Isla Turner Blog

If it is indeed a widely accepted truth that it takes an entire village to raise a child, then it can be said that it takes an entire nation to raise a child with disabilities. The support and collaboration needed to provide the best care and opportunities for children with disabilities extend far beyond the immediate community. It requires a collective effort from all levels of society to create an inclusive and accessible environment that empowers these children to thrive.

As a mental health professional, having an unbiased perspective is paramount. However, sometimes we perpetuate biases and are ableist without even realizing it. It comes across in our marketing, office space, intake paperwork, tone, and the lines of questioning we have with our clients. These micro-aggressions perpetuate stigmas and make our clients feel marginalized. In this blog, we uncover how ableism shows up in the therapy process and what we can do to address and correct it. Additionally, we will discuss the seven ethical principles in counseling and how they apply to working with people with disabilities.

Acts of service is my love language. So then it comes as no surprise that I enjoy helping people navigate life. It has always come natural to me to encourage people to live out a full and meaningful life. In 2019 and 2020 two life changing events happened that deepened my life purpose. The first happened in group therapy, where my group leader asked the question "And what is it costing you?" The second was my Dad's sudden death. Those two experiences forever altered the fabric of my life and have inspired me to live, wholly. 

If you are a no nonsense, my way or the highway parent, then chances are you are an authoritarian parent. It is your attention that I want today. I want to share with you what I am seeing in the therapy room and how I could benefit from your support. I infer from interactions with you that you have genuine concern and care for your child's wellbeing. However, that gets lost in translation because of your parental approach. From your perspective children in your youth dealt with the "old school way" and turned out fine. In today's world this parenting approach can be dangerous for your child. 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a psychotherapy that is internationally recognized to treat trauma and other disorders. It is a 3 prong approach that uses bilateral stimulation (bls) to target past memories, current triggers and create a future positive template. There is empirical evidence that suggests that EMDR is effective with treating trauma in individuals with disabilities and across the lifespan. 

There is a curse that comes with being "smart." You don't get to be the person that "has a hard time." Experiences and struggles that are otherwise normal for everyone else are seen as a red flag for you. A sign of weakness, imperfection. Maybe you have heard or thought "You know better." Whatever your exceptionalities, it does not free you from the experience of being human. 

ADHD is not a set of symptoms along a neurotypcial continuum. It is not willful disobedience. It does not mean lower functioning. The truth is that ADHD presents differently given gender, subtype, severity, and age. 

“Scientists have recently determined that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain- unless it is done with play, in which case, it takes between 10-20 repetitions.”- Dr. Karyn Purvis. It is for this reason that I like to incorporate play into my work as often as possible when teaching a new skill. Play lowers inhibitions, is a less intimidating modality for learning, and increases positive contacting. I have listed some games below that may be useful to individuals and clinicians in developing communication skills. 

Schools are required by the IDEA Act (federal law) to provide students with disabilities a fair and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). In layman's terms, the delivery of special education support should fall under a continuum from support in  traditional classroom settings (inclusion) to self contained.