mental health services. And when we do so, we should receive help from a provider who understand ableism. Who gets the complex interplay of our symptoms. 3/7
When I turned to the private sector for help, I discussed issues with a therapist that she just cast aside as anxiety. I have a condition where my autonomic nervous system responds improperly to stimuli, sending me into bouts of fight or flight regardless of what I'm doing. 4/7
Her solution? Anti anxiety meds. Even though the biological reality is that they wouldn't target the process responsible for my fight or flight response. And when I complained about the stress of medical bills in my appt. 5/7
She recommended that I write a letter to the CEO of the hospital asking for help. Because she read an article where he was quoted once and he "seems like a nice guy." Like how far from reality can you be? And on her profile she cites that she works with disabled people. 6/7
I'm tired of searching for a therapist who will understand the complex embodied experience of disability. And I'm really tired of able bodied therapists claiming that they get it when they very clearly don't. 7/7 #AcademicChatter #MentalHealthMatters #AcademicMentalHealth
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