Stephanie Infante

Adjusting to a recent vision loss can be challenging. Lighthouse Guild’s Vision Rehabilitation team provides resources and techniques to ease this transition. As a mental health counseling intern with the group, Stephanie Infante conducts one-on-one and group sessions to help clients gain confidence in their ability to continue to do the things they need and want to do.

Stephanie’s assistance has involved practical case management services, such as helping clients avail themselves of Social Security disability benefits, Medicaid, Access-A-Ride, and other services. Perhaps more importantly, she helps clients understand that their lives can go on as before, with modifications. Or as Stephanie puts it, “Through counseling, clients come to realize that they have within them all the tools they need to adjust to new circumstances. Watching their growth as they recognize their resilience is the most rewarding part of my job.”

Noting that she has a mobility disability, Stephanie says she believes that her clients gain confidence from learning about her adjustments and all she has achieved. They also benefit from the support and encouragement they receive from other Lighthouse Guild clients. “We all need a sense of community, and our group counseling sessions provide that. This was especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic when many people felt isolated.”

Stephanie will graduate in a few months and will pursue a career in counseling. “I love my clients, and I love what I do,” she says. “Seeing that support groups actually work–and knowing how counseling can enhance one’s life–reinforces that I have made the right career choice.”