But what I really wanted to respond to in Jenny’s article was the ritual of communication, the ritual of conversation.  Again this ritual is very important in all our lives, again our disabled friends excel in the ritual of conversing.  Even those non-verbal clients express themselves so well with gestures, facial expressions, their eyes can say so much.  Engaging in this ritual in a serious and moral way can be so beneficial for all concerned (clients and support workers), in conversing with a client in an upright and dignified way, within their souls they experience recognition of the individuality, of their self.  Sometimes this communication/conversation may need to be in a prepared, well held and embraced counselling session.  Other times it may be a handshake, a “Good morning” and a smile, sometimes it may be a quick, harmless joke.  Whatever the way, we do need to recognise and acknowledge the ritual of conversation as a healing form and as a dying art in our time and as a way of recognising the “human” in the other. 

Paul Martin