ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book traces the language and terminology used to describe people with intellectual disabilities. It highlights the relationship themes of belonging and separation, risk and protection, and responsibility. The book shows how someone with severe intellectual disability and communication difficulties may be engaged in a systemic process and helped to have a voice that others can hear. It demonstrates the sort of collaborative practice when they invite clients identified with intellectual disabilities to teach them, thus showing their clients how their knowledges can be used to help professionals learn about challenging their sorts of problems. The book points out that people identified with intellectual disabilities commonly have their lives storied by others. It offers possible systemic responses to what she calls "clinical dilemmas" emerging in the contexts of some of these discourses.
