8 November 2024
Rachel Booth-Gardiner is an occupational therapist for our trust. She lives with a number of disabilities and is also member of the Long-Term Health and Disabilities staff network, a group that provides confidential support for staff.
Rachel uses her knowledge and lived-experience to support others, in her work as a Lead Occupational Therapist.
This month, she will be drawing on her occupational therapy training to host creative writing workshops to help staff with disabilities put their stories into words.
These workshops are part of Disability History Month events being hosted to support colleagues across our trust.
Rachel says people ask questions like: “Can you be an occupational therapist as a wheelchair user?” She’s become a wheelchair user in her job as an occupational therapist.
“I experience ableism every day”
Scope, a disability charity, describes ableism as “discrimination in favour of non-disabled people.”
Rachel says she experiences ablism daily. She also says that people who develop disabilities later in life can experience internalised ablism.
“Ablism shows up in people’s attitudes. In ways of thinking that have been developed because people believe people with disabilities need to be looked after of sympathised with.”
Rachel says the trust’s Long-term Health and Disabilities staff network group, which she’s a member of, wants to share information far and wide about ableism.
“We want to get the message out that ableism is in all of our brains, whether we’re aware of it or not,” she says.
“We want to reflect lived experiences. We want to talk about when reasonable adjustments have made a difference. About when it’s worked. But also about when it hasn’t.”
“Our traditional models are about fixing people with disabilities”
It’s important that we view the world, and not disabled people, as the problem, explains Rachel. This is called the social model of disability.
“What makes you disabled is people’s attitudes,” says Rachel. “What we need to do is think about building the world differently. Then disabilities wouldn’t be as disabling.”
“I’m a wheelchair user and if I could press a button to open doors that would be amazing.”
You can read more about the social model of disability on Disability Rights UK website.
Rachel is a lead occupational therapist, working across Teesside sites such as Lustrum Vale. She provides occupational therapy for mental health patients as well as supporting fellow staff members.
Helping staff with disabilities and long-term health conditions put their experiences into words
In a previous role, Rachel ran a regular creative writing group with patients. Creative writing can help people express thoughts and feelings.
Rachel is using this experience to provide two creative writing sessions for staff with a disability and/or long-term health condition.
Her workshops, which will take place online, invite people to share their story as part of Disability History Month celebrations at the trust.
Rachel says: “No creative writing experience is necessary—this is a welcoming, supportive space where everyone can share their voice. Whether you’re new to writing or a seasoned storyteller, all are welcome.”
“Together, we will use prompts and exercises to help you reflect on your journey and create a narrative that celebrates your identity, challenges, and triumphs. Your words can inspire others and contribute to raising awareness and fostering understanding across the organisation.”
She adds: “Things don’t need to rhyme or even make sense.”
“I want to be inspirational for being a good person. Not for being disabled.”
Rachel says that while she may come across as confident, she doesn’t always feel that way.
“It’s a bit of a mask,” says Rachel. “People say it’s nice to have me at groups. But it can be exhausting. I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently.”
“I want to be inspirational for being a good person. Not for being disabled.”
“I’m just like everyone else. But things are harder.”
“In the creative writing group, I think that’s what I want to write a poem about.”
