When Functional Capacity Assessment for NDIS fails to see the whole truth

The quest for seeking support is often marked by unexpected hurdles. There is something profoundly unsettling about having your reality questioned, especially when it comes from a system designed to provide support. Receiving the Report organized by the lawyers for NDIA for AAT should have been an opportunity for understanding and validation. Instead, it left me grappling with the sharp disconnect between clinical observations and lived experience.

The report sought to categorise my abilities into measurable criteria. But life especially life with a psychosocial disability ~ doesn't neatly into a checklist. It is not just about what I can or cannot do, it is about the complexities of navigating a world that overlooks invisible challenges.

It almost mocked me and failed to capture the nuances of my reality : the emotional labour of simply existing within a system that expectsyou to prove your struggle while simultaneously invalidating it. The momenta of functioning is born from necessity, not choice. The silent battles fought everyday.

Reflecting on this experience I have come to realize that no structured professional judgement can truly elucidate my anatomical problems which do not fit in the box. It may highlight impairments or capacities, but it cannot measure my courage or my determination to live authentically

This insight is what I carry forward with me whilst I remain gaslighted and retraumatized, that is not the final word. Our truths, though unseen and unheard by others, are valid and worthy of being known.

Thank you for reading and understanding

Dr Devina Singh