Mike Ochsner joins Denise Allen to share how repeated concussions led him into applied neurology—and why simple vision and balance drills can create big shifts in recovery and performance. They discuss why so many people are told “this is as good as it gets,” how the brainstem and vestibular system affect reading, driving, pain, and coordination, and a few listener-friendly drills you can safely experiment with to explore what your brain can do.

Resources mentioned:
Peak Brain Reboot (free experiential workshop): https://peakbrainreboot.com

Book – Unleash ADHD As Your Six Million Dollar Superpower: https://adhdadvantage.com

Also available on Amazon.

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"

When Vance Basilio noticed his toddler son’s eye suddenly turning inward, what began as intermittent esotropia gradually became a diagnosis of partially accommodative strabismus. After early reassurance from providers who focused only on eye health, Vance continued searching for answers and eventually found a developmental optometrist who evaluated Luca’s visual function more comprehensively.

In this episode, Vance shares their two-year journey of glasses, vision therapy, and intensive daily home practice. He discusses suppression, accommodative vs. non-accommodative components, measurable progress over time, and why their family chose a functional, long-term approach rather than surgery.

If you’re navigating a new strabismus diagnosis in your child, this honest parent perspective offers clarity, encouragement, hope, and practical insight.

Connect with Denise Allen:

Website: https://healingmysight.com

Healing our Sight Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063570817348

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"

In this episode, Denise is joined by Dr. Miki Zilnicki for a thoughtful conversation about what parents can do when they’re told to “wait and see” — and how families can stay engaged, informed, and empowered during that waiting period.

Together, they explore why waiting is sometimes recommended, what it does and doesn’t mean, and how parents can advocate for their child’s visual development without feeling adversarial or overwhelmed. The discussion also touches on the importance of seeking additional opinions, understanding differences in professional perspectives, and recognizing when it’s appropriate to ask deeper questions.

Denise also introduces an emerging idea she’s developing — using music and movement as a supportive, complementary way to help families stay connected to their child’s visual development. While not a replacement for clinical care, this approach reflects Denise’s background in music education and her belief that gentle, rhythmic movement can help parents remain engaged and aware while they’re navigating next steps.

This episode is especially relevant for parents who feel stuck in uncertainty, unsure whether to wait, act, or seek additional guidance.

Topics Covered

• What doctors usually mean when they tell parents to “wait”
• Why children are sometimes considered “too young” for certain interventions
• How parents can stay actively involved during a waiting period
• The role of patient and parent advocacy in vision care
• When and how to seek additional professional opinions
• Navigating conflicting advice without losing confidence
• Why awareness and connection matter — even before therapy begins
• Introducing music and movement as a supportive, non-clinical tool for families

Who This Episode Is For

• Parents who have been told to “wait and see” and feel unsure what to do next
• Families navigating mixed messages in vision care
• Listeners interested in patient advocacy and informed decision-making
• Parents who want ways to stay connected to their child’s development during periods of uncertainty

Key Takeaway

Waiting doesn’t have to mean doing nothing. Staying informed, asking questions, and remaining connected to your child’s experience can make a meaningful difference — even before any formal intervention begins.

Dr. Zilnicki's website and Vision is more than 20/20 podcast: https://twinforksoptometry.com/vision-is-more-than-20-20-podcast/

Questions for Dr. Zilnicki? Here's her email: drzilnicki@twinforksoptometry.com

Join the Healing our Sight Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063570817348

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"

In this episode of Healing Our Sight, Denise reconnects with Melissa Daniels—vision therapist, educator, and former strabismus patient—to explore how stepping into the role of therapist changed the way she understands healing.

Melissa shares what she wishes she had known earlier in her own journey, how her perspective shifted once she began working with patients, and why the mindset we bring to vision therapy can make such a big difference. You’ll hear them discuss:

• How becoming a vision therapist highlighted Melissa’s understanding of her own strabismus
• What she would do differently if she could restart her journey
• Mindsets and habits that support consistent progress in vision therapy
• Common beliefs or expectations that unintentionally slow down success

Whether you’re a parent navigating strabismus with your child, an adult working to improve your own vision, or a professional supporting patients, this conversation offers both hope and grounded insight into what real progress looks like.

Connect with Melissa:

Website: https://strabismussolutions.com

YouTube: Strabismus to Stereopsis — https://www.youtube.com/@strabismustostereopsis

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"

Former Division I football player Brady Holt suffered a massive traumatic brain injury as a college freshman when he was ejected from the front window of his car going 75 mph on the freeway. He was initially not expected to live. After surviving, he was not expected to walk or function on his own. He beat all the odds and is now working, married and supporting his wife and daughter and once again able to drive. His story shows that with persistence, vision therapy can help restore visual abilities and independence.

