One of the luxuries of having a private practice is the freedom to pursue other side projects. I am working on developing a training for other practitioners wishing to learn more about people with disabilities. As a result, much of my reading and research lately has been about the disabled population and I am afraid that is going to spill over into my blog. I found this article on disability as it is portrayed in the media to be highly interesting and illuminating.
Super Powers and Suicide in the Spectrum of Disabilities in Popular Culture
Stories of disability and suffering in pop culture lead us to believe that having a disability or being different should be something we are angry about and fight to rectify in some way. It is my experience that living well with a disability is easy to do if you have an open, creative mind and can come up with adaptations. This way of thinking has also helped me in my career: the media and pop culture portrays mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety or grief as unending and all-consuming. With the right treatment and an open mind, people can live well WITH mental illness despite the fact that TV, movies and the media tell us otherwise.
