Positive Reframing Disability Model: Shame to Acceptance
Author: Michael Sugarman, MSW
Published: 2021/08/04 - Updated: 2026/02/13
Publication Type: Informative
Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates - Related Publications
Synopsis: This informative paper by Michael Sugarman, MSW, presents a practical framework for understanding how people with disabilities move through distinct emotional, action-oriented, and transformative stages on their path from shame to self-acceptance. The model's value lies in its realistic acknowledgment that disability identity development isn't linear - individuals may cycle through stages multiple times or experience them simultaneously. Drawing on established psychological concepts like DBT skills and positive reframing techniques, the framework provides therapists, counselors, disability advocates, and people with disabilities themselves a roadmap for recognizing where they or their clients are in the acceptance process. The model addresses real challenges including internalized ableism, the importance of community connection, and the role of activism and legal rights awareness in building positive disability identity, making it particularly useful for mental health professionals working with disabled clients and individuals seeking to understand their own disability journey.
Introduction
Positive Reframing Disability Model
No one goes to sleep with a lifetime of negative self-talk about their disability and wakes up with a sense of pride in their identity. Shifting from shame to radical acceptance is not a simple transformation. Using skills such as positive reframing, opposite action, acceptance, and radical acceptance support people with disabilities move from a negative self-concept to a liberating self-image.
Main Content
Positive Reframing Disability: describes the stages that people with disabilities experience. Their journeys are not linear. They progress and regress and may go through stages multiple times and/or simultaneously.
These stages can include:
Emotions
- Shame: Individuals experience negative feelings stemming from ableist/societal norms and values.
- Internalized Pain: Individuals define and compare themselves with ableist standards and feel incompetent pursuing employment, relationships and academics.
- Coming Out: Individuals' journeys are initiated by openly owning their disabilities.
- Letting Go: Individuals allow their entire selves to emerge.
- Radical Acceptance: Individuals embrace the ability to navigate negative views, tell their stories, be visible and construct positive identities.
Action
- Community: Individuals experience a common bond with others.
- Self-Care: Individuals take actions that support physical, self- compassion and emotional well-being.
- Activism: Individuals engage and transform political, social and cultural norms.
- Rights/The American Disabilities Act (ADA): Individuals understand their rights banning discrimination in employment, public accommodations, transportation and access to programs and services and requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations at work.
- Support: Individuals create safe spaces with therapist, family, therapy support group, employment resource group, peer support group, college campus group and ally.
Transform
- Positive reframing: Individuals think about challenging experiences in a constructive way.(1)
- Opposite Action: Individuals counteract negative experiences by responding to a situation in a new or opposite way.(2)
- Acceptance: Individuals accept the reality of their disability.
- Radical Acceptance: By accepting reality without judgment, individuals are able to break a sequence of shame, internalized pain and negative emotions and move forward in positive way.(3)
Resources:
- (1) Harvard University Stress & Development Lab (n.d.). Positive Reframing and Examining the evidence Harvard University.
- (2) Schenck Ph.D., Laura. 10 Practical Examples of Opposite Action - Part Two.
- (3) Skyland Trail., Accepting Reality Using DBT Skills. October 28, 2019.
- Bogart, Kathleen. How disability pride fights ableism Psychology Today. August 10,2020.
- Disabled World - Models of Disability: Types and Definitions Published:2019-12-06
- Dunn, Dana and Shane Bucaw. Thinking about disability identity APA Disability Newsletter. November 2013
- Sugarman, M. The journey from Shame to Disability Pride Disabled World July 13, 2021
- Sugarman, M, & Phred Swain-Sugarman. Ableism to Disability Pride-Transformation Model Disabled World July 5, 2021
- Sugarman, M. Psychosocial Speech Disability (Stuttering) Transforming Ourselves and Society Disabled World June 14, 2021
- Sugarman, M. "Peer Counseling and Self-Help Group Facilitation for People who Stutter" National Stuttering Project 1995
- Sugarman, M. "It's Ok to Stutter: Personal Account" Journal of Fluency Disorders Vol. 5 Number 2 June 1980
- Sugarman, M. "From Being a Stutterer to Becoming a Person who Stutters" Transactional Analysis Journal Vol. 9 Number 1 January 1979