Tag: Deaf Counseling

How the Mental Health Reshapes in the Deaf Community

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How the Coronavirus pandemic is reshaping the mental health in the Deaf community. Important to focus on “reshaping” and understand. May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Rights are important. Why? ASL is the form of ‘speech’ of the Deaf. Communication, information, and knowledge by accessing to ASL in counseling. That is your right. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

When the COVID-19 crisis affects Deaf people’s well-being, mental health–they would seek Deaf-centered counseling. The quality of Deaf counseling is the greatest tool to decompress any kind of stress. The gain of the mental health reminds of Paddy Ladd, the Deaf author, Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood, writes:

“It has become clear, too, that the rapid growth of this contact, combined with the quality rapid growth in unexamined use of the Deaf culture concept, has created a situation in which Deaf cultural research is needed as a matter of maximum urgency.”

Deaf-centered counseling is truly a dedication, they are the front line helpers. Many solutions can help Deaf citizens to feel stress-free. When counseling is being deprived of this pandemic, in a hearing world, where Deaf people often fall under a wrong agenda, struggling with language deprivation.

The mental health awareness in the human welfare of the Deaf, seek for better guidance through Deaf-centered counseling to provide resources, should not be simply a struggle of the human mind, body, and spirit.

Mental health awareness also should not be a struck in human struggle, but to serve the public awareness as possible for the Deaf community to have a valid reason why Deaf-centered counseling on the front lines of this pandemic is forever in debt to provide every Deaf person.

Please visit:

Deaf Counseling Center

Much grateful,

-Jason “JT” Tozier

 

Deaf Community: Re-examining Bullying

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           Why bullying needs to be stopped and put to an end to hatred by increasing awareness of all the forms of bullying in the Deaf communities. It takes some concerted effort to restore the humanity of Deaf people.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. By feeling disconnected from society, if the bullying dismantles the truth, what do we achieve if the bullying continues to attack the Deaf community rooted in colonized and human struggle remain true? We have a good reason to be aware of problematic gestures in bullying.

The thought of bullying can create PTSD anytime; anywhere is not something that crosses everyone’s mind daily. What the causes and effects of bullying mean and discussed and what kind of actions can we step up and talk about it? Unfortunately, bullying has been a part of the Deaf community;

Bullying often uses the power of being the way because the power cannot be overlooked, neglecting the problem, and refusing to acknowledge the community accountability. When bullying occurs by selecting a victim because of the Deaf status, sexual orientation, nationality, returning/returned/returnee citizens, and more to the list.

It is meant to push for public shaming that is caused by prejudice from behavior that is motivated by anger and hatred. The membership continues to direct bullying against groups of minorities that they choose to be ignorant.

Much like Deaf people would wound up on the wrong side of the bullying issue, and whatever the forces of bullying compel suicide, we must remain to understand that the witch hunts in all forms of bullying do not solve the problem, and where is the social justice of the Deaf who had been bullied? Labels and defining who they are hurts the most.

The root of respect defines in Latin, ‘respectus‘ meaning “regard, a looking at,”–the social media who has a piece of large information about information how to challenge bullying should offer no excuse where Deaf community had been neglected. After all, where is the respect?

Check out Deaf Counseling Center (www.deafcounseling.com)

-JT

Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including copyright message.

The Hidden Shadows of Stigma

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What is stigma and why is it important to be educated about the term, ‘stigma’ that impacts the Deaf community today and tomorrow? Everybody is fighting his or her own personal battles that you know nothing about. Stigma is a huge part of mental health.

Video Proof: Deaf Counseling Center

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It was published 12 years ago, as Deaf Counseling Center (DCC) had been true to their own heart that they were the first Deaf Women owned and Deaf-centered licensed counselors to offer videophone counseling along with other Internet-based (FaceTime, Skype, etc) since 2001. This video below was published in 2007, and the “photography” or “video” does not lie.

They were the very first long, long, long before National Deaf Therapy which was opened just last year (2018) “baby steps” where Communications Service for the Deaf (CSD) claims that National Deaf Therapy (NDT) was first to offer VP counseling services. The video says it all. The emergence of DCC is forever grateful for Deaf community that must not be forgotten.

 

Deaf Returnees: Helping Them Through PTSD

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The adage that there is no perfect machine holds true from a Jack-in-the-Box to the criminal justice system. What can Deaf inmates and returnees broken by this system hope to achieve during June, which is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) awareness month?

Especially when this awareness reach extends deeply into the Deaf community to places needing empowerment, healing, and positive steps? What resolution can empower Deaf returnees to build learning, healthy and safe spaces?

Imagine the stories of Deaf inmates and Deaf returnees, their hearts shattering under the fiber of social rejection. Even while they are making a positive change to share their experiences to overcome the depression, they experience bullying, humiliation, and surmounting hardships; the toughest thing.

