Blindsight

By AftersightAlternative Health Health & Fitness Mental Health

Blindsight episodes

May 30, 2025 Happy, Joy, and Everything in Between
In this emotionally rich and affirming episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren welcomes back therapist Darran Zenger for a deep conversation on the often misunderstood emotion of happiness. Together, they dissect the difference between genuine happiness, put-on smiles, and the more enduring sensation of joy.
Darran opens up about his own challenges, including navigating life with Usher Syndrome, and how reframing small moments—like enjoying French fries or a favorite soda—can rewire the mind toward happiness. He emphasizes that happiness is a moment-to-moment experience, while joy is the cumulative result of consistent presence and meaningful connection.
Bill and Darran also discuss:
Why society often discourages men from feeling emotions
How feelings are tools, not judgments
The subtle ways addiction can numb happiness
The power of gratitude and vulnerability
Why we need to give ourselves permission to be happy
From McDonald’s Coke to Brene Brown’s research, this episode is a vibrant blend of personal stories, clinical wisdom, and soul-nourishing reminders that you’re not alone—and that you deserve to feel happy.
Chapter Markers:
00:03 – Welcome to Blindsight: Introducing feelings series
01:52 – Men, emotions, and societal norms
04:45 – What is happiness? Reframing and redefining joy
07:13 – Positive affirmations and “fake it till you make it”
09:38 – Blindness, dating, and reframing rejection
11:48 – The power of identity beyond disability
13:57 – Connection over perfection and Brene Brown’s research
16:22 – Joy vs. happiness: Daily choices and long-term reward
18:31 – Outdoor joy: Hiking and hunting analogies
20:45 – Chemical imbalance, grief, and suppressing emotion
23:12 – The danger of judging emotions as “bad” or “good”
25:35 – Emotional numbness: Brene Brown and the hand analogy
27:59 – Using emotions as data: Embracing the full spectrum
30:25 – Permission for happiness and being your own worst critic
32:48 – Comparing ourselves, social media, and boundaries
35:13 – Final encouragement: Give yourself grace and pursue connection
Contact Info & Feedback:
Email: [email protected]
Voicemail Line: (720) 712-8856
Let us know your thoughts, questions, or emotional check-ins. We’d love to hear from you.
37 min
May 30, 2025 Happy, Joy, and Everything in Between
In this emotionally rich and affirming episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren welcomes back therapist Darran Zenger for a deep conversation on the often misunderstood emotion of happiness. Together, they dissect the difference between genuine happiness, put-on smiles, and the more enduring sensation of joy.
Darran opens up about his own challenges, including navigating life with Usher Syndrome, and how reframing small moments—like enjoying French fries or a favorite soda—can rewire the mind toward happiness. He emphasizes that happiness is a moment-to-moment experience, while joy is the cumulative result of consistent presence and meaningful connection.
Bill and Darran also discuss:
Why society often discourages men from feeling emotions
How feelings are tools, not judgments
The subtle ways addiction can numb happiness
The power of gratitude and vulnerability
Why we need to give ourselves permission to be happy
From McDonald’s Coke to Brene Brown’s research, this episode is a vibrant blend of personal stories, clinical wisdom, and soul-nourishing reminders that you’re not alone—and that you deserve to feel happy.
Chapter Markers:
00:03 – Welcome to Blindsight: Introducing feelings series
01:52 – Men, emotions, and societal norms
04:45 – What is happiness? Reframing and redefining joy
07:13 – Positive affirmations and “fake it till you make it”
09:38 – Blindness, dating, and reframing rejection
11:48 – The power of identity beyond disability
13:57 – Connection over perfection and Brene Brown’s research
16:22 – Joy vs. happiness: Daily choices and long-term reward
18:31 – Outdoor joy: Hiking and hunting analogies
20:45 – Chemical imbalance, grief, and suppressing emotion
23:12 – The danger of judging emotions as “bad” or “good”
25:35 – Emotional numbness: Brene Brown and the hand analogy
27:59 – Using emotions as data: Embracing the full spectrum
30:25 – Permission for happiness and being your own worst critic
32:48 – Comparing ourselves, social media, and boundaries
35:13 – Final encouragement: Give yourself grace and pursue connection
Contact Info & Feedback:
Email: [email protected]
Voicemail Line: (720) 712-8856
Let us know your thoughts, questions, or emotional check-ins. We’d love to hear from you.
37 min
May 23, 2025 Vision Loss Isn't a Flaw
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren sits down with Neva Fairchild—an advocate, counselor, and technological leader in the blind community—for a powerful conversation about resilience, adaptation, and acceptance. Born with a visual impairment that went undiagnosed until preschool, Neva takes us through her journey of coping with undiagnosed Stargardt disease, the challenges of navigating school without accommodations, and ultimately building a career that has reshaped the lives of others with vision loss.
