PROBLEM OF AGENCY AND AUTHENTICITY OF A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS IN COUNSELLING

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to understand the characteristics and possibilities of psychologicalcounseling as an inclusive practice aimed at helping clients understand their true selves, achieve authenticity,congruence, and transparency (subjectivity or agency). The research method is a theoretical understanding of thefeatures and possibilities of psychological counseling as an inclusive practice aimed at helping clients understandtheir true selves, achieve authenticity, congruence, and transparency (subjectivity or agency). The “unusualness” ofthe life and relationships of people with disabilities often and more strongly than people without disabilitiesencourages them to understand the problems of “true”, “true” being. These people more often and more than othersknow all the difficulties of establishing and developing relations of mutual understanding. Mutual understandingassumes that partners understand themselves, each other and the situation of interaction. Partners can also somehowunderstand not only the situation of direct interaction, but also the situations of life - their own and another person.However, such an understanding is not as simple and easy as the illusion of understanding, which is common amongordinary people (without disabilities), says about it. It seems to people that they understand each other, withouteffort and problems; however, this is far from being the case. Mutual understanding, multi-level and multicomponent process, an important condition for the success of inclusive practices. Inclusive practices - educational,socio-psychological and other practices of including people with disabilities in the community: as equal, meaningful,contributing to the social development of people. The possibilities of psychological counseling as an inclusivepractice are related to the fact that it should and can be aimed at helping clients understand their true nature, achieveauthenticity, congruency and transparency (subjectivity) in the process and as a result of building and developingmutual understanding. The inclusive nature of the consultative dialogue is reflected in the leading ethical andtransmodel principles of counseling, such as person-centeredness and acceptance, respect and translation (delegation)of responsibility (to the client as a consultant) and empathy, parity and trust in the client's understanding of himselfand the world, specificity (appeal and personalization , objectivity and subjectivity), optimism and focus on thedevelopment of the client as an individual, partner and professional. The limitations of counseling as an inclusivepractice are connected only with its task of advisory, non-subject-educational support of the formation anddevelopment of the client. The specifics of counseling as an inclusive practice is related to the fact that it guides theclient and his family, as well as the educational institution, at the same time on 1) the principle of reality and 2) theprinciple of development (optimism). Reality helps to assess the development potential at every moment and inwhat specific situation in each specific relationship (educational or otherwise). And optimism - focuses on thedevelopment of a person as a person, partner and professional in the widest possible range, outside of medical and everyday stereotypes and stigmatizing forecasts. So a person can become himself, the subject of his life, achievetransparency and authenticity, along with harmony and congruence.