An ecosystemic vision of visually disabled therapists

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences (both professional and personal) of the therapist who is visually impaired or blind.

This is a post-modernist dissertation contextualised within the ecosystemic-hermeneutical epistemology. These paradigms are two sides of the same coin and emphasize a social constructionist worldview. A descriptive methodology within the domain of language and narrative discourse is utilised in accordance with this worldview.

The narratives of two research participants were recounted through the researcher's lens within particular `dimensions of understanding'. These `dimensions of understanding' were interpreted, deconstructed and co-constructed (with the research participants). Thus this dissertation operates simultaneously on a number of different levels which emphasises the social constructionist worldview. This also allowed for the hermeneutic-ecosystemic analysis of these `dimensions of understanding' as method of data analysis.

There are also emerging `dimensions of understanding' from the researcher's own perspective and personal experience as a visually impaired therapist in training.