Neva shares how she learned to stop hiding her condition, embraced assistive technology, and found her true calling later in life among those who not only lived with blindness—but thrived in it. Her story is a call to action to advocate for better services, honest conversations with doctors and families, and the dignity that comes from asking for help.
Neva’s journey is one of transformation—from a child who struggled to be understood, to a national leader who now empowers others to live well with vision loss.
Key Topics Covered:
Neva’s early signs of vision loss and misdiagnosis
Learning to pass in a sighted world and the emotional toll
Breaking through shame and isolation by meeting others with blindness
How technology and the right support changed everything
Her work with AFB and advocacy for older adults with vision loss
The importance of honesty, asking for help, and normalizing blindness
Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
01:00 – Neva’s diagnosis and early childhood struggles
04:45 – Going blind in adulthood: The emotional and medical shock
07:00 – Coping mechanisms, stubbornness, and a hunger to live fully
10:00 – The power of blind community and assistive technology
12:20 – Transitioning from enlargement to screen readers
14:30 – The shame of visibility and learning to accept her identity
17:00 – Career in blindness rehab and helping others thrive
21:00 – Advocacy for better doctor referrals and more vision specialists
23:45 – Final advice: "Blindness isn’t a character flaw"
26:00 – Closing thoughts and contact info
27 min
May 23, 2025 Vision Loss Isn't a Flaw
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren sits down with Neva Fairchild—an advocate, counselor, and technological leader in the blind community—for a powerful conversation about resilience, adaptation, and acceptance. Born with a visual impairment that went undiagnosed until preschool, Neva takes us through her journey of coping with undiagnosed Stargardt disease, the challenges of navigating school without accommodations, and ultimately building a career that has reshaped the lives of others with vision loss.
Neva shares how she learned to stop hiding her condition, embraced assistive technology, and found her true calling later in life among those who not only lived with blindness—but thrived in it. Her story is a call to action to advocate for better services, honest conversations with doctors and families, and the dignity that comes from asking for help.
Neva’s journey is one of transformation—from a child who struggled to be understood, to a national leader who now empowers others to live well with vision loss.
Key Topics Covered:
Neva’s early signs of vision loss and misdiagnosis
Learning to pass in a sighted world and the emotional toll
Breaking through shame and isolation by meeting others with blindness
How technology and the right support changed everything
Her work with AFB and advocacy for older adults with vision loss
The importance of honesty, asking for help, and normalizing blindness
Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
01:00 – Neva’s diagnosis and early childhood struggles
04:45 – Going blind in adulthood: The emotional and medical shock
07:00 – Coping mechanisms, stubbornness, and a hunger to live fully
10:00 – The power of blind community and assistive technology
12:20 – Transitioning from enlargement to screen readers
14:30 – The shame of visibility and learning to accept her identity
17:00 – Career in blindness rehab and helping others thrive
21:00 – Advocacy for better doctor referrals and more vision specialists
23:45 – Final advice: "Blindness isn’t a character flaw"
26:00 – Closing thoughts and contact info
27 min
May 09, 2025 12-Step: your questions answered
In this special episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren and producer Jonathan Price respond to listener-submitted questions about their recent 12-part series on the 12-Step Program. From fear of surrender in Step 1 to doubts about spiritual connection in Step 11 and uncertainty about helping others in Step 12, this conversation is raw, honest, and deeply human.
Listeners from across the U.S. and beyond wrote in to ask deeply personal questions:
How do I surrender without giving up on myself?
What if my moral inventory in Step 4 changes how I see myself?
How can I make amends without reopening wounds?
What do I do when God feels distant?
Can I really help someone else if I’m still healing?
Bill shares real-world insights and practical, compassionate guidance rooted in decades of therapeutic experience. Jonathan offers encouragement, reframing each question with empathy and hope. The episode ends with a teaser for their next mini-series: exploring four foundational emotions—mad, glad, sad, and scared—and how these emotions interplay with logic, recovery, and identity.
Whether you’re in recovery or walking alongside someone who is, this episode offers a powerful reminder: you are not alone, and healing is possible.
⏱️ Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
00:46 – Letters from Listeners
02:30 – Shannon (Step 1): Letting Go Without Losing Yourself
09:45 – Devin (Step 4): Afraid of What I’ll Find
17:10 – Tasha (Step 9): Making Amends Without Causing Harm
22:00 – Chris (Step 11): Feeling Spiritually Blocked
26:45 – Ellie (Step 12): Can I Help While Still Healing?
31:45 – What’s Next: Mad, Glad, Sad, and Scared
33:55 – Feedback & Farewell
36 min
May 09, 2025 12-Step: your questions answered
In this special episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren and producer Jonathan Price respond to listener-submitted questions about their recent 12-part series on the 12-Step Program. From fear of surrender in Step 1 to doubts about spiritual connection in Step 11 and uncertainty about helping others in Step 12, this conversation is raw, honest, and deeply human.
