Workshops
Our consulting services, speaking engagements and workshops create solutions for people and organizations to overcome the stumbling blocks and fears which they encounter from the presence of disability in their lives, by encouraging them to realize that their primary difficulties in dealing with the challenge of a disability come not from the condition, but rather from their perceptions of it, and, from what they have been made to believe about the disability within themselves.
Disability Presentations
From A Disability Perspective.
Through the course of their life, in all likelihood, everyone will have to deal with the presence and challenges of disability. In this presentation, Julian Bodnar gives his perspective on how the presence of disability has shaped his personal and professional life, and shares with his audience the tools and techniques he has developed to deal with the adversities he has had to face and overcome as a person with a disability. In addition to his practice of law and agrology, he is a principal in Rethinking Disability. Anyone who has heard him speak, knows that his presentations offer practical insights and solutions to problems. His anecdotal and humorous style brings both knowledge and perspective to his audience. You will come away from this presentation entertained and enlightened with a new perspective on disability and adversity in your life, and learn that overcoming disability is not unlike dealing with your own life challenges.
Self-Help For the Disabled
...And also for those who think themselves not to be!
The use of the term "the disabled" in the title of this presentation may be offensive to some persons. And it should be. Because by today's standards for "proper terminology around the topic of disability, the reference to "the disabled" is indeed offensive. However, whether we like to admit it or not, the harsh reality is that the term continues to be used as a conclusion that because someone is seen different, their ability, and their right to enjoy life in parity with others is disentitled of them. And what is even more disconcerting, is how persons so deemed or seen become accustomed and conditioned to view themselves, and unknowingly accept themselves to be.
To be seen as disabled can have far reaching adverse consequences on a person. It can affect them in all walks of life. Often, it is the real cause of one's disablement. But irrespective of the condition that may have lead to the conclusions about a person's abilities, being "disabled' can be overcome, because people often become disabled from the responses and conditioning which they are subjected to because someone else has thought or deemed and labelled them to be so. In this presentation we examine the traits of being disabled, and how they come to be. And, we flesh out the common threads amongst those traits to begin the process of helping people come to terms with the purpose and meaning of disability in their lives, and provide them with the tools to move forward toward greater self determination by Rethinking Disability.
Decoding Disability
Throughout history, being considered as disabled carries with it the connotation of being seen as having an unacceptable condition of humanity; of being disentitled to pursue one's life interests and abilities. Consequently, persons seen as having a disability have been marginalized and ostracized throughout the ages.
No one is born "disabled". People become disabled from the responses and conditioning which they are subjected to because someone else has deemed and labelled them to be so and convinced them that they are.
What is the meaning of disability? What causes it? What is it like to be considered "disabled"? What does that do to the person? How can one overcome being disabled? Is there in fact a wellness in disability? These are the sorts of questions posed in this presentation to help us begin Rethinking Disability.