Don't Miss Her Ability| Women's Disability Empowerment| Personal/Career Development| Health/Wellness

Episodes

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  Day Four: Sunday Service - Song Lyrics, Notices, and a Devotional 09.09.2026 12m

  Sunday morning church has been part of my routine for thirty years, and I know it well enough to access most of it without thinking. But there are things I've quietly accepted I can't do - and today I decided to test whether the glasses could change that.The song lyrics - no luck. I've always relied on memory to sing along, especially with newer songs I haven't learned yet. I sit in the second row, right in front of a huge screen, and I still can't make out the words on it. I asked Meta to read the screen, hoping it might help - it picked up my voice fine, even with the music and noise around me, which was different from my restaurant experience. But it only captures a single image at a time, and the lyrics change too fast for that to be useful. So that one didn't work, but I'm glad I tried it.The weekly notices - this one worked. During the break, when the notices come up on screen, I was able to ask Meta what it said and actually take in dates, times, and what's happening across the week and the month ahead - on my own, for the first time, without someone standing up to read it out. Some information was missing, probably down to the different fonts used across the slides, but it was a genuinely good result.The daily devotional - mixed. I normally use a digital app for this because physical books and devotionals aren't accessible to me without a magnifier or a photo - something I miss, since I used to be able to just sit and read a physical book before my eyesight deteriorated. The glasses could read a single printed Bible verse just fine, but couldn't get through the full devotional text on the page. I'm not sure yet if that's a technique issue on my end or a real limit, but for now, reading a book this way isn't quite there. Where I've landed: a real mix of pros and cons today. I'm trying to keep perspective - these glasses aren't restoring my sight or changing how I move through the world completely. But they are making small parts of my life a little easier, and things I genuinely couldn't do before, I can now. I'm counting that as a win.Email: hello@12episodes.com
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  Day Three: A Gallery, A Restaurant, and the Limits of the Tech 07.09.2026 15m

  I knew this was going to be a full day out - a gallery visit, then dinner -so plenty of chances to really put the glasses through their paces.On the way there, I wore the glasses for the drive to properly test the transition lenses against the dark sunglasses I'm used to. Honestly, I didn't notice a huge difference in brightness. I was able to listen to a podcast quietly while still hearing my husband talk, which was nice. I also tried asking Meta to read the number plate of the car in front of us - no luck. It recognised it was a UK plate but couldn't make out the detail, probably because of the distance.The gallery was the highlight of my day. I've always been limited in galleries by not being able to read the wall text - the context that tells you what you're actually looking at, why it was made, the history behind it. After a small hiccup reconnecting to the venue's WiFi, I asked the glasses to read a large information board, and for the first time I was taking in an exhibition's context from the very start. One moment really got me: a piece was displayed with its description on the wall behind me. I got the glasses to capture the text, then turned back around and looked at the artwork itself while it was read aloud to me. I left that gallery feeling like I'd had a genuinely deeper experience than I've had in a long time.The restaurant was a different story. Normally I need someone to read the menu for me, and I'll admit I often just order something familiar rather than ask. I really hoped I'd be able to read independently this time. But the restaurant was loud, and Meta couldn't pick up my voice reliably enough to respond. That was disappointing- a genuine limit, not just a teething problem I can shrug off.What I'm taking from today: a real high and a real limitation, in the same day. That's exactly what this series is meant to capture.Contact: hello@12episodes.com
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  Day Zero to Two: Trying On, Buying, and Setting Up My Smart Glasses 03.09.2026 14m

