How You can educate people about Your disability
Hello, my name is Robin and I am a person with a visible disability, I stutter. There is a genetic link to stuttering in my family. My father stuttered since age 3 and grew out of it in his twenties. My older brother stuttered from early childhood to age 12. He tells me that he still “still stutters in his head.” Not quite sure what that means but I trust him. I began to stutter around age 9 when my family moved to Arizona. I believe that the combination of the family stress and the genetic predisposition triggered my stuttering. I became embarrassed about my communication disorder and tried to hide it as much as possible. I avoided talking on the phone to people who did not know me and the phone can be a significant barrier for people who have speech disorders. Any silence at the other end of phone line put pressure on me to speak rapidly but anxiety and speech blocks got in my way of communication. I viewed stuttering as an abnormal way of speaking and a nuisance but it was only one aspect of me as a person. I attended Arizona State University and got a Bachelor degree in Speech and Hearing Science and a Master of Counseling degree. I had a lot of support from my professors in the Speech and Hearing department who encouraged me to become a Speech Therapist. My academic performance and social relationships were very high at the University level so I was incognizant about how my disability would affect my ability to gain employment or find a spouse.
After I completed my Master of Counseling degree, I obtained a counseling position. I got through the interview sessions by using interjections in my speech and avoiding words that might cause speech blocks. I was hired for the job but unfortunately, I was fired two weeks later because I had extreme difficulty speaking on the phone and received complaints. I was not hired for some jobs due to my communication disorder. Some interviewers thought that I was hard of hearing or had problems with word retrieval. I learned through the interview process that I needed to be up front with employers about my disability and how I compensate on the job. I ended up getting successfully hired as a Speech language Therapist. I worked ten years with children with communication disorders. During this time, I developed close and lasting friendships with some coworkers. However, my passion was to work as a counselor. I am grateful for the skills and experience I acquired as a Speech Therapist because these skills were transferable to my current profession.
I attended an intensive Christian based career counseling workshop. I learned about my spiritual gifts, career interests, and work values. My career counselor told me that my strengths included helping people establish a plan to achieve a desired outcome and guiding them through the plan. My counselor referred me to the State of Arizona Vocational Rehabilitation Services program. I had two job interviews with this agency and was offered both positions. My job position was to help people with disabilities develop an individual plan for employment and guide them through their process. My stuttering was not a problem with most of my clients and I ended up loving this profession. I found my calling.
During my career as a Rehabilitation Counselor, I learned that many persons who are considered disabled can be employed and viable members of their community if our society was more understanding, tolerant and empathic. This also applies to social relationships. I dated men who accepted my stuttering disorder but not all men were comfortable or patient with me. One man asked me on a first date if I had a child would the child stutter. I knew he wasn’t a potential relationship and that his question was quite rude for a first date. Eventually, I found my lifelong partner and we have been married for many years. I would like to share some ideas with you on how you can educate others about your disability through education, self-advocacy, and self-acceptance.
After I completed my Master of Counseling degree, I obtained a counseling position. I got through the interview sessions by using interjections in my speech and avoiding words that might cause speech blocks. I was hired for the job but unfortunately, I was fired two weeks later because I had extreme difficulty speaking on the phone and received complaints. I was not hired for some jobs due to my communication disorder. Some interviewers thought that I was hard of hearing or had problems with word retrieval. I learned through the interview process that I needed to be up front with employers about my disability and how I compensate on the job. I ended up getting successfully hired as a Speech language Therapist. I worked ten years with children with communication disorders. During this time, I developed close and lasting friendships with some coworkers. However, my passion was to work as a counselor. I am grateful for the skills and experience I acquired as a Speech Therapist because these skills were transferable to my current profession.
I attended an intensive Christian based career counseling workshop. I learned about my spiritual gifts, career interests, and work values. My career counselor told me that my strengths included helping people establish a plan to achieve a desired outcome and guiding them through the plan. My counselor referred me to the State of Arizona Vocational Rehabilitation Services program. I had two job interviews with this agency and was offered both positions. My job position was to help people with disabilities develop an individual plan for employment and guide them through their process. My stuttering was not a problem with most of my clients and I ended up loving this profession. I found my calling.
During my career as a Rehabilitation Counselor, I learned that many persons who are considered disabled can be employed and viable members of their community if our society was more understanding, tolerant and empathic. This also applies to social relationships. I dated men who accepted my stuttering disorder but not all men were comfortable or patient with me. One man asked me on a first date if I had a child would the child stutter. I knew he wasn’t a potential relationship and that his question was quite rude for a first date. Eventually, I found my lifelong partner and we have been married for many years. I would like to share some ideas with you on how you can educate others about your disability through education, self-advocacy, and self-acceptance.
- Gain knowledge about your disability especially if you have an acquired disability. For example, I had a client who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She was receiving treatment but did not have any knowledge about her disability despite physical and neurological symptoms. We spent several counseling sessions learning about her illness and ways that she can compensate and adjust in everyday life.
- Educate people about your disability. Many people are unsure of how to assist a person with a disability. I tell people upfront that I stutter and to please be patient. This takes the pressure off of me and the listener. I had some clients ask me if I wanted assistance when I got stuck on a word. I was grateful for their openness.
- Try to have a sense of humor. I worked with some deaf colleagues and we had deaf interpreters at our staff meetings. I would tell the interpreter that I stutter and please don’t interpret my stuttering. I gave some sign language examples on what it would look like to interpret for a stutterer. My team laughed and enjoyed my sense of humor.
- Understand and learn how the effects of your disability can fluctuate on a daily basis. When I am stressed, tired or sick my fluency worsens. However, when I take care of myself and I am relaxed, I can be quite fluent speaking on the phone or talking to other people. If you have fluctuations in your abilities from day to day, you might want to optimize the time to complete tasks when you are feeling strong. Also, look at the time of day when you are more effective. You might be more functional in the morning and can accomplish more tasks during that time of day. You might have more energy after having a rest break.
- Focus on your strengths and ways you can accommodate your functional limitations. There is an enormous amount of assistance to help a person overcome specific barriers in his life such as support groups, assistive technology, adaptive driving, independent living adaptive aids, and other transportation resources. For example, when speaking to a potential employer, always be positive about your disability. Tell the interviewer how you compensate by using accommodations such as assistive technology and how you can incorporate your accommodations on the job if reasonable. Email and text messaging, if appropriate, can be used to accommodate a speech disorder. Also inform the employer that you have a lot to offer on the job. For example, many people with disabilities, including myself, are fiercely loyal to an employer and will go above and beyond to contribute to the mission of their company. They are more empathic in the workplace and have less job turnover. Employer training costs for new employees can get expensive.
- Don’t isolate. I know that many persons with disability have limited resources which can preclude their activity in the community. Get to know the resources in your community. This website has a list of resources as well. Contact agencies that serve disabilities in your city to find out what opportunities you can engage in such as volunteering and recreation. Find out your transportation options. You might want to contact an agency that specializes in a specific disability such as traumatic brain injury. In Phoenix, Arizona, we have a building complex called the Disability Empowerment Center which houses many agencies that serve disabled individuals. The center has an adaptive gym and physical movement can improve your mental and physical health. If you want to return to work, contact the Vocational Rehabilitation program that serves your state.
- Finally, remember that you are Worthwhile and Valuable! You have lot more to offer in the community or job then you might think. You might want to consider getting a mentor, life coach, or counselor to help you sift out your strengths and identify the many options you have for a meaningful quality of life. Many persons with disabilities are compassionate, intelligent, empathic and creative. Press forward and never surrender!
