Hi WickedWings,

I'm not deaf, but I do have a facial nerve disorder that makes speaking very painful (trigeminal neuralgia). I try to use alternate means of communicating as much as I can. I have TTY at home, and sometimes write or type instead of speak. The last main counselor I worked with was willing to work with me in alternate ways as necessary. Sometimes I brought my laptop computer, and typed what I wished to say. I also wrote on paper, and gave him things I wrote....both things I'd journaled between sessions, as well as communicating that way during sessions. If you find a flexible and caring counselor, and explain your situation, my guess is that you can find somebody in real life with whom you can work.

I have also done counseling online briefly, and that was helpful as a stopgap measure. There are indeed competent counselors available online, and that removes the barriers of speaking and listening. It's not the same as meeting face-to-face, though, and I think one misses some of the support and interaction that direct contact offers. But it can be one alternative.

Others have offered good suggestions here, too, but I wanted to say that it really is possible to do counseling via alternate means. I've seen sites which try to provide referrals for people with special needs, too. Even if you don't use ASL, a counselor who has worked with people with hearing disabilities in the past may be more attuned to the special requirements you'd have.

Anyway - wishing you all the best - sending you good thoughts....

Take care,
ErinBear