The Effects of Stress and Having a Learning Disability
Friday, April 6th, 2012
I’ve been writing a speaking around the country on the connection between LD and mental health issues. With upwards of 60% of kids in treatment centers having learning disabilities, the consequences are devastating.
While it’s great for kids to have positive role models and public awareness is brightened by our attention on celebrities who’ve “overcome” learning disabilities such as dyslexia, the hard truth is that most kids either fall through the cracks or get buried under the weight of depression, anger, self-harm and substance abuse.
How do we develop a better, stronger and more resilient child in the midst of the chronic stress that results from being in and/or feeling like one’s in an unsupportive educational environment?
With the emphasis on family systems work (an integral and important part of counseling and therapy), more clarity and intervention related to the direct connection between LD and mental health struggles is required.
In this piece, “Struggling Students under Stress: My Personal and Professional Perspectives” Gabrielle Rappolt-Schlichtmann, Ed.D., Director of Research at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), writes about the impact of her learning disability and the needs surrounding these issues.