Orientation and mobility specialist Hannah Kleinschmidt shares her journey from receiving O&M training as a young person with albinism to becoming a certified instructor who helps adults adjust to vision loss. Hannah discusses the emotional challenges many people face when first using a white cane, explaining how it serves both as a practical mobility tool and a visible identifier that changes how others interact with you. She walks us through what O&M training involves—from learning to trust the cane and cross streets non-visually to using public transportation and asking for help effectively. Hannah emphasizes that everyone's experience with the cane is different, and she offers insight into how instructors balance technical skill-building with the mental and emotional adjustments that come with vision loss. With candor and compassion, she shares both her personal story and professional perspective on helping people regain independence and confidence.

Topics covered: orientation and mobility, O&M training, white cane, mobility instruction, albinism, legal blindness, low vision, street crossing, public transportation, guide dogs, vision loss adjustment, disability acceptance, independence, pedestrian skills, assistive technology, vision rehabilitation, asking for help, mobility specialist.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC

Meredyth Mason shares her journey from receiving a devastating retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis at 32 with no resources or support, through two years of crippling depression, to rebuilding an active, entrepreneurial life with her guide dog. Diagnosed later in life after experiencing night driving difficulties and missing letters on computer screens, Meredyth discusses the complete lack of medical support she received and how she eventually climbed out of depression by taking agency over her recovery one small step at a time. She explores the difference between being alone and being lonely, the importance of removing toxic influences from life, and how she transitioned from corporate employee to successful entrepreneur. Meredyth also covers her experience with Division of Blind Services, learning to use a white cane, getting a guide dog from Leader Dogs for the Blind, and returning to activities like golf and trap shooting through adaptive sports. Her message centers on defining success on your own terms rather than living up to others' expectations, and building a supportive community within the vision loss world.

Topics covered: retinitis pigmentosa, late diagnosis, depression recovery, entrepreneurship with vision loss, guide dogs, white cane training, Division of Blind Services, adaptive sports, food security, self-care, agency, mental health, isolation vs solitude, toxic relationships, vocational rehabilitation, assistive technology, independent living, travel with vision loss

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC

Licensed psychotherapist and career coach Karen Rose (LMFT LPCC), who was born totally blind, shares her perspective on living as a whole person rather than someone missing something, and how she built a thriving practice despite facing significant employment barriers. At 73, Karen continues working six and a half days a week, using the creative problem-solving skills she developed navigating a world not designed for her to help others think outside the box in their careers and lives. She recounts accidentally stumbling into the historic 1977 Section 504 sit-in that secured the first civil rights protections for people with disabilities, and discusses how technology has transformed independence for blind individuals. Karen challenges the notion of lowered expectations and advocates for shifting from asking "Can I do this?" to "How am I going to get this done?" She also shares her journey through decades of advocacy work, the realities of building a private practice, and her approach to helping clients achieve post-traumatic growth.

Topics covered: blindness from birth, retinopathy of prematurity, disability rights advocacy, Section 504 sit-in, career coaching, psychotherapy practice, lowered expectations, problem-solving strategies, assistive technology, employment barriers, post-traumatic growth, disability identity, civil rights history.

Karen can be reached at karenrosemft@rose-counseling.com and at her website www.career-therapy.net.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC

Philosophy professor Brian Deer joins host Matthew Reeves to discuss his journey from engineering to academia while navigating progressive vision loss from Stargardt disease. Brian shares his experience visiting nearly 100 doctors before receiving a diagnosis, the challenges of giving up driving at 24, and the practical adaptations that enabled his career transition. From learning to attend lectures without taking notes to managing the complexities of grading papers in an AI-influenced world, Brian offers candid insights about problem-solving, self-advocacy, and moving forward one obstacle at a time. This conversation explores both the frustrations and possibilities that come with vision loss, emphasizing that major life changes and professional growth remain achievable with different strategies and tools.

Topics covered: Stargardt disease diagnosis, medical gaslighting, transportation challenges, assistive technology, career transitions, academic accommodations, self-advocacy, family communication, and practical advice for facing overwhelming challenges.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In this episode of insight Out, host Matthew Reeves interviews Gretchen Fisher Orr (GDMI, COMS), an expert from the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, to discuss the world of guide dogs. They explore the emotional and practical aspects of training and working with guide dogs, the differences between service animals and emotional support animals, and the process of matching dogs with people who are blind or have low vision. Gretchen also shares her personal journey in this field and the rewarding moments of seeing guide dog teams thrive independently.

International Guide Dog Federation: https://www.igdf.org.uk/

Fidelco: https://fidelco.org/

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

We hear Dawn McAvoy’s personal perspective on vision loss. Dawn’s diagnosis came later in life after a great deal of confusion around what condition she was facing. While maintaining her career in marketing, Dawn uses humor, connection with community, research, and an honest embrace of her feelings to learn about herself and thrive with low vision.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC

Licensed counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor Janice Barrocas shares insider strategies for successfully navigating the vocational rehabilitation (VR) system for people with vision loss. She explains how this federal-state program helps with employment preparation and reveals practical tips including “magic words” that help prioritize your case, the importance of written communication over phone calls, and how to build confidence before seeking full-time employment.

Janice covers the types of services available (orientation and mobility training, daily living skills, technology training, adjustment counseling for disability), the individualized employment plan process, and how to handle workplace challenges after getting hired. She emphasizes that effective self-advocacy and persistence are key to success in an under-resourced system where services are “subject to availability.”

Janice Barrocas (LOPC, CRC) provides personal adjustment to vision loss counseling through her practice Adjusting to Vision Loss. You can visit her website here: https://www.adjustingtovisionloss.com/

Topics covered: vocational rehabilitation (VR) system, vision loss employment, disability services, self-advocacy, orientation and mobility training, assistive technology, vision rehabilitation therapy, individualized employment plan, federal disability programs, state rehabilitation services, adjustment counseling, job placement, workplace accommodations, independent living skills

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC

Nick Mendler, president of the Eye Spy Foundation, shares how receiving a retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis at 16 with only a pamphlet for guidance inspired him to create eyespy.org—a comprehensive digital resource platform for the blind and low vision community.

The Eye Spy Foundation launched eyespy.org as a one-stop digital hub containing over 900 resources for people with vision loss. Beyond the directory, Nick’s vision includes human navigators in major cities who can provide personalized support and local expertise. He emphasizes that while technology provides access to information, people still need human connection when facing life-changing circumstances like vision loss.

Learn more about the Foundation at http://www.eyespy.org/talks and reach Nick at nick@eyespy.org.

Topics covered: vision loss, retinitis pigmentosa, blindness resources, accessibility, digital platforms, low vision support, vocational rehabilitation, assistive technology, disability navigation, mental health support, eyespy.org, Eye Spy Foundation

ABOUT inSight Out

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Please be sure to subscribe to catch every episode. And remember to share the show with others in the blind and low-vision community!

CONNECT WITH US

Podcast Home: https://insightoutpod.com

Talk to Us: https://speakpipe.com/insightoutpod

Email: mailto:insightoutpod@integralmhs.com

Watch on YouTube (with transcripts): youtube.com/@insightoutpod

Feed: https://www.insightoutpod.com/feed.xml

Reddit Community: https://www.reddit.com/r/inSightOut/

Social Media Handle: @insightoutpod

©Integral Mental Health Services, LLC