I am a PSW, and I have a client who is paralyzed, what should I do to encourage her to gain her confidence?
2006-10-12 15:37:11 · 10 answers · asked by PSW Learner 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Community Service
Have them focus on the positive things in their life, and remind them there are plenty of things they can still do.Therapy is also a great tool.
2006-10-13 22:47:38 · answer #1 · answered by Celebrity girl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Where does confidence come from? It comes from doing things that you think that you cannot do. Each and every time you do something that you previously thought was impossible for you, you gain confidence and self-esteem.
This is true no matter how many abiities or disabilities you have, for we ALL have some kinds of abilities AND disabilities. Its just a matter of degree. You didn't mention how much paralysis was involved and I don't know what PSW means but that doesn't really matter.
Don't let your client focus on comparing what he can do with what others can do, envy is a dead end street (and again I think that this is true for all of us and not just people with disabiities) Try to focus on what the person can do but don't stop there.
Try as many new experiences as possible, push for the limits of what is possible and what you may think is impossible. Give the child a series of ever increasing hurdles to overcome. Start with something that you both know that he/she can do and then raise the bar. The results will surprise you.
Most of us humans are limited by our imaginations more than our physical limitations. Even perfectly functioning human bodies have limited strength and speed compared to other animals but we humans can do extraordinary things because of our ingenuity and ability to think and experiment.
2006-10-14 03:53:14 · answer #2 · answered by megalomaniac 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Buy books by Joni Earekson Tada on Amazon.....totally paralyzed and has become one of the world best selling authors...how she learned to paint holding a brush in her mouth....one of the most amazing women I have a ever known about.....she was young when this happened to her.....I don't know what a PSW is , but how could you not know who this Joni is if you work with paralyzed people?? (that didn't sound nice,,,,sorry)
2006-10-12 16:25:59 · answer #3 · answered by Cassie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Encourage her to look at the skills she still posses.Encourage her to go to support groups for recreation as well as support. People think because one is disabled, whether it's paralysis, blindness, deafness, slow mentality that one can not be a contributing member of society, which is totally wrong.
Encourage her to pursue independent living movement sites, to work on her skills and utilize everyone in her team from psw's like you to therapists to voc rehab workers to become team so and so working to get her doing the most she can do.
Talk to her about Rick Hansen the Man in Motion, the late Christopher Reeve, the para-olympians, wheelchair basketball so that she will see you can succeed in your life despite having a disability.
Challenge Aspen helps disabled and blind people ski or pursue other sports they may think are available to them . There's theraputic riding she can become involved in that will strengthen her confidence.
Being disabled to paraphrase the late Bette Davis is not for sissies. She may no longer be able to walk but she can still live if she chooses to .
2006-10-15 07:28:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I assume your in Canada I am in the states. Lived in both places, Canada has a long way to go to help the disabled.
That said, tell her to look at the inspiration by so many wounded us troops, who come back and get limbs who then run, walk, tell her to see the christopher reeves of the world and all he did while paralyzed.
the christopher reeve foundation is great.
2006-10-14 07:34:24 · answer #5 · answered by CCC 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are support groups for others like them. You should encourage them to attend.
2006-10-12 15:45:48 · answer #6 · answered by baseballandbbq 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you should be more specific about what his/her concerns are ? finding a friend/mate ? employment to make more money what? ask question again my left hand is paralyzed ill be looking for this!
2006-10-12 15:48:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
find others who have excelled in life although they are paralysed in some way or another.... people like Joni Erickson Tada - http://www.joniandfriends.org/
2006-10-14 17:58:53 · answer #8 · answered by jaimestar64cross 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
show them all the other parts of the body that work (what ever ones do) like the eyes, ears, nose...
tell them they can still think and use their brain to get somewhere in life
2006-10-12 15:45:04 · answer #9 · answered by minds over matter 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only way is through alcohol.
2006-10-14 08:38:05 · answer #10 · answered by big b 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