  The first three entries in the 100 Days to Clarity series, covering the lead-up to actually starting the trial: trying the glasses on, buying them, and getting them set up.Day Zero: Trying them on.I visit the store to try the Meta Ray-Bans for the first time, feeling apprehensive about explaining my needs to the shop assistant. Handed a leaflet I would normally have no way to read without a magnifier or my phone camera, I ask the glasses to read it aloud and I describe the moment as overwhelming, close to tears, at finally being able to just hold a piece of paper and access it like anyone else.I also test the glasses on wall posters with the same result. I leave the store without even checking how the glasses look on me, already thinking about the technology's potential and planning to bring my husband back to ask the questions I hadn't thought to.Day One: Buying them.I return with clearer questions and try on different styles and lens options. With no prescription, I choose transition lenses (light-reactive between outdoor glare and indoor use) in the Headliner style, black frames. I test reading an optician's card of varying font sizes, the glasses read down to the second-smallest line and I learn about the other features on offer: photo, video, music, and translation. I buy the glasses, in a case that doubles as a charger.Day Two: Setting them up.The real starting point of daily use. Setup involves a QR code, the Meta companion app, and because small zoomed-in phone text is hard for me to navigate independently, some help from my husband. I note the setup isn't fully complete yet, but enough to begin. First real test: music, played through the glasses' speakers, which let me hear my surroundings at the same time, a safety advantage over noise-cancelling headphones on walks. One caveat: people nearby can hear the music too, depending on volume.Also in this episode:The reminder that this series reflects my personal experience with my own visual impairment, not a universal recommendationAn invitation to get in touch if you're using, or considering, similar technology yourselfGet in touch: hello@twelveepisodes.com
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  100 Days to Clarity: The Why Behind it All 03.09.2026 19m

  For the first time in years, I walked into an art gallery and was able to interact with the artwork the way sighted visitors can, reading the descriptions, the artist's own words, all of it.Don't Miss Her Ability is back after a three-year break, relaunched under Twelve Episodes, my podcast coaching business. In this episode, I reintroduces the show, built from the start around the achievements and strengths of women with disabilities and share my own story of being diagnosed with a visual impairment in her mid-teens.I also explain what's brought the podcast back now: the recent wave of AI smart glasses, and the mixed, often heated conversation around them. Setting the debate aside, I heard several blind and visually impaired people describe real, daily-life independence from wearing them, enough to make me want to try a pair myself and document the experience, unfiltered, over the 100-day trial period.This launches 100 Days to Clarity: an honest, in-real-time journal of using AI-powered smart glasses while living with low vision, not a sponsored review, not a highlight reel, but a warts-and-all record of what actually helps, what doesn't, and what changes (or doesn't) over 100 days.In this episode:My own experience with low vision, and the assistive technology I already rely on day to dayWhy I decided to try AI smart glasses, and what I'm hoping to find outWhat listeners can expect from the 100 Days to Clarity series and how often new entries will dropHow to get involved if you're trying similar technology yourselfA note on this series: I am not being sponsored for this series. I'm already about a week into using the glasses, so the next few episodes will cover Days 1–6 before entries settle into a regular few-times-a-week rhythm.Get in touch: Trying these glasses yourself, or thinking about it? I want to hear from you - whatever your level of vision or disability.Email your questions or your own story to hello@twelveepisodes.com.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so new entries land in your feed as they drop.
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  The Podcast Returns: A 100-Day Experiment in Independence 03.09.2026 1m

  100 Days to Clarity: Why I'm Testing Smart Glasses for Low VisionDon't Miss Her Ability is back. In this relaunch episode, I introduce a new series, 100 Days to Clarity , a real-time, unfiltered journal of living with low vision, tracking my 100-day trial of a pair of AI-powered smart glasses for the visually impaired.I share why I'm doing this: what I want to find out about how this assistive technology can help me, and hopefully other women navigating disability, move through the world with more independence and why the short clips and one-off testimonials already online aren't the full picture.In this episode:Why Don't Miss Her Ability is relaunching under Twelve EpisodesWhat 100 Days to Clarity is and how the series will runWhat to expect over the next 100 daysNew entries release a few times a week.Come for the tech, stay for the story.
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  45. Embracing life with a Visual Impairment and Chronic Illness with Louise Plunlett 09.02.2022 1h 11m

