In or Out: Compared to 50 years ago, coming out as lesbian, gay, bi, or transgendered (LGBT) has probably never been easier. Although, sadly, hate crimes and gay bashing still occur, our culture has generally become more accepting of LGBT people. LGBT characters regularly show up in movies. There are PFLAG support groups for family members and friends. More and …
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Aug
2006
A Different Take on Therapy: Not everyone is keen on sitting face-to-face with a therapist for a traditional therapy session and it’s not always necessary or helpful to do that. Other types of therapy such as art therapy, sand tray therapy, or play therapy can be very effective; so can playing a card game or taking a walk during a …
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Jul
2006
Green Thumbs Up for Mental Health Benefits: When many people think of therapy, they are likely to imagine a therapist and client having a conversation while sitting across from each other in an office. While this is probably the most common scenario, there are, in fact, many other types of therapy that have been shown to have just as many …
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Jul
2006
We are Proud to Announce: Our ASC website has been voted a top rated mental health resource by Psych Central viewers. Since setting up our website over one year ago, we have heard from Deaf and hearing folks from all over the world. Many people ask us for referrals to psychotherapists in their areas. Others who are interested in working …
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Jul
2006
Purchase of National Deaf Academy
By: Deaf Counseling Center
Category: Counseling, News, Psychiatric
Sold: In the news this week, the Florida-based National Deaf Academy (NDA) has been purchased by Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. (PSI). A residential treatment program for Deaf children, adolescents, and adults in need of intensive psychiatric care, NDA is one of the few inpatient programs in the United States that specifically serves the Deaf community. With the purchase of NDA, PSI …
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Jul
2006
The FDA approved a Prozac-type drug for dogs who are depressed. This is good, because it is hard for dogs to get therapy, since they’re never allowed on the couch. Source: Colin Quinn on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
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Jun
2006
What’s in a label?: Labels are everywhere. We label people by gender, race, sexual orientation, body size, personality, politics, and so on. With every label comes an image, and with this image comes a prescribed set of behaviors. Girls should be polite and follow the rules; boys have lots of energy and sometimes can’t help their unruliness. People with bodies …
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Jun
2006
Intersex and Cochlear Implant Surgeries
By: Deaf Counseling Center
Category: Children, Counseling, Gender
What Do Intersex and Cochlear Implant Surgeries Have in Common? Last summer we had a learning experience when we attended the American Psychological Association’s annual conference and found ourselves in the audience of an intersex workshop. Intersex refers to certain conditions that occur when someone is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to meet society’s expectations …
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Jun
2006
What Does “Qualified” Mean Anyway?: Yesterday’s post brings us to another gripe with insurance companies and their in-network lists. When therapists decide to join a company’s in-network list, they fill out a stack of papers, listing their background, specialties, qualifications, etc. There is usually a list of languages that you can check off, to indicate your “fluency” in any number …
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Jun
2006
Jumping Through Hoops with Insurance Companies
By: Deaf Counseling Center
Category: Audism, Counseling
An Unfair Practice: Another day, another round of emails with an insurance company, trying to get an authorization for a prospective client’s psychotherapy sessions. This insurance company, like most insurance companies, is clueless when it comes to providing services to its Deaf members. Because the company doesn’t have any qualifed in-network therapists that the Deaf client can see, the client …
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