I got home from my study abroad program a little over a week ago and have had ample time to sit with what I have learned during my time in Belfast. In my first blog post, I touched on some of the reasons why I thought this program would be beneficial to me. However, there was still a part of me that worried that I wouldn’t be getting as much out of the experience as School of Health and Rehab Sciences and especially Communication Science Disorders students, because I am going into Clinical Psychology. While we heard from and saw a lot of work from Allied Health Professionals (Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists), I think I may have learned more than students going into those professions because all the information was new to me. 

For starters, and perhaps most importantly, I learned to appreciate the biopsychosocial model of disability. In my psychology classes, we refer to the DSM-5, which uses the medical model of disability and views diversity in human functioning as a ‘deficit’ or ‘impairment’ when it does not fit society’s standards. Not only have I begun to think more critically about accessible infrastructure, but also the language that we use to describe disability. Even the term ‘able-bodied’ assumes that people with disabilities aren’t able, whether that be to function in a specific context or live fulfilling lives like anyone else. Inclusivity is so much more than removing environmental barriers. Just like some disabilities are invisible, so are barriers and biases. In my opinion, all future healthcare workers, including psychology students pursuing the clinical route, should be required to take a class on disability studies, because we have a responsibility to provide competent and respectful care. 

Although I had some knowledge of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder from my psychology classes, I learned so much more about real-world cases. Instead of looking at disorders from a checklist of symptoms, we understood neurodiversity in terms of sensory processing and communication. We learned how individual differences are adapted to while communicating, such as through assistive communication technology and strategies for transitioning between tasks. I really enjoyed going on site visits and observing staff use regulation tactics and integrate sensory play into the classroom. Working with children with autism is definitely something I can envision myself doing in the future, and I feel fortunate enough to have learned many practical skills from this experience. 

Lastly, I have a new appreciation for the healthcare system of Northern Ireland. I understand the concept of universal healthcare, but it feels so out of reach in my country that I did not expect that everything—every specialist visit and assessment, every accessibility device or mobility aid—would be paid for by trusts. Private schools aren’t really a thing in Northern Ireland, and special schools for children with disabilities are completely free. Although there are concerns with the future of funding, reforms are ongoing, and I saw firsthand the kind of professionals who advocate for disability rights. The speakers who presented in class and staff at each site were so inspirational and made this program what it was (which could not be done without our program instructors, of course).