74 The Professional Counselor | Volume 14, Issue 1 P127 spoke to knowledge, too, with their belief that “most microaggressions stem from a lack of education. I am often the first person they have met with a disability and the experience makes them uncomfortable.” Finally, P187 spoke to the power of their resilience and its impact on their life, experiences which they draw from to help others: I’ve been physically and emotionally abused my entire life, until I took control and stopped it. I’m middle aged and it took me 40 years to forgive everything that I’ve . . . had to endure. Never from my family, or close friends, but it’s been a difficult life, and now I’m all ok with it and try to help others with disabilities that are having a hard time. Contextual Factors Seventeen participants (18.88%) described Contextual Factors, which are data that depict relational, situational, or environmental elements that impact participants’ experiences of ableist microaggressions. P110 shared that “microaggressions can be hard to label because they can vary based on the relationship you have with the person.” P175 added: “Most times the microaggression I receive are by people when they don’t know me, or first meet me, as opposed to get to know me better.” P162 spoke to additional situational/relational nuances: “I have very different experiences depending on what assistive technology I’m using in a given space (basically to what degree I pass as able-bodied) and how people know me.” P163 spoke to relational roles as well as environmental context: “The attitudes about me are distinctly divided between the power structures. A case manager, medical doctor, neighbor or family member will certainly show their attitude differently. The same goes for academic settings [versus] job placement.” For P152, “The worst comments have come from mental health therapists [who] are medical professionals who should be the most compassionate towards their patients.” P117 and P131 both identified situational differences they have noticed. P117 shared, “I find that people have treated me differently at different ages and stages in my life, particularly when I was raising three children as a divorced mom.” P131 identified their work environment as positive: “I work in the field of vocational rehabilitation so [I] interact with more people who have a more nuanced understanding of disability than the general population.” However, P165 offered an alternate view, noting that “many microaggressions are more insidious or come from within the disabled community.” Impact of Microaggressions/Ableism on Mental Health/Wellness Ten participants (9%) expressed how microaggressions and ableism experiences have impacted their mental health and wellness. P172 stated, “I struggle with my mental wellness and I have been hospitalized for severe depression that manifests from a combination of my disability and situations that are overwhelming.” P157 expressed a similar combination effect of having a disability and being “ostracized” by others: “The combination is very heavy on my heart and leaves me feeling incredibly alone.” P159 expressed feeling “pathetic and weak. Sometimes I feel useless and disgraced. Most of the time I feel dumb and stupid.” P103 added additional impacts while acknowledging the differences between their experiences and those of their colleagues of color: “None of these [microaggressions]
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