  This week I’m talking to Louise Plunkett , married mum of two who is navigating life with Stargardt disease and Chronic Illness. Louise has taken time to reflect on her experience of living with sight loss and chronic illness, parenting with a disability and is now working on developing her skills so that she can have a positive impact in the lives of other women with similar conditions. Connect with Louise Email:  authentically.lou@gmail.com Instagram:  @authentically_lou Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/467691114728778/ Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/Embracing-Sight-Loss-Chrronic-Illness-with-Authentically-Lou-110909211481253/ She is a VIP WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK GROUP MEMBERSHIP WAITLIST SIX STEPS TO FINDING CLARITY AFTER A DIAGNOSIS OF SIGHT LOSS - FREE AUDIO COACHING GUIDE
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  2. My sight loss story 05.05.2021 22m

  Today I want to talk about why this podcast exists.   It has been born out of my own personal experience, both in my life as a woman living with a visual impairment but also from working with children, young people and their families who are also dealing with different types of visual impairment and trying to navigate life with the ups and downs that this brings. I was diagnosed with Stargardt's disease at 14 and from that day of diagnosis I have been on a journey of trying to understand what this means for my life and building the confidence and resilience that will help me rise above this barrier and keep moving forward. I have worked with so many people who are experiencing similar things, wondering if they will ever be able to achieve success and realise their dreams. I want you to know that life can be lived fully even when you live with a physical limitation like this. You may not have 20/20 vision but this does  not mean that you do not have a clear purpose to fulfil.   Instagram: @she_isavip
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  4. Sight Loss vs Vision Loss 19.05.2021 6m

  Is there a difference between Sight Loss and Vision Loss? Sight and vision are interchangeable words  that are used to talk about how well we can physically see what we are doing and where we are going. Depending on the type of sight loss, we have varying degrees of control over what happens. But I have learnt over the years that what we do have is complete control over what happens to our vision. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/she_isavip/  Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/She-is-a-VIP-103474205261231 How to create and build a vision for your life (PDF): https://mailchi.mp/78cf188d4cd9/buildvision
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  51. Accessibility and Inclusion with Catarina Rivera 23.03.2022 44m

  On this episode of the podcast, I'm talking to Catarina Rivera about all things accessibility and inclusion. CONNECT WITH CATARINA Website: https://www.catarinarivera.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catarinarivera Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blindishlatina/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlindishLatina/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/catarinarivera FREE eBook: Use Accessibility as a Tool to Expand Your Reach SHE IS A VIP WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK GROUP
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  8. The Zone of Strength 16.06.2021 8m

  This episode is the third in the  six-part series where I’m  explaining each of the steps in the Vision centred process that I outlined in episode 4. So this week we are focusing on the Zone of Strength. Within this Zone of Vision, our attention is directed towards making sure that we are making a conscious effort to grow stronger in key areas of our lives. Along my journey of developing a clear vision for my life, I too looked at the different areas of my life that needed a bit more of my attention. I started to realise that the things I wanted to improve on were actually only symptoms that had come from me having ignored to a lesser or greater extent, my development and growth in three broad areas: My physical, spiritual and emotional and mental health. Coming to an understanding as to how these areas form the foundation for everything we want to do and achieve in our lives is so important.  And yes, I’ll say it again, especially when you are living with a disability. INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/she_isavip/ FACEBOOK GROUP https://www.facebook.com/groups/sheisavipcommunity
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  5. V.I.S.I.O.N 26.05.2021 7m

  In this week's episode, I outline the V.I.S.I.O.N centred process that I use to help build and develop clearer vision. There are six stages, or 'zones' involved in the process: The Zone of VALUES The Zone of IDENTITY The Zone of STRENGTH The Zone of IMPLEMENTATION The Zone of ORIENTATION The Zone of NURTURE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/she_isavip/ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/She-is-a-VIP-103474205261231 The Zones of V.I.S.I.O.N https://mailchi.mp/78cf188d4cd9/buildvision
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  46. Why it's important to be in community 16.02.2022 7m

