What do you understand about disability?
What comes to mind when you think of the word “disability” What does the person look like, act like or how do they move through the world?
How people understand disability influences how they function in and experience: health care, therapy, education, policy—basically every industry.
In Disability-Affirmative Therapy, understanding your perspective matters to me. The way you’ve been taught to understand disability shapes how you experience the world—and how the world responds to you—either as a person with a disability, their family member(s) or friends of a person with a disability.
Disability isn’t understood in just one way. Over time, different models of disability have shaped how society explains disability, who is responsible for change, and what support should look like. These models influence everything—healthcare, therapy, education, and policy.
What are models of disability?
Models of disability are frameworks that explain:
what disability is
why barriers exist
who is responsible for addressing them
Each model has strengths and limitations. My role isn’t to tell you which one is “right,” but to understand how your beliefs have impacted your life—and how we might work with that.
A (brief) understanding of the 9 main models of disability
Moral/Religious model - Disability is seen as a punishment, test, or blessing. It often contributes to stigma and blame.
Charity model - People with disabilities are viewed as vulnerable and in need of help. This can reinforce power imbalances and undermine autonomy because it reinforces that people who are are the ones that have to help the disabled.
Medical model - Disability is located in the body and framed as something to fix or cure. This dominates healthcare—including therapy—while overlooking the impact of social barriers on people with disabilities.
Functional/Economic model - Disability is defined by an ability to meet societal and work expectations. Whether someone is “disabled” can change depending on the context of a specific job.
Social model - Disability is created by barriers—not the body. Responsibility shifts from the individual to society—ableism is what’s disabling people from living fulfilling lives.
Minority/Cultural model - Disability is an identity and shared cultural experience. It recognizes systemic discrimination and positions disability as part of human diversity.
Biopsychosocial model - Sees disability as a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors. More holistic, but can still default to individual responsibility.
Neurodiversity model - Neurological differences are natural variations—not problems to fix. Emphasizes acceptance and accommodation.
Human rights model - Disability is about equality and access. Rights to inclusion and participation are enforceable—not optional.
Why this matters
How you understand disability shapes:
whether it’s seen as a defect or a difference
whether barriers are personal or systemic
whether care supports autonomy—or reinforces harm
Did you determine which models closely aligns with what you know about disability? Having clarity on where you “stand” on disability helps you understand what you expect from yourself, what you believe is possible and how you respond to other people with disabilities.