Tag: news
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Using DBT to Support Deaf People and Their Families
Emotional dysregulation is a challenge many individuals face, but for members of the Deaf community and their families, unique cultural and linguistic barriers can intensify this struggle. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a highly structured and evidence-based therapeutic approach, offers a powerful tool for addressing these challenges. Using the skills deficit framework, DBT can be adapted…
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The Real Barriers of Deafness: Society’s Role in Creating Exclusion and Inequality
The social model of disability, developed in response to the medical model, argues that disability is not an inherent attribute of an individual but a result of the interaction between individuals and an environment that does not accommodate their needs. For Deaf individuals, this means their suffering often arises not from their deafness but from…
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How Do Codas Know They Need Help?
A Journey of Recognition and Healing Recently, I was asked a question that stayed with me: How do Codas (Children of Deaf Adults) know they need help? , I posed the same question to my brother. His response? He laughed and said: “Are they breathing? They’re Codas; of course, they need help.” While his words…
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Are Deaf Trauma Responses Different? A Closer Look at the Unique Impacts of Trauma on the Deaf Community
Trauma is a deeply personal experience that anyone can experience, but for members of the Deaf community, its effects often are compounded by unique cultural, linguistic, and systemic challenges. These challenges contribute to trauma responses that may differ in expression or origin from those of hearing individuals. This post examines 11 specific trauma responses observed…
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The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study: A Lens on Trauma in the Deaf and Coda Communities
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been a cornerstone in understanding how early life trauma impacts health and well-being. The landmark ACE study, conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente in the 1990s, surveyed over 17,000 participants to explore the long-term effects of childhood trauma. The findings were groundbreaking, revealing that the more ACEs an individual…
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What Australia’s Reports Reveal About Abuse in the Deaf Community
Australia’s Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disability sheds light on a deeply troubling reality: Deaf individuals face disproportionately high rates of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This March 2021 report, prepared by the Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health, offers a sobering insight into the challenges Deaf individuals…
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Parentification in the Deaf Community: Intergenerational Dynamics and Impacts on Codas
Parentification occurs when a child assumes the role of a parent, taking on responsibilities that exceed their developmental stage and emotional readiness. In the Deaf community, the phenomenon of parentification can take on unique forms due to linguistic and cultural barriers, systemic discrimination, and intergenerational trauma. Codas (Children of Deaf Adults) are often thrust into…
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Navigating Privilege, Marginalization, and Legacy Burdens
When we think about Codas (Children of Deaf Adults), society often views them through a singular lens: hearing individuals who grew up in Deaf households. This perspective, while partly true, oversimplifies the complexities of their lived experience. Codas exist at the intersection of privilege (hearing) and marginalization (identity)—a dynamic that is often misunderstood and rarely…
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Understanding the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS): Measuring Subtle Bias in Daily Life
Discrimination isn’t always loud and overt—it often hides in the subtle, everyday interactions that many individuals face. The Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) is a tool designed to capture these experiences, shedding light on the ways subtle forms of bias impact mental health and well-being over time. If you’ve ever felt disrespected, excluded, or unfairly judged…
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The Coda Identity: Bridging Two Worlds and Creating a Legacy
The Coda identity is a complex and unique experience rooted in the intersection of Deaf and hearing worlds. Codas (Children of Deaf Adults) grow up navigating two distinct cultural and linguistic environments, often becoming language brokers/interpreters, cultural mediators, and advocates at an early age. This unique role shapes their sense of self, worldview, and interpersonal…
the Coda Counselor 