  There are so many different types of community we can be involved in and it's important that we find the ones that resonate with us- our beliefs and our needs. As a blind or visually impaired woman , there is a community here for you. A community that will support and help you to look beyond the limitations of sight loss and begin to focus on moving towards achieving your goals. Join the community here: FACEBOOK GROUP WEBSITE INSTAGRAM MEMBERSHIP WAITLIST SIX STEPS TO FINDING CLARITY AFTER A DIAGNOSIS OF SIGHT LOSS - FREE AUDIO COACHING GUIDE
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  9. The Zone of Implementation 23.06.2021 7m

  Continuing to work through the building blocks of the vision centred process- the steps we can take to help us get clear about who we are and who we have been created to be.⁠ ⁠ This week is all about IMPLEMENTATION -how do we take what we are learning and actually make it work for us in the very specific way we need it to?⁠ INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/she_isavip/ FACEBOOK GROUP https://www.facebook.com/groups/sheisavipcommunity
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  47. The importance of developing mindsight 23.02.2022 8m

  There is so much emphasis in society placed on what can or can't be seen with our eyes and if we can’t see well then that is considered to be a problem. I wonder what would happen and what we could achieve if we focused on developing how we see with our hearts and minds instead of our eyes? JOIN THE COMMUNITY! FACEBOOK GROUP WEBSITE INSTAGRAM MEMBERSHIP WAITLIST
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  18. Mind the Gap 25.08.2021 8m

  After you have received a  diagnosis of a visual impairment or any other type of disability, there is a 'gap' that forms between hearing that information and then figuring out how and in which direction you are going to move forward with your life. In this episode, I'm highlighting the importance of 'minding the gap'.   How you choose to navigate this space, whether it's with pessimism or positivity, will determine how well you continue your journey.  WEBSITE https://www.sheisavip.com/ INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/she_isavip/ FACEBOOK GROUP https://www.facebook.com/groups/sheisavipcommunity
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  27. Diagnose a Visual Impairment - Prescribe Personal Development 27.10.2021 20m

  I'm talking again this week about part of my story, focusing on what I believe would have helped me move through the process of diagnosis with a little    more ease. SHE IS A VIP WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK GROUP
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  30. Growing Vision and Growing Hope with Dr Naomi Graham 17.11.2021 48m

  In this week’s episode, I’m talking to Dr Naomi Graham,  who is helping to continue the theme of education and the development of children and young people who have additional needs and the effect that different experiences of support can have on how the future adult with a disability will be able to navigate life. GROWING HOPE Growing Hope Website Growing Hope Podcast Love surpassing Knowledge by Dr Naomi Graham Growing Hope Facebook Page SHE IS A VIP WEBSITE INSTAGRAM MEMBERSHIP WAITLIST
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  25. Through my eyes with Madison French 13.10.2021 6m

  This week my daughter Madison talks about her experience of having a parent who is visually impaired. To learn more about She is a VIP, follow the links below! WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK GROUP
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  53. Ambiguously Blind with John Grimes 06.04.2022 1h

  On this episode of the podcast, I'm talking to John Grimes who is the host of the Ambiguously Blind Podcast, a show that is challenging beliefs and revealing abilities that make people extraordinary.  Join John as he explores life after bacterial meningitis caused sudden blindness.  He shares experiences, adaptations and connects with others to discuss living with  visual impairment and overcoming life’s challenges. CONNECT WITH JOHN LISTEN TO THE AMBIGUOUSLY BLIND PODCAST INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK WEBSITE SHE IS A VIP WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK GROUP
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  43. How do I know what to do next? 26.01.2022 12m

  This is a question that I find myself asking a lot , especially when  I'm faced with a particular challenge in my life. I find myself falling into patterns of procrastination, fear and confusion all of which keep me from being able to move forward. The added challenge that sight loss brings can compound these feelings and I don’t know about you but just as I start to think and start to believe 'yes I can do that thing' or 'yes I can achieve that goal', I’m reminded of the limitations that my visual impairment can place on my ability to be successful. WEBSITE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK GROUP MEMBERSHIP WAITLIST SIX STEPS TO FINDING CLARITY AFTER A DIAGNOSIS OF SIGHT LOSS - FREE AUDIO COACHING GUIDE