Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Advance Access published online on February 25, 2008
The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, doi:10.1093/deafed/enn001
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exploring the Potential of Constructionist Therapy: Deaf Clients, Hearing Therapists and a Reflecting Team
Queensland University of Technology
 |
Abstract |
|---|
This article explores the use of constructionist therapy with a reflecting team of hearing therapists seeing deaf clients. Using findings from two in-depth interviews, postsession reflections and a review of the literature, we propose that this model has the potential to cater to the diversity of the lived experiences of deaf people and also to address issues of power and tensions between medical, social, and cultural models of deafness. The interviews found there was real value in sharing multiple perspectives between the reflecting team of hearing therapists and these deaf clients. In addition, the clients reported feeling safe and comfortable with this model of counseling. Other information that emerged from the interviews supports previous findings regarding consistency in interpreting and the importance of hearing therapists having an understanding of the distinctions between Deaf and hearing worlds. As the first investigation of its kind in Australia, this article provides a map for therapists to incorporate reflecting teams with interpreters, deaf clients, and hearing therapists. The value of this article also lies in providing a much needed platform for future research into counseling outcomes and the efficacy of this constructionist model of therapy.
Correspondence should be sent to Louise Munro, Queensland University of Technology, Beams Road, Carseldine, QLD 4034, Australia (e-mail: le.munro{at}qut.edu.au). No conflicts of interest were reported.
Received May 29, 2007; revised January 9, 2008; accepted January 9, 2008