Research Days 2023 - On Demand Presentations
Treating Clients with Invisible Illnesses
Type of Presentation
Paper
Location
On Demand
Abstract
An invisible illness is a mental, neurological, or physical disability not outwardly observable. Invisible illnesses can include but are not limited to the following conditions asthma, crones' disease, diabetes, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia. Approximately 96% of individuals with chronic medical conditions live with invisible illnesses, some of which can be debilitating. A disability can represent a continuous mental or physical hardship that causes impairments or limits basic life undertakings. Some difficulties endured by those with disabilities could be nominal or create significant life adaptations and loss. Individuals who develop chronic physical invisible illnesses may find that searching for a definitive diagnosis can drive doubt and nonacceptance because it is more forthright for some medical professionals to accept that unexplained invisible illness symptomology is psychosomatic. When treating individuals with invisible illnesses, counselors must follow ethical guidelines set by their professional organizations and the American Counseling Association. Guidelines state that counselors must not commit biased actions towards current or future clients founded on disability. Counselors must issue assessments under the same conditions set in their standardization. When assessments are not conducted under typical conditions, counselors may need to accommodate clients with disabilities. Counselors with online webpages that furnish accessibility to individuals with disabilities must also be aware of multicultural and disability concerns for the hearing and seeing impaired. Bringing the topic of invisible illnesses to light is essential to those living with symptoms, as denial of invisible illnesses can manifest on any or all biopsychosocial planes; when it does, it can produce trauma.
Treating Clients with Invisible Illnesses
On Demand
An invisible illness is a mental, neurological, or physical disability not outwardly observable. Invisible illnesses can include but are not limited to the following conditions asthma, crones' disease, diabetes, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia. Approximately 96% of individuals with chronic medical conditions live with invisible illnesses, some of which can be debilitating. A disability can represent a continuous mental or physical hardship that causes impairments or limits basic life undertakings. Some difficulties endured by those with disabilities could be nominal or create significant life adaptations and loss. Individuals who develop chronic physical invisible illnesses may find that searching for a definitive diagnosis can drive doubt and nonacceptance because it is more forthright for some medical professionals to accept that unexplained invisible illness symptomology is psychosomatic. When treating individuals with invisible illnesses, counselors must follow ethical guidelines set by their professional organizations and the American Counseling Association. Guidelines state that counselors must not commit biased actions towards current or future clients founded on disability. Counselors must issue assessments under the same conditions set in their standardization. When assessments are not conducted under typical conditions, counselors may need to accommodate clients with disabilities. Counselors with online webpages that furnish accessibility to individuals with disabilities must also be aware of multicultural and disability concerns for the hearing and seeing impaired. Bringing the topic of invisible illnesses to light is essential to those living with symptoms, as denial of invisible illnesses can manifest on any or all biopsychosocial planes; when it does, it can produce trauma.