Counseling Beyond the Seen

Professional Experience Article

Counseling involves a person’s mind, spirit, and body. As counselors, we are taught to ”see” the whole individual. A counselor that does not “see” all of these components of a person might be missing something for the person they are treating; therefore, getting to know the person is essential to understand all of these components However, do you need eyes to see?

Something very evident in this is that the counselor should be observant and “see” everything a client brings into the therapy session. As a mental health counselor with a visual impairment, I have felt fellow colleagues do not understand how I work with my clients. The truth is that when we are taught to be counselors, we are taught to be observant with our eyes and therefore I understand where their concerns come from because I cannot “see” how they do

Counselors are taught to “look” at nonverbal cues, for example, gestures, postures, or simply positioning within a room to gain insight into a client. As a counselor with a visual impairment, I have taught myself to find other nonverbal cues that show me how a client might be feeling or even dealing with a situation.

The tone of how a person tells their narrative, as well as the pitch of their voice can tell me a lot about how they feel or if they are uncomfortable. I have noticed that these things sometimes give me more insight than the visuals, maybe because I do not ”see” as well as most, but maybe because my ears have grown to “see” the things most counselors cannot with their eyes

When my clients realize I am visually impaired, sometimes they worry or feel uneasy. However, they have learned that it does not take good eyes to be a good clinician but empathy, compassion, dedication, and a good ear or heart. Honestly, some might even be resistant to the idea of continuing therapy because they are taught by movies, social media, and even society how a counselor ought to be, which is not visually impaired However, after discussing their fears and showing how therapy can still be done without sight, the client usually realizes that everything portrayed in media is not necessarily correct

Clients are later surprised how they cannot “hide” when they feel uncomfortable, frustrated, or uneasy with a given topic because I pick up on their tone of voice or their pitch and ask, “I notice your voice changed; what is on your mind?” or “what is making you feel uneasy?” or remind them that if they do not feel comfortable in talking about something they are the pilot of the counseling session, I am just the guide or the copilot, it all depends on what is it that I hear. It is tough to explain exactly how I pick out each emotion or sense the uneasiness in their voice. Sometimes even listening to how a client moves in their chair or taps their feet or hands helps too. For those, who can see, that would be easier to pick up; however, for me, it would have to be based on hearing the movement. Those that know me say it is my sixth sense. However, I say it is my fifth considering my eyes do not function as most do.

It has been rewarding to see people become more open to those that are different due to experiencing a session in my office. It has been rewarding to be a change in the world of counseling and that of people with disabilities. I enjoy truly “seeing” everyone that comes into my office and helping them grow in their healing journey.

Counselors ought to understand that our clients are diverse, and so are we Therefore, being open to counselors that are different or have different viewpoints is essential We can learn from each other if we listen to each other and grow in our profession. It does not take eyes to make a good counselor; we ought to know that. I challenge you not to view the nonverbal cues but to hear them and see if you can identify the client’s anger, frustration, or resistance.

Written By: Odalis Romer, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC

Odalis is currently a nationally certified counselor, as well as licensed in the state of Florida She specializes in working with children and trauma survivors, which is what led her to get certified as a trauma professional (CCTP) She currently is the owner of Romero Sound Mind Counseling as well as the assistant director at Behavioral Turning Point and continues to provide services to those needing them