Blind Abilities

Mark Miller has been teaching Blind and Visually Impaired students to play piano for nearly 20 years. Distance learning is nothing new to Mark Miller and his students as he began teaching through just audio phone calls using his ears. Now with Skype and Video calls, Mark has brought his teaching abilities around the world. Through chord patterns and  minimum movement Mark's students learn songs an...

In this 32nd  episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, focus on Stress Awareness, which is during this month of April. In today's enlightening discussion, we dive deep into the myriad ways to manage stress, recognize its early warning signs, and take proactive steps toward maintaining your well-being. Whether you're dealing with work pressure, personal challenge...

In this 31st  episode of  Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, explore the therapeutic benefits of laughter. They discuss how therapists may use humor to improve client rapport and highlight laughter's role in fostering workplace camaraderie and overall mental health.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at w...

For 23 years, the Cooking Without Looking podcast and TV show have been providing blind and visually impaired role models the opportunity to demonstrate how they can successfully cook with little to no sight. Join Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant in the virtual studio to learn all about the show. Simon speaks with Renee Rentmeester, creator and executive producer, as well as Allen Pres...

In this 30th    episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, explore self-advocacy and Self-Confidence. How we feel in any space we find ourselves when our Accommodations come to mind..   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant...

If you are having thoughts about suicide, please call 988 by phone or text the word, "Talk", to the number 741741.     In this profound episode of Blind Abilities, Jeff Thompson interviews Zach Tidwell, whose life story is nothing short of miraculous. Zach candidly shares the harrowing tale of how he lost his sight by shooting himself, which marked the beginning of an extraordinary turnaround. Fro...

Aira is excited to announce the beta release of Access AI, a brand new AI image chat feature within the Aira app. Access AI allows explorers to take a photo, share from their photo gallery, mobile device, or computer, get a detailed description, ask follow up questions, and receive validation of AI responses from a visual interpreter! Jeff Thompson gives us a demonstration of the new Access AI fea...

For those who are blind or visually impaired, detecting and avoiding unwanted obstacles can be a challenge at times. A new device, called the biped and developed by biped AI, aims to create a frictionless traveling experience for blind and visually impaired users around the world. Worn as a portable smart harness with multi-directional cameras, the biped combines the power of obstacle detection, G...

If you are having thoughts about suicide, please call 988 by phone or text the word, "Talk", to the number 741741.   In this 29th    episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, open the conversation about suicide. Looking at the demographics, occupations, and warning signs. Bringing awareness to this not so talked about subject and helping to check in with yourself an...

our guests in this episode Come to us from BlindShell USA and Envision . BlindShell USA's President and CEO, Bari Azman, , and Diane Ducharme, Senior Program Director, along with  Envision's co-founder Karthik Kannan, announce the Envision AI app now available on the blindShell Classic 2 Accessible Cell Phone . The BlindShell Classic 2 accessible cell phone with tactile buttons has added the Envis...

In this 28th    episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, dive into self-care. Taking care of yourself and recognizing some habits that maybe you may not realize is self-care. Join Beth and Robin and get a look at how they define self-care.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com    ...

Richard Rueda, Assistant Director of the APH ConnectCenter and Lori Scharff, Lead Contractor at CareerConnect , join Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to let us know about the latest updates at  CareerConnect . Learn about the Career & Canine Connections program where the CareerConnect team and Guide Dogs for the Blind team up in Oregon for a free of charge experience combining Career ex...

Many people dream of traveling around the world, but often feel constrained by money and other factors. For the blind and visually impaired community, Flight for Sight helps to remove this barrier by offering three $10,000 grants to make that dream come true!   Join Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant in the virtual studio as he speaks with Flight for Sight founder and Executive director...

In this 27th    episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, touch base on asking for Reasonable Accommodations and where to start if you are ready. disclosing a disability, especially hidden disabilities may cause one to consider not asking for the accommodations even though  the reasonable Accommodations can help them succeed.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday e...

In this 26th    episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, Beth and Robin take a look at their  resolutions, how to define and redefine the goals and the importance of setting your goals from your own self-concept. Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC...

Blind Sailing? Right here in the land of 10,000 lakes? How fitting. In this episode of Blind Abilities we are talking to Katy Boyd, the founder of the non-profit organization, Twin Cities Blind Sailing . With years of Blind sailing experience, Katy moved to the Twin Cities and started Twin Cities Blind Sailing so others can have the opportunity to enjoy a sport and develop skills and confidence ou...

In this 25th  episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, express the importance of words, tone of voice and etiquette when interacting with others. How we adjust, correct and acknowledge others verbal communication. How do we interpret tone and how do we interact with ourselves.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on...

Since 2016, Envision has been providing products and services to enhance and empower blind and visually impaired people to live full and independent lives throughout the world. Join Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant as he speaks with Envision co-founder Karthik Kannan, as they discuss many groundbreaking additions to the AI powered smart glasses and smartphone app.   Notable Updates inc...

our guests in this episode Come to us from BlindShell USA and Envision America and are here to talk about the latest addition to the BlindShell Accessible Cell Phone Classic 2 family of apps. BlindShell's President and CEO, Bari Azman, , and Diane Ducharme, Senior Program Director, and Jenna Reed Marketing Director at Envision America , join Jeff and Pete to announce that ScripTalk Talking Labels...

In this 24th  episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, respond to a letter from a listener regarding friendships and navigating frendships during the holiday season. Not only navigating friends but navigating family as well. They also glide into some of the trappings of having a disability and when to say no to the 20 questions thrown your way.   Check out all the...

Ever wanted to read a specialized religious book in braille or large print but it wasn't available? Lutheran Braille Workers are here to help! With over 120 braille production centers and content in over 42 different languages, Lutheran Braille Workers is sure to have something for you! Their catalogue includes an extensive number of Bibles, Newsletters, Devotions, and books of religious commentar...

While attending the 2023 NFB of PA state convention, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant sat down with Ed Martin, Product Sales Representative at Enhanced Vision, one of the leading magnification companies in the world. Ed gives listeners an overview of the many product offerings the company provides, and demonstrates one of the leading OCR solutions, the Smart Reader.   From the Enhanced...

Mastering a new screen reader can be a daunting task: with a plethora of screen readers to choose from, and the learning curve of new commands it's easy to become overwhelmed. Thankfully, there's a new website to help you along your screen-reader journey!   Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant joined Assistive Technology Specialists Allison Mello and Max Avendano in the virtual studio to d...

In this 23rd  episode of Wellness Wednesday , Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, and Jeff Thompson of Blind Abilities ,  address the intersection of gratitude and grieving during the holiday season.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS,...

While attending the 2023 NFB Convention Banquet in Houston Texas, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant had the opportunity to connect with Gilles Pepin, Chairman of the Board at Humanware. During the Banquet, Mr. Pepin received the prestigious Kenneth Jernigan award. Mr. Pepin joined Simon in the virtual studio to discuss his incredible tenure as Former CEO of Humanware for 35 years.   Fro...