How Psychologists Improve Culturally Awareness & Communicate Effectively with Those Experiencing Impacts from Hearing and Vision Loss
/How Psychologists Improve Culturally Awareness & Communicate Effectively with Those Experiencing Impacts from Hearing and Vision Loss
As a therapist, whether psychologist, social worker, counselor are you ready to help a client process their feelings when they are facing vision or hearing loss? Dealing with client who experience different levels of progressive loss requires additional understanding beyond what you may have learned elsewhere.
Hearing and vision loss do not simply change how a person perceives the world; they also shape cognitive load, emotional well-being, interpersonal connection, autonomy, and clinical rapport. Staying up to date on the ethics surrounding these changes is not only best practice — it is integral to patient safety, trust, and therapeutic success.
You may hear your client say:
“I just found out I am going blind.”
“My vision has gotten worse, and I need to make some tough decisions about work.”
“ I have AMD and eventually it may impact my work, when do I tell my boss?”
Read on to learn a few basic tips of what not to say, and strategies that help. (new flash, this works with other progressive conditions too)
What NOT to say: (honestly I have heard these from well meaning MH providers)
“Are you sure?”
“Oh don’t worry, everything talks these days”
“Maybe its just your MH issues that making it seem so bad today”
Things that might be good to say:
“Oh my gosh, how are you feeling about this?”
“Tell me more, please, I want to know.”
“Can you explain how you see?”
“Is there anything you wish I could learn about this?”
“Have you learned yet, what others with your vision do or expect?”
What resources do you have now?
Especially the last two may help you avoid the most painful experience for a person facing uncorrectable vision loss. Don’t let your discomfort with the loss, rush into to rapidly offering solutions. Often these either don’t work, or have already been tried. It leave the client feeling disconnected, misunderstood, and afraid to bring the topic up again. Not wanting to tell you that your suggestions were painful.
There is obviously much good technology, and lots of information out there to help both you and your client. But managing the feelings around needing to even need to access those resources, or face being different needs a safe place to have their despair, anger and grief. Just like any other loss. Yet the progressive, sometimes unaware nature of vision loss, along with the potential tools to mitigate the actual deficit, makes for extra fatigue, and lots of bias around functions – all of which bring up strong emotions that need your help.
What your client wants you to know.
Your client needs you to be a least a bit culturally competent, so they are not left trying to educate you to avoid your bias and fears.
Continuing the Mission of Access and Understanding
Adaptability for Life’s cultural competence - ethics continuing education courses focus on helping psychologist, nurses, dentists, doctors, chiropractors, therapists, and other healthcare professionals and families better serve individuals with vision or hearing loss, blindness, deafness and combinations of sensor loss through culturally competent, practical, and engaging continuing education. These are approved by Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.
For those seeking to enhance their skills in communicating with those who have vision or hearing loss, consider enrolling.
2-Hour Cultural Competence CE: Effective Communication with Clients Who Are Hard of Hearing
4-Hour Cultural Competence and Ethics CE: Understanding the Diversity of Legal Blindness, Impacts & Solutions
6-Hour Cultural Competence and Ethics CE: Providing Culturally Competent Healthcare for Those Aging with Dual Sensory Impairments
Each course blends over 25 years of experience in rehabilitation counseling and disability services with lived insight and real-world examples. You’ll walk away with tools that help prevent social isolation, improve connection and communication, and foster hope—even in the face of progressive sensory loss.
What You’ll Gain
Strategies to prevent social isolation and despair
Tools to support clients experiencing progressive loss
Skills to improve communication and connection
Easy, low- or no-cost accessibility techniques
Real-world examples you can apply immediately
About the Instructor
Deb Marinos, MS, CRC, LPC, is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Oregon Licensed Professional Counselor, and CMBM Mind-Body Skills Group Facilitator. She brings decades of teaching experience with health care professionals and other working with individuals navigating sensory loss and disability. Her courses are designed to be interactive, helpful, and will give you more comfort in your work.
Take the Next Step
If you’re ready to strengthen your skills, deepen your empathy, and make your practice more inclusive—join Deb and Olaf on this journey.
👉 Explore the Cultural Competence & Ethics accredited continuing education courses and sign up today at Adaptability for Life
Adaptability for Life LLC
21887 SW Sherwood Blvd. STE C
Sherwood, OR 97140
deb@adaptabilityforlife.com