The Bigger Picture: Living with Disability

Stigma, stereotypes and the loss of the I-Thou relationship; how people with a physical disability are affected by the creation of 'Them' and 'Us'.

Are you a therapist working with people affected by a physical disability or interested in doing so?

Are you curious about how society and the media treat disability and how that affects the disabled people who come to you for help?

Would you like to deepen your understanding of what life is really like for disabled people?

Are you willing to explore your own beliefs and assumptions around disability as part of your personal development?

Would you like information and tools for working effectively with disabled clients?

And are you looking for a CPD course you can study in your own time, from the comfort of your home or office, but with online support from other learners and the course tutor?

The Bigger Picture: Living with Disability is an original and challenging course which draws on a wide range of sources - contemporary, historical and theoretical - to give you an unparalleled insight into the personal and social experience of living with a physical disability, and an understanding of where some of these experiences are rooted in our culture.

Many counselling and psychotherapy training courses devote very little time to disability; where it is included, it tends to be lumped in with 'Health Issues' or something similar. But the fact is, most disabled people aren't ill; instead, they're 'handicapped' by physical barriers, media representations, cultural stereotypes and stigma that get in the way of full inclusion in society and the development of authentic I-Thou relationships.

And then there's the life experience 'from the inside' of having a body that doesn't conform to what's generally accepted as 'normal'.

This course will show you the world from the perspective of people living with a physical disability.

What you'll gain from studying 'The Bigger Picture: Living with Disability'.

• An understanding of where some of our disability stereotypes come from.
• An understanding of how living with disability can affect an individual.
• An appreciation of how disability can affect the lives and relationships of their family members and loved ones.
• A deeper self-awareness of your own beliefs around disability.
• An awareness of how disabled individuals are profoundly affected by stereotypes and attitudes.
• Information and tools for working more effectively with disabled clients.

What's included in the course?

Detailed information pages exploring:

• Stigma and physical disability.
• Definitions of disability.
• Cultural and media representation of disabled people.
• The phenomenon of 'passing'.
• Disability-inclusive language.
• Disability and personal identity.

Activity sheets designed to enhance your understanding of the course materials and your personal self-awareness, including:

• Case studies - how would you work with these clients?
• 'Aspects of identity' - how might becoming disabled affect your sense of who you are?
• Putting it all together - how accessible to disabled clients is your practice?

Plus:

• Links to carefully selected YouTube videos presenting different perspectives on living with disability.
• A dedicated private Facebook group for you to share questions, thoughts and feedback.
• A CPD certificate and PDF handbook (50+ pages) including all website materials and suggestions for further reading, emailed to you on completion of the activity worksheets.
• Personal, individually tailored feedback on your completed activity sheets from me, Libby Webber, course facilitator.

To book your place, please visit The Bigger Picture: Living with Disability bookings page: http://www.southseacounselling.co.uk/events/the-bigger-picture-living-with-disability/