Head-to-Head and Heart-to-Heart

Contemporary Discourse on Deaf Mental Health

Cathy J. Chovaz

• Publisher: Gallaudet University Press
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781954622739
• eBook ISBN:
  9781954622760
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: History & Theory in Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Bridging the head and the heart by interspersing scholarly discussion with non-fiction narratives, this comprehensive edited volume illuminates critical issues that diverse deaf people face in the mental health domain and rehabilitative systems, primarily in Canada and the United States as well as other international settings. Through illustrative case studies and narratives contextualized within the scholarship, authors provide insight, analysis, and recommendations; these include a review of the repercussions of language deprivation, the need for linguistic and cultural competence in assessment, guidelines for mental health interpreting, the distinct needs of Deaf+ people, and the factors that shape risk and resilience. With particular attention to the impacts of language, including the deep and pervasive effects of language deprivation, chapters are organized around the lived experiences of deaf individuals over the lifespan and in multiple settings. An attempt to bridge the gap between clinical approaches and lived experiences, this book is unique in that it brings together a theoretical foundation and powerful stories from real people. Authors discuss assessment, resources, and best practices for a range of settings, including home, community, school, carceral system, and clinic. A helpful guide for clinicians, practitioners, academics, and sign language interpreters, Head-to-Head and Heart-to-Heart: Contemporary Discourse on Deaf Mental Health affirms that a deeper understanding emerges when heads and hearts connect, yielding expert, person-centered, mental health care for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• 1 Language Acquisition and Language Deprivation: Antecedents to Mental Health
• 2 Deaf Education
• 3 Psychological Assessment of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals: Translating and Implementing the ASL Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
• 4 Mental Health of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Youth
• 5 Best Practices in Mental Health Assessment and Treatment of Deaf Children
• 6 Stories About Challenges Supporting the Mental Health of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Hearing Children of Deaf Families
• 7 Mental Health of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults
• 8 Unlocking the Potential of Deaf Adults With Multiple Disabilities
• 9 Mental Health Interpreting in Canada: A Call to Action
• 10 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons in the Canadian Criminal Justice System: A Time for Action
• 11 Palliative and End-of-Life Care of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults
• Index