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"

Denise discusses hyperbaric oxygen therapy with former nine-year Team USA Olympic bobsledder, William Person. They discuss how William's career left him battling the devastating effects of CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, which is a progressive degenerative brain disease thought to be caused by repeated head trauma, including concussions and subconcussive hits. Symptoms include memory loss, mood and behavior changes, cognitive decline, and sometimes aggression or tremors, with severe cases potentially leading to dementia. While only definitively diagnosable after death, CTE is linked to activities with repetitive head impacts, such as contact sports (especially American football and boxing), military service, and physical assault. William points out that it is also found in bobsled racers and others who experience extreme gravity forces.

At his lowest point, William could barely get off the floor, lost in confusion and depression. Hope came when he discovered Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, which restored clarity in his thinking, color to his vision, and purpose to his life. Today, William is on a mission to raise awareness of brain damage in sports, and the importance of protecting and healing the brain. He’s also on a mission to open a nonprofit CTE Recovery Center to help athletes and veterans heal at no cost to them.

While this episode is not talking directly about vision, William recounts how he was able to regain his color vision and decrease light sensitivity through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. What other brain issues could be helped by this therapy?

His message is both a warning and a call to action: “Protect your brain. Heal after injuries. Don’t wait. It can seal your fate. Be your own advocate—because “they” don’t care. You have to care for yourself.”

William's Social Media Links:

TIktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hyperbarichealing?_t=ZT-8zIHPM1xUkw&_r=1

CTE Recovery Fund: https://gofund.me/ba21055f

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/one.man.with.a.chamber.hbot?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willp1234567?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@braininjurysurvival?si=KfTK-iFXlhLORgQC

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"

In the first episode since returning from China, Denise discusses vision healing with Dr. Angela Peddle. Dr. Peddle's book, Becoming the Vision: The Transformational Power of Vision to Heal, Awaken, and Become Who You Were Meant to Be, was published just last month, on June 27, 2025. This is a must read! Although Dr. Peddle primarily teaches optometrists and vision therapists, the insights of her new framework are applicable to everyone. The invitation is to remember, and to reclaim our vision.

Dr. Peddle includes a link to the book on her website, along with the complete quiz mentioned in the podcast. This quiz helps us analyze where we can improve in the different fields of vision.

Here's a link to her website: https://www.visiontherapyconsulting.com/becoming-the-vision

Get the book on Amazon in the US here: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Vision-Transformational-Awaken-Become/dp/196442111X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GS5QF9VJ01TD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TOiEsvKaYrl-1-3i7IHyjLCUFwEUAbxzWeOshvpvKtV_E_pZyNtjqsvn3R-X6amtEcPGadq11fpC7_6XtGi4AalgzyMbwZTa-0CHM5W8NXm5JhuK7mzsHhFxygE1bDHR0OoJDwMsGM2hZVvfN9avb5VBE9aa-jBaKf9Ir6KcgjUJw6N_c_KtspBcsE7genzCKsQ7NUHcYdiefpBs-zNKPTHQaIHJ0YVvG1tK4t90A_U.G9Lg5Mx0DE__kiUGRGMzWvrEk74nj_SQ1aDMRX_GhU8&dib_tag=se&keywords=becoming+the+vision&qid=1753738023&sprefix=Becoming+the+Vision%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-1

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Becoming-Vision-Transformational-Awaken-Become/dp/196442111X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JW06677Q8HI8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VQeGBGKbdo-uHKUQ5UKuZeB5v0cdEXtXaggkWJt0WBaadMQV_ByoP1zwUvjHIW2HVRdwIn_ORZavpuqeg0P3deAAWTJyW9idmKxIIFSxmJU.XImBQsohoX9wmI_6Yz_kr-wgOhMoQYSMUfJJuBpkuzU&dib_tag=se&keywords=becoming+the+vision&qid=1753627917&sprefix=becoming+the+vision%2Caps%2C639&sr=8-1

Connect with Denise Allen:

Website: https://healingmysight.com

Healing our Sight Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063570817348

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"

Marie Oswalt describes the process of recovering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) which she suffered when she was involved in a multi-vehicle accident in 2016. She was grateful to be referred to Pacific University's Vision Therapy program, where she worked with Dr. Hannu Laukkanen (see his podcast episode from January 29, 2025).

If you liked this episode, click here to send me a message. I also appreciate guest and topic suggestions.

Click the link above to message me directly. It comes to me as FAN MAIL! How great is that? Just click on the place that says, "If you liked this episode CLICK HERE:"