Thank you for joining us for Season 4 of Feeling This Life! Please help us plan Season 5 by using this survey link: ⁠https://educationutah.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39OmBvMih6MlgNw⁠

Season 5 will start on September 1, 2025!

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Paige sits down with VIPS preschool teacher, Laney Reed. Laney, who has low vision due to bilateral colobomas, shares a look at the ups and downs her early life and schooling. Her experience as a person with low vision who teaches young children who are blind and have low vision gives us a unique perspective. Laney shares her humor and wisdom as a lifelong learner and talks about how she found a new tool.

Cathy, Jenny, and Paige consider the impact of Laney’s parents, and the impact that parents of children who are blind and have low vision can have on their children and their communities.

Link to “The Great IDEA Gameshow” episode:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5kIwOomBrJkeh1FOfzSux5?si=rK9C3AdPSQmgq42ktTFC4Q

Link to IDEA statute:

https://sites.ed.gov/idea/statuteregulations/

Please give us your feedback using this survey link: ⁠https://educationutah.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39OmBvMih6MlgNw⁠

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VIPS: ⁠https://secure.vips.org/np/clients/vips/donation.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&campaign=495⁠

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Email: ⁠feelingthislife@vips.org⁠ ⁠

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Dr. Penny is back to share with us her personal experiences growing up with low vision and how important it was for her to develop independence, whether it involved having chores at home, exploring and accessing textbooks at her university, or getting around as a non-driver. Check out her latest resources at the links below.

Links:

Dr. Penny's previous Feeling This Life episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iSBlbAUjaCE6KuvzlFVqh?si=21Gi3BYOTLqcWxQYVfMRtQ

Project Inspire 2: Access and Equity in STEM Learning for Individuals who read braille

https://www.pathstoliteracy.org/resource/project-inspire/

Finding Wheels: Strategies to Build Independent Travel Skills for those with Visual Impairments

https://www.tsbvi.edu/product/finding-wheels-strategies-to-build-independent-travel-skills-for-those-with-visual-impairments-electronic-file

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VIPS: https://secure.vips.org/np/clients/vips/donation.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&campaign=495

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Email: feelingthislife@vips.org www.vips.org

Jenny interviews Kate, Kelsey & Hillary. Kate, Kelsey & Hillary are mothers who met through their children’s therapists. They have formed a unique friendship and help support each other through life events. Paige reflects on the amazing experience she has had working with these families. Cathy, Paige & Jenny all agree there is much to be learned from these amazing ladies!

In the episode we discuss stuffed animals called Tubie Friends and siblings.

Learn more:

https://tubiefriends.com/main/

https://siblingsupport.org

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Email: feelingthislife@vips.org 

www.vips.org 

Friends and VIPS graduates Addy Clarkson and Hailey Hitner join us for this episode of Feeling This Life. Along with Paige, Hailey and Addy reminisce about their early intervention and preschool years at VIPS. They explore how they became friends, their favorite ways to spend time together, and finally, they offer valuable advice to families on helping children build friendships. Cathy, Paige, and Jenny reflect on Addy and Hailey’s perspective about being magical unicorns, and Cathy shares some encouraging research about the impact of spending time with friends.

Please give us your feedback using this survey link: ⁠https://educationutah.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39OmBvMih6MlgNw⁠

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VIPS: ⁠https://secure.vips.org/np/clients/vips/donation.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&campaign=495⁠

Anchor Center: ⁠https://www.anchorcenter.org/get-involved/donate/⁠

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Email: ⁠feelingthislife@vips.org⁠

⁠www.anchorcenter.org⁠

⁠www.vips.org

Feeling This Life - December Book Club Little Bear Sees: How Children with Cortical Visual Impairment Can Learn to See

This month we discuss Little Bear Sees, a book written by a family who shares their journey in having a young child with a visual impairment. Aubri and Andrei Tallent, and Lukas’ grandmother Fredy Bush, walk us through Little Bear’s early medical and educational interventions as they learn to support his visual development. We will hear from other families of young children and their experiences and we hope that this read will inspire you to “Never give up” in creating a responsive learning environment for your child.

Find the book and related resources at https://littlebearsees.org/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The early intervention vision staff of Anchor Center for Blind Children have created a collection of one page “Idea Sheets” that can be shared with families of young children with blindness or low vision. These Family Focused Vision Development Idea Sheets provide:

• Simple strategies to enhance functional vision focused activities in to daily routines

• Simple ideas to adapt the home environment for the identified visual behavior.

We hope that the Idea Sheets will be used in collaboration with a teacher of visual impairment in the home. Each Idea Sheet is available in English and Spanish. Find the Family Focused Vision Development Idea Sheets at this link:

https://anchorcenter.org/programs-services/family-support/family-focused-vision-development/

Please give us your feedback using this survey link: ⁠https://educationutah.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39OmBvMih6MlgNw⁠

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VIPS: ⁠https://secure.vips.org/np/clients/vips/donation.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&campaign=495⁠

Anchor Center: ⁠https://www.anchorcenter.org/get-involved/donate/⁠

Get in touch with us!

Follow us on Facebook @Feelingthislifepodcast and Instagram @Feelingthislife

Email: ⁠feelingthislife@vips.org⁠

⁠www.anchorcenter.org⁠

www.vips.org

In this episode of Feeling This Life, Cathy sits down with Paul Frazier, a graduate of VIPS who has albinism. Paul shares his journey of overcoming challenges and how he’s forged a path in diverse careers—from working with airplanes to serving as an athletic director.

Paul opens up about the importance of community, starting with his early life and his mother’s proactive role in finding support. Her example shaped his own approach to building connections and finding his community. Paul’s story is an inspiring reminder that resilience and the right support system can make all the difference.

A memorable takeaway from this episode is Jenny’s advice on finding and nurturing your own community—an insight that resonates for anyone looking to build a supportive network.

Please give us your feedback using this survey link: ⁠https://educationutah.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39OmBvMih6MlgNw⁠

Make a Donation to-

VIPS: ⁠https://secure.vips.org/np/clients/vips/donation.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&campaign=495⁠

Anchor Center: ⁠https://www.anchorcenter.org/get-involved/donate/⁠

Get in touch with us!

Follow us on Facebook @Feelingthislifepodcast and Instagram @Feelingthislife

Email: ⁠feelingthislife@vips.org⁠

⁠www.anchorcenter.org⁠

⁠www.vips.org