I believe that there are high and unreported PTSD cases by Deaf inmates and Deaf returnees that the social media needs to acknowledge. The sweeping impact of ignoring Deaf simply for who they are, and the lack of awareness, is not felt enough in the criminal justice system. Just like the marginalization of Deaf returnees in Deaf community, why are they being singled out?

While the United States has put more people in prison than any other country, it does not have resources to help Deaf returnees rebuild their lives once they are released. While there is a growing need, there is also a forgotten movement to end mass incarceration to reduce recidivism. Deaf returnees need inspiration and guidance.

Deaf returnees who are in search of rebuilding lives are at once faced with overcoming steep economic hardship, systematic privileges, unemployment, and lastly, PTSD. Changing the pattern across the country would help Deaf returnees successfully transition from inmate to returnee life on the outside.

The Second Chance Act of 2007, which is having a difficult time getting funding, would most likely hurt Deaf returnees in the long run. Why? So, Deaf returnees would be able to get help and learn how to develop healthy thinking patterns.

One bit of critical information here. Not empowering Deaf returnees enough can become frightfully expensive and mentally taxing. Empowering Deaf returnees would require intimate examination of the territory of their lives and not just a perception of its surface, incorporating new knowledge into other knowledge;

Empowering is a good investment, and the supporters’ efforts pay off. Empowering would gain intellectual and emotional agility and strength so needed in society.

-JT

Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

The Power of CSD: Managing Information in Deaf Community

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The information must free itself from the old known. To the Deaf community and the media everywhere in the world through social media—the only freedom lies in the unknown because whatever is known cannot be ignored from the past. Whatever the media learns the facts from Communications Service for the Deaf (CSD) about whoever the Deaf-owned organization were bounded, as soon as it put words around Deaf people’s experiences, it might affect them as state of being Deaf getting lost.

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness is an important learning experience for adequate mental health services in Deaf community. Deaf Counseling Center (DCC)–the first-Deaf owned counseling by Deaf women since 2001 has been the pioneers of mental health services with web-based platforms through Videophone (VP), FaceTime, Zoom, all the available platforms as long as I can remember back to year 2010 when I first learned about DCC through my Deaf friends from several states in America whom themselves been helpful thanks to web-based platforms.

It is the strongest proof that DCC had been the first-ever counseling organization to stay ahead even in technological wonders. It is a marvel invention!

Mental health awareness, may be challenging to slip what little remains of the Deaf community that limits Deaf people seek for help, and DCC takes a bold step, justifies empowerment whatever it takes to help Deaf people since year 2001 in a growing movement in both human interaction and web-based platforms to address a variety of social and life skills.

Sure, there are many Deaf communities around the world, for so long Deaf people have defined themselves in opposition to how the general society has viewed Deaf people, and they have defined themselves, and been defined, by that which seemed to be in them as most different, but their struggles alone in Deaf community with lack of access to mental health, not its difference from the society defining who Deaf people are, and the access to mental health services makes them better.

CSD’s website: Challenging Misconceptions Since 1975.

“For over 40 years, Communications Service for the Deaf has been working hard to create opportunities that allows each Deaf person to discover their gift that they bring to the world.” 

For almost 20 years, Deaf Counseling Center has been working hard to create healthy mental health services that allow each Deaf people to empower their well being that they can make all the difference available in Deaf community. It is no easy feat, and they deserve all the hard work.

However, the pioneer by Deaf counseling through web-based platforms who been labeled on the wrong side had been approved by CSD not to recognize DCC as the first Deaf women owned counseling to offer web-based platforms is biggest mistake. DCC is the primary source for its first ideas in American Sign Language (ASL), and nowhere else are intense intellectual debates in ASL a common part of DCC’s mission values. When DCC is silenced, Deaf community is silenced.

It is not the first time CSD had neglected pioneers in Deaf community claiming that they have the right information because of the enumerated powers forging their homework done by CSD researchers or decision makers–yet, 18 years later, CSD said that DCC is not the first Deaf women owned counseling organization to offer web-based platforms is a flagrantly neglected, to CSD’s advantage and give National Deaf Therapy (NDT) the honours that they claim they were the first Deaf women owned therapy organization to offer web-based platforms whom just created baby steps just a year ago (2018)–It is something CSD needs to challenge its own misconceptions.

-JT

Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

Pioneers of Deaf Counseling: Web-Based Therapy

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The pioneers of Deaf Counseling are the most prominent change makers and activists join together to create first idea for transformative change in offering web-based therapy, eTherapy, and technological ways to heal of human reform, making all the difference to give all opportunities available for Deaf community.

Hearing Therapists: Clinical Decision Making For Deaf People

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The mental health in Deaf community is always a struggle; it is always composted of denials and lack of information, ideas, and facts. It is never the struggle itself, which completely ignores the welfare of Deaf community. Rather, it is a violation of language deprivation, and a violation of well-being.

When Kaiser Permanente (KP) makes an authority to refer to hearing therapists who have no training to work with Deaf people. It is a good example of hearing privileges. It is seriously unethical.

