Leadership in Bridging the Sibling and Therapist Perspectives

Cheryl Albright

Effective leadership in intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) services requires a holistic, inclusive approach that respects the unique roles siblings play and enhances professional therapeutic interventions.

As siblings, we experience a mixture of emotions and feelings of responsibility for our brother or sister. Leaders that acknowledges and values our perspectives in care planning and seeks our insights about our sibling’s strengths and needs are more inclusive. In addition, this approach may also provide resources to navigate our own emotional journeys and help us prepare for future caregiving roles.

As therapists, we work collaboratively with families to promote healthy communication, guide siblings in processing their feelings, and build resilience, ideally in settings the emphasize person-centered care and family systems thinking. Leaders that support therapists in this work create a supportive network that enhances family dynamics, strengthening both sibling bonds and the individual with IDD’s quality of life.

Leaders can help bridge these perspectives to empowers both siblings and therapists to advocate for a more inclusive, empathetic world for individuals with IDD. Such an approach can create a comprehensive support system that respects the sibling relationship while fostering emotional well-being of the person with IDD.