Recognizing Ableism and Practicing Disability Humility: Conceptualizing Disability Across the Lifespan

Abstract

Disability culture is often misunderstood by counselors who lack extensive training in working with individuals with disabilities (IWDs) (Stuntzner & Hartley, 2014). This quantitative study used the Counseling Clients with Disability Survey (CCDS) to explore the beliefs and perceived knowledge of counselors-in-training (CITs), counselors, and counselor educators regarding preparation to counsel IWDs, which is particularly important as disability status can change across the lifespan, and given that the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards Review Committee provided a guide to the draft standards incorporating the infusion of disability concepts. Results indicate that counselors were competent regarding disability awareness and use of microskills but lacked specific knowledge regarding disabilities. Findings suggest that faculty members need to intentionally infuse cultural humility and assess for readiness when working with IWDs. The manuscript concludes with specific suggestions of integrating disability content into varied coursework.