Therapist homework: Make a list of how to fix living situation (just posting in case y’all have anything to add?)

[littleoc]

That’s really good to know, @theshadowoftheliving, thank you

 

[Nessa7]

Something else to consider might be housing for people with disabilities. There is going to be some differences based on local laws and rules, but you might not necessarily have to qualify for financial disability assistance from the government to qualify to live in a building for people with disabilities. Even if you would not qualify in the county that you live in, you may be allowed to apply to move to a different county.

 

[Freida]

Someone today told me that everyone with PTSD is dangerous and I shouldn't be in public where I might end up giving it to other people.

Yep..... and when you are a vet with ptsd they are just SURE you are going to snap and shoot up the world.

It made me realize that I really wish I didn't rely on a dog, because that seems to be the only thing people see anyway.

ressured me into giving a psychiatrist's name and phone number so she could verify a disorder she assumed I had.

Here's a quick tip. When people ask about SD I tell them he is a medic alert dog. If they ask more I say "he alerts me to my medication needs" Which is technically true. And shuts them up. If they get really pushy? I ask, why are my medical issues so interesting to you? Are you a doctor or are you working with a service dog group? in a friendly tone. That usually wakes them up to how inappropriate they are being.

You only have to answer two questions....
Is that a service dog -- yes
What service does he provide -- He is an alert dog. (what service does HE do -- not why I need him. big difference)

That's it. by law NO ONE can ask you anything else. When you get into a job the employer can ask about what accommodations you may need (time to take dog out for example) but not about why. :)

 

[Sideways]

If you’re applying for jobs, it doesn’t matter if you have ptsd or not - practicing ahead for likely questions is super helpful preparation. It’s something a lot of people do to help them get the job. So, something you might think about doing to give yourself a head start: practicing answers to likely questions.

Employers are going to ask questions. Having a dog is something everyone asks questions about, and potential employers are no different. In fact, they really need to know about this - they need to accommodate your dog if they employ you, so not having a discussion about your dog is a bad sign.

Like asking a person with obvious mobility issues, “Were the front stairs a problem?” so that if this is the star candidate, they can address that. A good employer will be noticing the differences between candidates, not ignoring them.

In the regular world? I have no obligation whatsoever to be friendly and chatty just because I’ve got a service dog. So oftentimes I’m neither friendly nor chatty.

With a potential employer? That’s going to be slightly different. I’m going to want to come across as reasonably personable (yikes!) and able to handle myself with confidence and competence.

That doesn’t need to play out as “Here’s my entire life story” when a potential employer starts asking about your dog. It means answering with confidence and competence.

The facts and helpful information about the dog? No biggie. You can quite confidently answer their questions, without handing over a tonne of personal information. That’s competence, yeah? Switch the mindset from “They’re interrogating me about all my private issues”, to “this is the part where I give them helpful information about having a service dog in the workplace”.

The minutiae of your ptsd? Is not helpful information to a potential employer. You have ptsd - what’s helpful to the employer is knowing “can you do the job well anyway?” So...

“This is Rex. He’s a medical alert dog.”
Hells bells, you may as well start there. There’s a dog in the job interview - that’s weird, but also an opportunity to deal with the elephant in the room confidently & clearly demonstrate that dog isn’t a problem, in fact it’s kinda cool.

Most people will follow that with more questions about how the dog helps you, because they don’t know what ‘medical alert dog’ actually means. Prep for those questions. They’re a totally normal direction for the conversation to naturally go in.

“So, what that means is that he’s constantly monitoring a whole heap of my health signals - things like my blood pressure. He’s trained to alert me if things are starting to get out of balance, and that allows me to fix those issues before they become a problem. Mostly, it’s helpful if you just pretend he isn’t even here - he’ll just be part of the furniture before you know it!”

Said with a smile. Blood pressure is a good symptom to pick, because it’s something people understand and aren’t going to be freaked out by, and almost every dog on the planet notices when Boss’s blood pressure changes suddenly, service dog or not.

Find a way to convey helpful details: helpful details are that you need them to ignore your dog, and in return your dog will quickly become unnoticeable, and ergo not a problem.

Handling those questions? You can do that, oozing both confidence and competence, without bearing your soul to every potential employer. Handling those questions well sets you up for success. You know these questions are coming (because, you brought your dog to your job interview and that’s not exactly normal!!), but they can be an opportunity to convey your strengths.

Remember to also have a couple of questions prepared, to show that you really can manage job and dog wih no worries.
“Are you aware of any employees here with allergy problems?”
“Am I right thinking there aren’t currently any other service dogs in this workplace?”
Read: I’m the most responsible dog-handler in the world!

 

[somerandomguy]

Also, you wouldn't want to work anyplace that discriminates against Jewish people anyway, so if anyone asks you that (highly illegal) question again, they're basically disqualifying themselves from being a good place to work.

 

[littleoc]

you wouldn't want to work anyplace that discriminates against Jewish people anyway,

You’re totally right. I noticed that they haven’t hired anyone yet and it’s been months. Must be too picky so far. Would it be funny if I reapplied? Because I think it would be hilarious. :P