Coaching somebody who’s facing the possibility of disability may seem like a waste. However, most people with the disability have many abilities. To bring those abilities fourth requires help and perseverance. There are many people willing and able to diagnose, retrain, or assist in daily tasks. None of these people have the focus and perspective of helping a person find a meaningful life with a disability.

Disability coaches are health or life coaches whose focus is on helping people with disabilities. Unlike a wellness or health coach who paints a rosy picture of life if you just do this or that. a disability coach knows you will have struggles. Disability coaches know you have good days and bad days. Disability coaches know what it’s like to struggle to get out of bed in the morning. Disability coaches know you’re not superhuman. Disability coaches are willing to roll up their sleeves and help you grapple with the down and dirty of life.

Disability coaches know life is not a matter of a simple fix. Life is a matter of struggle compromise and perseverance. It involves the whole of ones being. The disability coaches not just interested in one aspect of your life but the whole of your life. The whole of your life includes your physical well-being your emotional well-being your social well-being and your spiritual well-being.

Health coaches for the most part focus on your physical well-being. They are usually paid for by insurance companies. The insurance companies justify paying them because your medical bills will be less. However, are you interested in what it costs to find a way to do what you need to do to live?

Mental health professionals are trained in helping you get your life back together. They are good at dealing with depression and other mental illnesses. They too are paid for by insurance companies. Their goal usually is in helping you function. If you are depressed and can’t get out of bed, your ability to get dressed and visit their office is a success. However is struggling to get out of bed get dressed into an appointment really living? Disability and health coaches want to see you live to your fullest potential.

Spiritual coaches usually come from one spiritual tradition. Thus, there are Christian coaches and coaches from other faith traditions. Other spiritual coaches seem to have great trouble in explaining what they actually do.

There are job coaches out there. Their job is to help you find and hold onto a job. They had many tools to figure out what you’ll be good at and what the market wants. But having a job and working is not just a matter of skills; it is also a matter of getting along with people. If the attitudes of your employer and coworkers make you feel like an outsider, your ability to concentrate and perform well will be limited.

Disability coaches know you have limitations. Disability coaches focus on the whole of your life. Disability coaches work for you. Disability coaches know living with the disability is an ongoing challenge. Many disability coaches call themselves chronic disease coaches because the chronic disease is what is causing disability.

As a health or life coach focusing on disabilities, I am using my experience going blind to help me understand this process better. I am working on a book called, “recipes for lemonade thriving through disability: Dr. Dave’s personal recipe”. I am also surveying those who have a disability to discover the breadth and depth of the problems disabled persons face. If you wish to participate in this survey you may go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CZL8LN3
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As always seek joy
Coach Dr. Dave (disabled)
www.www.bsmk-med.com