by Chelle Wyatt | Sep 8, 2026 | Accessibility, Accommodations, Communication Access, Emotions, hearing loss, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss How To, Hearing Loss Inclusion, Limits for hearing loss, Lipreading, Misconceptions, Self Advocacy
When we have hearing loss, there’s a tension between doing what is polite –the normal thing– versus what needs to be done to participate. Following social norms actually limits a hard of hearing person’s experience. Some social norms we are taught as children… Sit... 
by Chelle Wyatt | Oct 23, 2025 | Communication Access, Communication Practices, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Inclusion, Limits for hearing loss, Lipreading, Self Advocacy, Speechreading
Planning ahead for lipreading, and hearing loss, is actively managing your communication and ensuring your participation. When we plan ahead for events and social gatherings, we are less likely to be at the mercy of circumstances. You are empowering yourself with... 
by Chelle Wyatt | Sep 11, 2025 | Advocacy, Captioning, Communication Access, deaf, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Hope, Hearing Loss Inclusion, Misconceptions, Tribe, hearing loss
September is Deaf Awareness Month. Hearing loss has a spectrum from mild to profound. With a mild hearing loss, we miss a few sounds, or lack volume, or both. Being profound can mean no hearing at all, or, deaf in certain frequencies only. Capitol D denotes the Deaf... 
by Chelle Wyatt | Jul 23, 2025 | Accommodations, Communication Practices, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss How To, Hearing Loss Inclusion
Prosody is a skill people can use when talking to people with hearing loss. The general population tends to assume that speaking louder is the solution. That does not help and often distorts the message instead. Clarity is what’s needed and a big secret to clarity is... 
by Chelle Wyatt | Jun 4, 2025 | Accessibility, Accommodations, Advocacy, Communication Access, deaf, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Inclusion, Self Advocacy, Shame/Stigma/Denial
Do we earn accessibility, or do we have a right to it? When researching that question, we are told it’s a fundamental right. Everyone should have equitable access to spaces, communication, technology and opportunities, regardless of ability. How many of us actually... 
by | Aug 7, 2024 | Advocacy, Communication Access, Communication Practices, Communication with Family, Community Members, Connections, deaf, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Impaired, Hearing Loss, Hearing Loss Inclusion, Lipreading Concepts, Misconceptions, Self Advocacy, Shame/Stigma/Denial, Tribe, hearing loss, Vulnerability
We can be unapologetically Hard of Hearing with minor changes in habit. The biggest apologetic action we see from those with hearing loss is: “I’m sorry, I have hearing loss. Can you repeat that?” Are we sorry for ourselves or others? Why do we do that? Let’s... 