In the world of hearing privileges, there is a power trip between humanely oppressive and the stories by Deaf people remains true to the sources of disrespecting them for their well-being. Deaf people who are living in hearing world, which is constantly stressful and experiencing neglect. This is, hard enough for them.

While social satire is certainly a valid way of language hegemony towards Deaf people, it became ignorance on their part. We all need to remind ourselves about the book, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, whom I read the book back in high school days.

Chicago Tribune writes, “Brave New World is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically-advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order-all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our souls”

BINGO! Then where is Deaf people’s right to seek pursuit of happiness at the cost of their freedom, full humanity and their souls to seek for Deaf-centered therapists who have full knowledge and training to work with Deaf clients?

The hearing therapists who have no training with Deaf people have long practiced Audism. My heart goes out to Deaf people. The challenge of Audism with love and intelligence is tough more than we really think.

It is important to know that Deaf counselors had been available for service, but hearing-dominated therapists decided to take away Deaf people’s right for communication, knowledge and information and….. for direct access instead of changing to hearing counselors with interpreters. It is worse. It is what it is called “pulling the rug from under”—why should Deaf people suffer with this? Why?

The importance of Deaf counseling therapists cannot be overstated, but it seems unfortunate that KP have to overstep its own authority. Haven’t they got enough to do? Can this be done in a respectful, supportive, and professional manner? That denial or ignorance by KP does not show any heartfelt concern for Deaf people’s well-being, but KP kept being defensive. That is something that Deaf people are prone to deal with in our society and creates a lot of hurt in the long run.

Welcome to one nation under hearing privileges, by the hearing privileges, and for the hearing privileges.

Please visit Deaf counseling for well-being: www.deafcounseling.com

 

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-JT

Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

 

Treatment of Suicidal Deaf People

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There is an important discussion about the surge of suicide rates in America. This morning when I woke up and discovered the most recent news about chef Anthony Bourdain who committed suicide in France. It was tragic, indeed. Less than 24 hours ago, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued alerting news about suicide: 30% percent across the nation since 1999.

I am focusing on Deaf Community. CDC showed a nationwide map of states showing which the highest suicide rates. Idaho, one of the highest suicide states, most recently, a Deaf couple—‘murder and suicide’; Depression is invisible stigma. I had my battle with suicide tendencies in the past even as Gallaudet graduate student few years ago. Mental health at Gallaudet University is major problem.

In 1988, I was in eighth grade, I remember getting the news on a small school bus and was informed that Greg, a Deaf friend of mine who rode on the same school bus with me, committed suicide and that was a major flashback for me. Greg was a phenomenal artist. It was not supposed to be that way.

Two Deaf persons committed suicide within last four years in Gallaudet community. It is profound. Last March 2018, a Deaf student at Illinois School for the Deaf committed suicide. Few years ago, a Deaf student in California committed suicide. I could go on more.

Last year, I wrote a post, Suicide is a Big Problem in Deaf Community https://audismnegatsurdi.com/2017/04/03/suicide-is-a-big-problem-in-deaf-community/ has reflected many things. Labeling is powerful. Hate is a bigger problem. The mental health does impact Deaf community. The problem is that it is not enough discussed. Before everyone continue to rush to judgment and do their due diligence on the society. Each and every one of you needs to understand that when suicide rates in Deaf community is invisible now and then; the society has absolutely no interest in the truth.

They are after one thing: lack of knowledge. Suicide is a tragedy act. Deaf community should be not shunned. How does they teach the society when Deaf community should earn an earned opportunity—earned by knowledge? At any rate, America used to be the land of chances and Deaf community rarely believes in second chances as from walks of life dealing with their struggles.

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There are plenty of Deaf people struggling for counseling. Deaf community is not enough discussed in mental health community.

How can the society allow Deaf community to resume their own lives? This is a terrible and faulty narrative about Deaf community. The notion that Deaf community does not feel the pain is simply not a factual. To be sure, there is a huge impact on them. Sometimes, depending on situations, the most brutal ones imaginable.

But mental health community, for example, counseling can make a great leap of difference, and for those Deaf people who seek support and help, in fact, overcome adversity and labeling. Further, how long is long enough for Deaf community to suffer suicide awareness? We must remember that Deaf community is the gatekeepers to all knowledge regarding struggles and suicide awareness.

Stigma reinforces Deaf community. There is a direct line between struggle and help—a human error that would lead to suicides and that is where the society is ignorant about Deaf community. To accept the reality would be to acknowledge that suicide is nothing but a powerful statement, used by hearing privileges to divide Deaf community. It is simply baffling that Deaf community struggle to seek support system. Moreover, the mental crisis seems to be no longer the community accountability.

The only challenge for the crisis is that Deaf community must continue and support mental awareness of any kind is well discussed about suicide awareness and human responsibility.

Please visit Deaf Counseling Center:

www.deafcounseling.com

https://audismnegatsurdi.com/2018/05/23/why-mental-health-awareness-month-is-important-for-deaf-community/

-JT

Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.