02/09/2026
Kathy O'Connell, LMHC, CRC, is a leading advocate helping people with disabilities
create healthy romantic relationships. She addresses "Sexual Ableism" through
RelatABILITY, LLC, providing training, curriculums, and consulting to disability services
professionals. She also offers individual coaching in dating and relationships and
authored Firewalk: Embracing Different Abilities.
This empowering presentation by Kathy O'Connell, a licensed mental health counselor and
certified rehabilitation counselor, celebrates the truth that people with disabilities are absolutely
worthy of love, meaningful relationships, and fulfilling romantic partnerships. Drawing from her
own inspiring journey—including 16 years of happy marriage—O'Connell offers a hopeful
roadmap for recognizing and overcoming sexual ableism, which she reframes not as a personal
flaw but as a social construct that can be unlearned and dismantled.
The presentation centers on four uplifting pillars of dating success: recognizing your intrinsic
self-worth, building authentic confidence by embracing your whole self, creating an actionable
plan for meeting potential partners, and courageously following through even when it feels
scary. Participants learn to challenge internalized negative beliefs through practical exercises
like journaling, auditing self-talk, and identifying their unique strengths—transforming messages
of unworthiness into affirmations of value and desirability. The heart of this message is: sexual
ableism is a lie, worthiness is the truth, and with the right mindset, skills, and supportive
community, everyone can confidently pursue and find the loving relationships they deserve.
