Finding the support you need
Experiencing vision loss can be a life-altering event, affecting not only your ability to see but also your emotional well-being. Whether it's sudden or gradual, the journey of adjusting to vision loss is a major life transition.
Losing your vision can stir a complex mix of emotions—fear, frustration, sadness, and even anger. These feelings are completely natural, but without proper support, they can become overwhelming.
In 2022 the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired officially acknowledged people living with blindness and low vision have unmet mental health needs.
Affordable (free) mental health services tailored for visually impaired folks are funded by federal-state Vocational Rehabilitation Program dollars. To access these you say the magic words “I want to work” and go through the process to become eligible for an array of services coordinated by a State Vocational Rehabilitation program. Everyone losing good eyesight deserves support with psychosocial adjustment. Not all of these people are ready to entertain employment yet, so this presents Access Problem #1.
If you served in the military contact the Veterans Administration about services they offer.
But let’s assume you aren’t a veteran, you are entertaining employment, and you do want to become a client of a State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. Behind that door taxpayer funded services exist to help prepare you for work. One of these services is called Personal Adjustment Counseling for blindness.
If your VR counselor recognizes you could benefit from this service (NOTE: asking is highly correlated to the likelihood you will receive) Personal Adjustment Counseling may added to your Individualized Plan for Employment. State to state (or county by county within a state) Personal Adjustment Counseling can mean very different things.
It's a "catch all" term. It may mean participating in a monthly peer support group run by a person with lived experience. It may mean individual weekly counseling sessions with a Licensed Professional Counselor qualified to diagnose anxiety, depression, or trauma. This is Access Problem #2.
Some folks are not joiners, so they naturally steer clear of groups. Others are cool with groups but not ready to sign up for a vision loss support group. Maybe they're in denial or not ready to disclose their diagnosis to a bunch of strangers. You have choices.
Self-directed learning is an option worth considering. To find more information about the adjustment to blindness process check out the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled talking book program. They have a list of several books written by people living with vision loss. Hannah Fairbairn’s When You Can’t Believe your Eyes: Vision Loss and Personal Recovery stands out.
Licensed Professional Counselors, Psychologists, and Certified Rehabilitation Counselors with specialized training in blindness and low vision exist. Some contract with Vocational Rehabilitation. Others do not. An internet search for Blind Ally therapist on Psychology Today is a place to start. If out of pocket counseling costs are a barrier look for someone who accepts Medicare, Tricare, and other insurance.
Individual counseling with a highly trained therapist who knows blindness offers the privacy of a safe space to express your thoughts and feelings.
Adjusting to vision loss is hard. Remember, you don't have to go through it alone.