As a therapist living with a spinal cord injury, I consider myself a member of the disability community here in Portland. My disability is only one aspect of who I am, yet it has profoundly shaped how I move through the world and how I understand the experiences of many of the clients I serve.
One of the privileges of being a counselor with a disability is the opportunity to connect with individuals who navigate a world that was not always designed with them in mind. No two disabilities are the same, and no single person can fully understand the spectrum of experiences within the disability community; a meaningful sense of recognition can emerge when a counselor and client share aspects of a lived experience. Living with a disability has given me insight into challenges that often extend beyond physical, cognitive, developmental, intellectual, or psychological differences themselves. Many individuals with disabilities encounter barriers created by inaccessible environments, limited opportunities, discrimination, social exclusion, and systemic ableism. These experiences can contribute to depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, identity concerns, adjustment difficulties, and existential questions about meaning, belonging, and self-worth.
These are not just professional concepts to me. They are experiences I have navigated in my own life. Although I cannot know what it is like to live with every disability or every unique set of circumstances, I understand what it means to encounter barriers that others may never have to consider. I understand the exhaustion of navigating systems that create unnecessary obstacles. I understand the impact of being overlooked, marginalized, or viewed primarily through the lens of a disability. I also understand the resilience, adaptability, and self-advocacy often required to move through a world that can be both supportive and limiting.
This lived experience informs my work in ways that extend beyond empathy alone. It allows me to recognize the often unspoken realities that many clients carry with them into therapy. There can be a sense of relief when clients realize they do not need to spend significant time educating their therapist about ableism, accessibility challenges, or the emotional complexity of living with a disability. Instead, we can focus more fully on the impact these experiences have had on their relationships, identity, emotional well-being, and sense of possibility. Shared identity in therapy can create a unique foundation for understanding, but it does not eliminate the individuality of each person's experience. Rather, it provides a starting point for deeper exploration. I remain curious about each client's unique story while bringing an awareness of the broader social and systemic forces that often shape that story.
My own journey has involved confronting internalized messages about disability, productivity, independence, and worth. Like many people with disabilities, I have had to examine beliefs shaped by societal attitudes and learn to cultivate greater self-compassion, acceptance, agency, and self-advocacy. This ongoing process has strengthened my ability to support clients as they explore similar themes in their own lives. As a therapist with a disability, I am grateful for the perspective that lived experience has provided. It has deepened my understanding of grief, loss, adaptation, resilience, and hope. Most importantly, it allows me to sit alongside clients with authenticity, compassion, and a recognition that while our experiences may differ, we can work together to navigate life's challenges while creating space for growth, meaning, acceptance, and possibility.
-By Zachary Smith, Professional Counselor Associate
