Tough Love: A Blind Man tells his story

EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode, we meet Josh Burch, a 48-year-old man who was born with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. Josh talks about the challenges of growing up blind and shares how he navigates a world built for sighted people with the help of technology and his guide dog, Lou. We also hear more from Josh's stepmother, Julie Burch, and learn how they inspired and learned from each other, and how their relationship has changed over time. Some learning gems from this episode: Don't pet a guide dog, (he or she needs to focus on guiding). Once out of harness, you can pet the dog; iPhones have an option called "VoiceOver"  which anyone can use; If you meet a blind person, don't assume they need help, ask first; Do not spoon-feed or coddle people who are blind, they are like sighted people and just need more assistance; Support groups are great like Lighthouses for the Blind; Encourage independence and build confidence; Good manners, awareness of posture and exercise matters; Tough love sometimes requires patience but it beats sympathy.RESOURCES:Guiding Eyes for the BlindRehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Daytona, FloridaJAWS, Job Access With Speech screen reader toolLighthouses for the Blind - local chapters can be found across the countryiPhone accessibility featuresOptic Nerve Hypoplasia8 Everyday Items Originally Invented for People With DisabilitiesPEOPLE MENTIONED:Anne SullivanFIND AND FOLLOW JOSH: Josh Burch: [email protected] AND FOLLOW JULIE:Julie's Mindfulness Art Facebook PageJulie's Author Facebook pageJulie's Author WebsiteSubscribe to Julie's mailing list for information about upcoming books, nature, recipes, and life with Josh Find and Follow Carole and Wisdom Shared:https://www.caroleblueweiss.com/Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WisdomSharedCaroleBlueweissFollow me and send me a message on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caroleblueweissFollow me and send me a message on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-blueweiss-pt-dpt-23970279/Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carole_blueweiss/The Wisdom Shared TeamAudio Engineering by Steve Heatherington of Good Podcasting WorksProduction Assistant and Marketing Coordinator: Kayla NelsonProduction Assistant: Becki Leigh