Listeners from across the U.S. and beyond wrote in to ask deeply personal questions:
How do I surrender without giving up on myself?
What if my moral inventory in Step 4 changes how I see myself?
How can I make amends without reopening wounds?
What do I do when God feels distant?
Can I really help someone else if I’m still healing?
Bill shares real-world insights and practical, compassionate guidance rooted in decades of therapeutic experience. Jonathan offers encouragement, reframing each question with empathy and hope. The episode ends with a teaser for their next mini-series: exploring four foundational emotions—mad, glad, sad, and scared—and how these emotions interplay with logic, recovery, and identity.
Whether you’re in recovery or walking alongside someone who is, this episode offers a powerful reminder: you are not alone, and healing is possible.
⏱️ Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
00:46 – Letters from Listeners
02:30 – Shannon (Step 1): Letting Go Without Losing Yourself
09:45 – Devin (Step 4): Afraid of What I’ll Find
17:10 – Tasha (Step 9): Making Amends Without Causing Harm
22:00 – Chris (Step 11): Feeling Spiritually Blocked
26:45 – Ellie (Step 12): Can I Help While Still Healing?
31:45 – What’s Next: Mad, Glad, Sad, and Scared
33:55 – Feedback & Farewell
36 min
May 01, 2025 Still Here: A Marine’s Fight to Live Again
In this raw and transformative episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren sits down with Zach Tidwell, a blind Marine Corps veteran, adaptive athlete, software developer, and suicide survivor. Zach shares the deeply personal story of his journey—from a suicide attempt that left him blind and deaf in one ear, to confronting alcoholism, a devastating Huntington’s diagnosis, and ultimately rebuilding a life of resilience and purpose. Through adaptive sports, therapy, coding, and brutal self-honesty, Zach not only survived—he thrived.
Zach speaks openly about the critical importance of speaking up, learning healthy coping strategies, asking for help, and embracing your agency in the face of despair. This episode is a must-listen for anyone facing internal battles—or for those supporting someone who is.
⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide and addiction. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988, and press 1 if you're a veteran.
Contact Information:
Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 for veterans
Aftersight Feedback Line: (720) 712-8856
Email: [email protected]
Zach Tidwell Website: https://www.zachtidwell.net
Podcast: Going in Blind with Zach Tidwell (available on all platforms)
Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
01:05 – Meet Zach Tidwell: Marine, survivor, and adaptive athlete
02:14 – Betrayal, trauma, and the downward spiral
04:38 – Depression, drinking, and suicidal thoughts
06:53 – Surviving a self-inflicted gunshot wound
09:11 – “I’m not making salt and pepper shakers” — reclaiming identity
11:31 – Adaptive sports and rediscovering independence
13:52 – The power of speaking up during the lowest point
16:13 – Why Zach became a blind software developer
18:23 – Relapse and the battle with alcoholism
20:46 – Xanagrams and finding purpose through accessibility
22:45 – Accountability, acceptance, and hard choices
25:03 – The final drink: December 5, 2023
27:26 – The Huntington’s diagnosis and choosing to live intentionally
29:53 – Competing in sports and doing it differently
32:19 – Adapting your world by accepting help
34:39 – VA Blind Rehab Services and veteran resources
36:44 – Suicide prevention hotline and how to get help
38:00 – Zach’s projects, book, and podcast
40:10 – Final thoughts: Growth is painful but worth it
42 min
May 01, 2025 Still Here: A Marine’s Fight to Live Again
In this raw and transformative episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren sits down with Zach Tidwell, a blind Marine Corps veteran, adaptive athlete, software developer, and suicide survivor. Zach shares the deeply personal story of his journey—from a suicide attempt that left him blind and deaf in one ear, to confronting alcoholism, a devastating Huntington’s diagnosis, and ultimately rebuilding a life of resilience and purpose. Through adaptive sports, therapy, coding, and brutal self-honesty, Zach not only survived—he thrived.
Zach speaks openly about the critical importance of speaking up, learning healthy coping strategies, asking for help, and embracing your agency in the face of despair. This episode is a must-listen for anyone facing internal battles—or for those supporting someone who is.
⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide and addiction. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988, and press 1 if you're a veteran.
