Article Version of Record

The (physically) wounded healer: The impact of a physical disability on training and development as a counselling psychologist: A case study

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Ingham, Esther

Abstract / Description

This case study investigates how physical disability might impact on the therapeutic training and development of a counselling psychologist. Discourse analysis of extracts and quotations from the author’s own reflexive journal reveals some potential implications of a subtly discriminatory environment that perpetuates societal negativity towards the physically disabled. A limited level of understanding of the experience of physical disability amongst peers/colleagues is seen as a potential issue for the profession to address as an ethical obligation for ambassadors of social justice, possibly through specific disability training and reflexive practice. The archetype of the ‘wounded healer’ in the helping professions is an affirmative perspective by which to view physical disability in training. The physically disabled trainee is encouraged to commit to personal reflexive work to develop his/her understanding of the various possible implications of their physicality on relationships, be they personal or professional. This can ultimately prove the experience of physical disability to be a useful tool which, when used skillfully, has the capacity to increase relational depth in therapeutic relationships.

Keyword(s)

physical disability counselling psychology reflexivity training discourse analysis Foucault

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2018-08-17

Journal title

The European Journal of Counselling Psychology

Volume

7

Issue

1

Page numbers

31–46

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Ingham, E. (2018). The (physically) wounded healer: The impact of a physical disability on training and development as a counselling psychologist: A case study. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology, 7(1), 31–46. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v7i1.131
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Ingham, Esther
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-29T07:49:10Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-29T07:49:10Z
  • Date of first publication
    2018-08-17
  • Abstract / Description
    This case study investigates how physical disability might impact on the therapeutic training and development of a counselling psychologist. Discourse analysis of extracts and quotations from the author’s own reflexive journal reveals some potential implications of a subtly discriminatory environment that perpetuates societal negativity towards the physically disabled. A limited level of understanding of the experience of physical disability amongst peers/colleagues is seen as a potential issue for the profession to address as an ethical obligation for ambassadors of social justice, possibly through specific disability training and reflexive practice. The archetype of the ‘wounded healer’ in the helping professions is an affirmative perspective by which to view physical disability in training. The physically disabled trainee is encouraged to commit to personal reflexive work to develop his/her understanding of the various possible implications of their physicality on relationships, be they personal or professional. This can ultimately prove the experience of physical disability to be a useful tool which, when used skillfully, has the capacity to increase relational depth in therapeutic relationships.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Ingham, E. (2018). The (physically) wounded healer: The impact of a physical disability on training and development as a counselling psychologist: A case study. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology, 7(1), 31–46. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v7i1.131
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-7614
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1682
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2048
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v7i1.131
  • Keyword(s)
    physical disability
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    counselling psychology
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    reflexivity
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    training
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    discourse analysis
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Foucault
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    The (physically) wounded healer: The impact of a physical disability on training and development as a counselling psychologist: A case study
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    The European Journal of Counselling Psychology
  • Page numbers
    31–46
  • Volume
    7
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record