For the first time in six years, our hearing loss community came together online for a national Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) virtual meeting. It was such a joy to see so many familiar faces and new ones from all over the country. Alongside Roxana Rotundo and Holly Cohen, I had the pleasure of Continue reading
My Blog
Why Is Hearing Loss Still a Punchline?
Progress is being made. People walk around with all sorts of things hanging out of their ears these days, and nobody bats an eye. Apple and other consumer brands have entered the hearing technology space. Captions are everywhere. It’s a better time to have hearing loss than ever before. And yet, the stigma remains. The Continue reading
What I Told a Room Full of Hearing Scientists
Last month I stood in front of a room full of PhD-level hearing scientists and told them what hearing loss actually feels like from the inside — something they spend their careers studying but that many of them may never fully experience. These are the people studying the hair cells, synapses, and biological machinery of Continue reading
When Communication Gets Tough, Just Breathe
Sweating in the hot yoga room, I work to hold the posture. I fall out, but try again. And again. It’s a difficult practice, so struggle is to be expected. The teacher reminds us to focus on our breath. We can’t control the heat, or how long she holds the postures, but we can control Continue reading
Why I Spent a Class Period Talking to Future Audiologists
I recently returned from the World Congress of Audiology in Seoul, where I presented on the importance and impact of including the voices of people living with hearing loss in audiologist training. I also shared two posters, one on the skills it takes to live well with hearing loss and another on what person-centered care Continue reading
