Difficulties Faced by Deaf Individuals in Accessing Psychological Care
On average, deaf, deaf-mute, or individuals with hearing impairment often have more difficulty than others in finding healthcare professionals adapted to their situation. This can turn the search for a psychotherapist into a real uphill battle.
Individuals with hearing impairment living in small or even medium-sized cities, or worse, in rural areas with medical shortages, often search in vain for specialists with the experience and expertise needed to easily understand them.
Even on the internet, psychotherapists capable of considering the specific needs and requirements of deaf or deaf-mute individuals remain unfortunately too scarce. They are often not trained in the unique communication challenges faced by the deaf community, and sometimes they may exhibit stigmatizing biases or naive beliefs.
Of course, one can always consult a regular psychologist, psychoanalyst, or psychiatrist, but there is no guarantee that they will be willing to make an effort to accommodate the deaf individual’s situation.
That’s why it appears more appropriate to find a therapist online and consult them remotely. Additionally, this approach can simply be more convenient and cost-effective: no waiting time, no travel, and no transportation costs. Life is good, isn’t it?
I, Marie-Joe Kfoury, a psychotherapist of Lebanese origin, trilingual (French, Arabic, English), practicing in Brussels, Belgium, in the Auderghem district, offer services for deaf, adults with hearing impairment, adolescents, and children.
Whether you have a cochlear implant or not, a hearing aid, or none, I offer you my listening ear, my compassion, and my open-mindedness, just as I would with any other individual.
Psychotherapy Services Adapted to Individuals with hearing impairment
My psychotherapy services are conventional, meaning they do not differ from the services I offer to hearing individuals, except for the format they can take.
And that’s fortunate because you experience the same existential accidents as everyone else, in addition to problems specifically related to hearing impairment.
I address:
- Your problems of anxiety and stress
- Depression and dark thoughts, even suicidal ones
- Insomnia and other sleep disorders
- Relationship issues (family conflicts, couple problems, work-related distress)
- Addictions (alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling, etc.)
- Divorce and separation
- Attention disorders (ADHD, etc.)
- Traumas (violence, abuse, etc.)
- And more
As a mental health professional, my therapeutic practice aligns with the humanistic psychology approach, emphasizing active listening and compassionate empathy, inspired by Carl Rogers.
Consultation Methods and Teleconsultation
I offer consultation methods adapted to Individuals with hearing impairment. Traditional therapies are often described as “talk therapies,” but we can work around this issue by utilizing therapies through writing or through speech supplemented by gestures and facial expressions if necessary.
If you belong to the category of “oral deaf” individuals, meaning you can speak without fear of being misunderstood, and you live in the Belgian capital, I offer in-person consultations at my office in Brussels/Auderghem, using French Cued Speech.
(However, you may need to be patient because I need some practice in this area, but I have the will and the heart to improve my skills with you in this style of communication. Thank you in advance!)
If you cannot easily communicate by voice or if you live too far from Brussels, I offer psychotherapy sessions through teleconsultation:
- Videoconference teleconsultation (e.g., on WhatsApp or another popular app like Telegram or Skype)
- Chat-based teleconsultation (on WhatsApp, etc.)
These videoconference or text-based teleconsultations can be conducted in French, English, or Arabic.
However, I must mention that I do not speak sign language, unfortunately, and therefore, I will be unable to follow you through this means.
If my offer of psychotherapy interests you, or even if you’re not quite sure yet, don’t hesitate to get to know me; you can decide later. So, feel free to contact me!
