While reading through Brown’s chapter 6, I learned how much more sensitive it must be to work with clients with disabilities. “Estimates of the number of people with disabling conditions approach 20 percent of the population” (Brown 2010). I think this number is rather high, but goes to show how important it really is to create a greater sense of awareness when dealing with such clients. The traditional assessments and techniques may not be useful in scenarios working with clients who have disabilities. “Evidence of what the client can do, such as strength factors and aptitudes, is even more important than identification of what he or she cannot do” (Brown 2010). Job placement for people with disabilities seems to be much more complicated than expected. I feel it is wrong that employers hold negative attitudes towards those with disabilities, although I can understand to an extent how stressful it may be to make accommodations for that individual.
Seeing as how the unemployment rate for people with mental illnesses is as high as 85 percent, clients with disabilities are subject to experiencing multiple failures. It is interesting to think how long it took for women to be accepted into the workplace. I am curious as to how long it will take before people with disabilities become truly accepted as part of a workplace. I feel as if career counseling for people with disabilities is probably the toughest category of clients to work with.
I personally am not sure how well I would do counseling such a client. I previously worked at a private school for those with mental disabilities. My job title was vocational assistant, where I helped patients develop various workplace skills. I would also take clients out on job-related trips for experience purposes. One of the Autistic clients I took out would perform four steps at a warehouse: Breaking down cardboard boxes, putting them in a compressor, pulling down the gate, and then pushing the button to compress it. For clients that are severely mentally ill like the ones I worked with, I noticed how difficult it would be to have him out on his own without supervision, nonetheless perform any job that requires any kind of dangerous machinery. He was extremely smart, and could break down a computer to all of its individual components faster than most people could, yet I am not sure what different occupations would suit him.
Chapter 14 in Brown was very interesting to me because I hope to open up a private practice one day. I learned quite a lot while reading through the chapter. I always wanted to have my own practice, but after reading this, I think opening up a group practice might not be a bad idea. Cases that come about that I may not be specialized in or feel comfortable taking don’t have to be rejected by me, but rather referred to another counselor. From this group practice, I might also have my own practice on the side for those patients that might not be able to afford the cost. Image does play a large role in a client’s expectancy level of their services; therefore, I would like to have a nice office location. This chapter really got me excited for what’s to come in my near future.
Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development (10th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
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