Adaptation and Disability Identity

Abstract Abstract This chapter complicates how adaptation to disability has typically been conceptualized in psychology in ways that put the onus on the individual disabled person to adapt themselves to better suit ableist social structures. Instead, the chapter presents the dandelion as a metaphor for how disability is often regarded as a nuisance to be eliminated but can and should be reframed as a natural part of the world that holds its own sort of value. It suggests that this shift in perspective can be accomplished by rewriting the narratives disabled people have available when describing who they are and what they want to become. The chapter then provides tangible strategies professionals can use to center the vibrant culture of the disability community, which can serve as a foundation for this narrative shift. This process is called disability identity adaptation, and the chapter argues that it can challenge rather than accommodate oppressive, ableist norms.