Hi All-

I just wanted to make some comments on a point Betty brought up:

<< In that vein, I also wonder if a psychologist or other mental health
 professional who is not in tune with disability awareness issues, and who is
 not "teachable," is truly qualified to treat the patient. >>

I have had too experiences in my adult life so far with our "friends" in the
mental health profession---too very diffrnent experiences:

1.  I was refured to a physcitrist when I was 18 because of the onset of what
my family doctor thouhght and what was depression, because my family doctor
wanted to know which anti-depressent would work best for me.  Now this
physcitrist saw that my depression was dew to the complications in my family
life, as I have explained before, and not so much because of my disability.
He saw my web site and disability awerness concenrs as me trying to educate
the public---do a public service.

2.  The rehabilitation commission wanted one of those psycological tests
(i.q. and such) done and refured me to a nuropsychologist when I was 20.  The
report that I got back from him was and I am quoting from the report here...

"Ms. Stanford is experincing chronic depression which is accompnied by social
withdrawl.  She has deeply ingrained feelings of inadequacy and logstanding
interpersonal isolation.  She...tends to minamalize problamatic emotions and
preceived limitations and failings. Despite her minimilzation, she is
experiencing considrable distress, to which she has become adjusted, and she
has limited resources for changing her situation."

Later in the report it says "....is likly to be quite conventional and
passive. She has difficulty with assertiveneess (true) and is most comftorble
when being alone (also true). Her interpersonal discomfort is due to her
feelings of inadaqucy (not true), perception that she has little to offer
others (not true...what about my web site...that's what it is all about
helping others) and expectation that she will be rejected (true).

And the report goes on to say that I base my self-worth on "academic
achivement and her identity and activities seem to exclusivly involve her
status as a person with a disability"

I don't agree with many of the assersions made by the psychologist...while I
do tend to isolate my self...it is not by choice...I live in a small town
outside dallas which dose not have adaqute public transpertation and I can
not drive so I don;t get out much...I don't chose to be socialy isolated.
Furter he saw my involvemnt in disability education and aweness and rights as
unhealthy...in that it was too much of who I was...but that is what I
am...and I get such joy when people come to the website and tell me how much
it has helped them...I have gotten notes from teachers, doctors, lawarys,
parents, adults and kids with cp, elemntry-college level students, all having
questions about CP (which I try my best to provide good answers for) and
thanking me for doing my website.  This makes me feel very imortant when I
get this kind of feedback because I know I am helping somebody to understand
CP and/or find the information they need.  So I would not say all of what the
psycologist said about me is true.  And just because I put alot of time into
my site at least 1.5 hours a day (and usualy more) that dosn;t mean it is all
that I am about...but CP and disability is a huge part of my life and I won;t
deny that.

Both of these people did not have physical disabilities--but as you can see
thay saw my activities ivolving the disabled and education very difrently.
And I do tend to agree  with what Betty said I do think that those in the
mental health profession who do demonstrate disability awerness and
acceptence are able to deal better with those patients for  wich disability
is a part of there lives.  But those who are not able to identify and deal
with these issues have a disadvantage when it comes to helping patients with
disabilities.

Yours,
Anee
http://www.geocities.com/aneecp/CPIC.html