Contact Information:
Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 for veterans
Aftersight Feedback Line: (720) 712-8856
Email: [email protected]
Zach Tidwell Website: https://www.zachtidwell.net
Podcast: Going in Blind with Zach Tidwell (available on all platforms)
Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
01:05 – Meet Zach Tidwell: Marine, survivor, and adaptive athlete
02:14 – Betrayal, trauma, and the downward spiral
04:38 – Depression, drinking, and suicidal thoughts
06:53 – Surviving a self-inflicted gunshot wound
09:11 – “I’m not making salt and pepper shakers” — reclaiming identity
11:31 – Adaptive sports and rediscovering independence
13:52 – The power of speaking up during the lowest point
16:13 – Why Zach became a blind software developer
18:23 – Relapse and the battle with alcoholism
20:46 – Xanagrams and finding purpose through accessibility
22:45 – Accountability, acceptance, and hard choices
25:03 – The final drink: December 5, 2023
27:26 – The Huntington’s diagnosis and choosing to live intentionally
29:53 – Competing in sports and doing it differently
32:19 – Adapting your world by accepting help
34:39 – VA Blind Rehab Services and veteran resources
36:44 – Suicide prevention hotline and how to get help
38:00 – Zach’s projects, book, and podcast
40:10 – Final thoughts: Growth is painful but worth it
42 min
April 25, 2025 Step 12: The Power of Showing Up
In this heartfelt and grounded episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren wraps up the 12-step series with guest Kevin Petersen, focusing on Step 12 of Alcoholics Anonymous: Having had a spiritual awakening... we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Kevin brings clarity, humor, and wisdom to the spiritual and practical sides of Step 12. They unpack what a “spiritual awakening” really looks like—hint: it’s not lightning bolts—and how helping others starts with showing up and being human. This conversation digs deep into humility, relapse, perfectionism, and why stability is the new sexy. Whether you’re in recovery, love someone who is, or just want to live a more honest and connected life, this episode is a gift.
⏱️ Chapter Markers
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
01:00 – Step 12: Reading and breakdown
02:15 – The circle and triangle: spiritual and technical meaning
03:50 – Carrying the mess vs. the message
04:35 – Having a spiritual awakening: what it really means
06:40 – Humility and helping others (without losing yourself)
09:20 – “Stability is the new sexy”
10:55 – What’s the message we carry? (Hint: It’s hope)
13:00 – Relapse, grace, and compassion in recovery
15:50 – Why shame doesn’t heal anyone
17:45 – Perfectionism in the blind and disabled communities
20:30 – God moments, FaceTime sign language, and awareness
22:50 – Practicing the principles in all our affairs
25:15 – Humanity > Perfection
27:45 – Recovery as a second chance
30:15 – Final thoughts: Community, flexibility, and finding joy
32:30 – Feedback invitation and contact info
📞 Contact Info
Phone: (720) 712-8856
Email: [email protected]
Website: aftersight.org
34 min
April 25, 2025 Step 12: The Power of Showing Up
In this heartfelt and grounded episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren wraps up the 12-step series with guest Kevin Petersen, focusing on Step 12 of Alcoholics Anonymous: Having had a spiritual awakening... we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Kevin brings clarity, humor, and wisdom to the spiritual and practical sides of Step 12. They unpack what a “spiritual awakening” really looks like—hint: it’s not lightning bolts—and how helping others starts with showing up and being human. This conversation digs deep into humility, relapse, perfectionism, and why stability is the new sexy. Whether you’re in recovery, love someone who is, or just want to live a more honest and connected life, this episode is a gift.
⏱️ Chapter Markers
00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight
01:00 – Step 12: Reading and breakdown
02:15 – The circle and triangle: spiritual and technical meaning
03:50 – Carrying the mess vs. the message
04:35 – Having a spiritual awakening: what it really means
06:40 – Humility and helping others (without losing yourself)
09:20 – “Stability is the new sexy”
10:55 – What’s the message we carry? (Hint: It’s hope)
13:00 – Relapse, grace, and compassion in recovery
15:50 – Why shame doesn’t heal anyone
17:45 – Perfectionism in the blind and disabled communities
20:30 – God moments, FaceTime sign language, and awareness
22:50 – Practicing the principles in all our affairs
25:15 – Humanity > Perfection
27:45 – Recovery as a second chance
30:15 – Final thoughts: Community, flexibility, and finding joy
32:30 – Feedback invitation and contact info
📞 Contact Info
Phone: (720) 712-8856
Email: [email protected]
Website: aftersight.org
34 min

About Blindsight

From the publisher's feed

Blindsight explores life through a different lens—sharing real conversations at the intersection of blindness, mental health, relationships, and personal growth. Hosted by Bill Lundgren, each episode spotlights lived experience, hard-won resilience, and the moments people don’t always know how to talk about out loud. From navigating family dynamics and identity to battling anxiety, depression, or addiction—and finding traction again—Blindsight makes space for honesty, hope, and practical perspective. With compelling guests and real-life stories, it’s a podcast for anyone who wants to understand more deeply, feel less alone, and keep moving forward—one brave conversation at a time.