Adjusting to Vision Loss Counseling

Losing one’s sight can initially feel devastating and overwhelming. People experiencing vision loss often fear they will lose their independence, and they may feel anxiety, depression, anger, grief, and isolation. Many times people struggle with the impact of their vision loss on their marriage, family, or other personal relationships, as well as on socialization, recreation, work, or education.

Our Adjustment Counselors can help you understand and work through the process of grief associated with vision loss and develop strategies for coping with the physiological and emotional challenges. The Adjustment Counselor will work with you to build your own personal toolbox for adjusting to the new ways to accomplish your daily living goals.

First steps toward coping and living well with vision loss

When someone is first faced with vision loss, it can seem like an insurmountable blow, the person can feel hopeless, as if life could never get back to being as good as when they had sight. It may be hard for the person to imagine at first, but piece by piece, they can begin to adjust, to re-build their ability to do things in a new way, to gain confidence for independence and more.

Adjustment counseling helps people learn to manage these feelings and break the seemingly insurmountable into small, steps according to their individual goals. Once people find they can accomplish one small task at a time, they begin piecing their successes together into a skill-set for living life to the fullest in a new, happier way.

If you are having difficulty coping with vision loss, we invite you to sign up for MABVI’s counseling service to help you move forward on your journey of living well with vision loss. This service may be provided by one of MABVI’s licensed social workers or an affiliated provider. This service is not available in all areas of the state. If it is not available in your area, however, MABVI may be able to assist you with locating appropriate community resources.

AFFILIATED PROVIDERS

The Counseling and Assessment Clinic of Worcester, LLC (CAC) was founded in May of 2007 by Dr. Jennifer J. Hylton. CAC is a four-site, licensed clinic with offices in Worcester and Fitchburg and provides culturally competent assessment and treatment of children, adolescents and adults. CAC is accredited by the Joint Commission, which certifies only those health agencies that meet the highest standards of care.

CAC’s mission is to provide exceptional behavioral health and substance abuse services to residents of central Massachusetts. The clinicians at CAC have experience working in various clinics and hospitals in Massachusetts in different roles and capacities. We aim to provide culturally competent services to all of our clients, who are in need of and present for treatment.

CAC aims is to increase access to behavioral health care and substance abuse care for all people, including ethnic minority groups, the elderly, and the disabled who have traditionally been marginalized or have received services that were lacking culturally.

CAC uses a team approach that includes a variety of professionals including family therapists, social workers, individual therapists and case managers. Appointments may be made at the Worcester or Fitchburg offices, or at home.

IlanaRei Goss, MSW, LICSW is a graduate of the Smith College School of Social Work who has been working in the field for over 15 years. She provides psychotherapy to adolescents and adults, including couples. Her main clinical focuses are working with people who identify with a gender or sexual minority (LGBTQIA), as well as people with disabilities, especially visual impairment.

As someone who has experienced vision loss herself, she believes that her empathy and understanding make her uniquely qualified to provide therapy for others experiencing vision loss and their loved ones. Her office is located in Jamaica Plain, two blocks from the Orange Line, and her building is handicapped accessible. She takes Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts, Beacon Health Strategies and Medicare.

Selma Mirsky, MSW, LICSW holds degrees from Boston University and UMass Amherst and has worked with many clients coping with vision loss over the years, including people blind since birth, adults who have been blind for a number of years, and elders first losing vision as a result of age-related eye diseases.

Selma performs individual, couples, and group therapy and prefers to work with people in their homes. While her office is in Newton, she provides in-home counseling to surrounding Metrowest areas.

She accepts the following insurances: Medicare, MassHealth, BCBS, Tufts, Aetna, AARP, Optum.

Marcia Smith-Hutton MSW, LICSW, BCD has over 25 years of experience helping people with depression, anxiety, grief, panic disorders and vision loss. Blind from birth and having grown up in France she is bicultural and bilingual. Before becoming a therapist, she studied music, graduating from a Paris conservatory and moving to Boston for a master’s in piano. Before starting her private therapy practice, she worked in several hospitals and mental health centers.

Marcia is able to see consumers in Brookline and is conveniently located on the Green “C” Line. She is also able to provide appointments to people over the telephone if they are unable to access her locality. She takes Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Medicare, Tufts and United. To enquire call 508-854-0700.

To enquire about this service, call 508-854-0700, email mabvi@mabcommunity.org, or complete our Service Referral Form.