17 TPC Digest T he persistent presence of ableism in higher education, counseling practice, and society underscores the urgent need for disability justice advocacy. Over 60 million Americans live with a disability, making them the largest minority group in the United States. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines disability as impairments limiting major life activities, like walking or working. Despite the ADA’s introduction over three decades ago, institutional ableism still undermines the quality of life for many people, perpetuating societal stigma and discrimination. This calls for a multifaceted approach that not only addresses legal compliance, but also fosters a general culture of empathy and inclusion. Educational institutions and communities must evolve beyond mere accommodation to actively celebrate and integrate the diverse experiences of disabled individuals. A fundamental obstacle to understanding, equity, and advocacy is able privilege, the phenomenon in which non-disabled bodies are viewed as normative, leading to lack of representation and disempowerment of disabled people. Restrictive policies and social norms push disabled people to the fringes of society, further entrenching this able privilege through continual exclusion and erasure from public spaces and consciousness. Society must cultivate environments in which disabled voices are not only heard but are also given priority in matters affecting their own lives and well-being. In counselor education, ableist ideologies often permeate content, conveying biased perspectives. Programs must deeply assess their accessibility and prepare students for disability-competent practice. This means inviting disabled professionals to lead educational sessions and integrating curriculum about disability (throughout the core content areas mandated by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs). Using a disability justice framework, which highlights the importance of leadership of the most impacted, to evaluate advocacy efforts is a good way to check for inclusion of disabled voices and keep the focus on community priorities and values. In clinical practice, adherence to the ADA’s requirements for accessibility is a legal obligation. Practitioners must ensure their offices and materials are accessible and maintain open communication channels that respect disabilities without automatically attributing all challenges or issues to the disability. Counselors need to address any disability-related bias and become comfortable broaching and discussing disability-related topics with clients. In summary, counselors and counselor education programs bear an ethical responsibility to advance disability justice. This involves enhancing accessibility, embedding disability narratives within training and curriculum, and aligning efforts with activists and allies. As we move forward, it is essential to integrate these principles into the core of counseling practices and training, ensuring that disability competency and disability justice are not an afterthought, but are instead foundational aspects of our approach to mental health and education. K. Lynn Pierce, PhD, NCC, ACS, LPC, CRC, is an assistant professor and Counselor Education and Supervision PhD Program Coordinator at Mercer University. Correspondence may be addressed to K. Lynn Pierce, Mercer University College of Professional Advancement, 2930 Flowers Rd. S., Chamblee, GA 30341, pierce_k03@mercer.edu. K. Lynn Pierce Bridging the Gap Between Intentions and Impact Understanding Disability Culture to Support Disability Justice 17 Read full article and references: Pierce, K. L. (2024). Bridging the gap between intentions and impact: Understanding disability culture to support disability justice. The Professional Counselor, 13(4), 486–495. doi: 10.15241/klp.13.4.486
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