By Savanna Espinoza
A recent interview with Sarah Sparks, AuD, provided valuable insights into an often-overlooked perspective in healthcare: audiologists with hearing loss. This unique intersection of personal experience and professional expertise offers a profound understanding of both the challenges and triumphs associated with being an audiologist with hearing loss.
The conversation also highlighted how audiologists with hearing loss bring an added layer of empathy to their work. They not only navigate the technical and clinical aspects of audiology but also draw on their firsthand experiences to connect with patients on a deeper level. This dual perspective enriches their ability to provide personalized care and advocate for accessible technologies and solutions.
Below are some of the questions we asked during our interview with Dr. Sarah Sparks.
Additionally, the national SAA’s upcoming Virtual Education Series (VES) on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, promises to offer valuable takeaways for everyone, regardless of their hearing status. For those with hearing loss, it will provide inspiration and practical insights into overcoming challenges and navigating hearing health with confidence. For individuals without hearing loss, the conversation will foster a deeper understanding of the experiences of others and highlight the importance of inclusive communication and awareness. This sneak peek interview offers a glimpse of topics we will dive into during our fireside discussion. Don’t miss the full discussion to explore this unique perspective and gain practical knowledge that can benefit both personal and professional lives.
Q: How do you think attending this VES discussion could benefit audiologists who do not have hearing loss
A: I think hearing audiologists sometimes forget (or do not know) that they have d/Deaf or hard of hearing colleagues. Audiologists need to understand that d/Deaf or hard of hearing people are capable of becoming audiologists and that we have something unique and important to offer the profession. Many d/Deaf or hard of hearing people don’t realize that audiology is a possible career option for them, and this isn’t helped by hearing audiologists who discourage exploration of this career option. Also, it’s easy to do certain things in audiology appointments that are unintentionally audist. I hope that this panel will help to raise awareness of some of those issues.
Q: What benefit does the discussion have for those who have hearing loss?
A: I hope that audiologists and AuD students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing will feel supported and heard because others like them are voicing some of the issues that they experience in professional audiology spaces. I hope they will feel more empowered to speak up about their own experiences and gain some tips and ideas for managing challenges.
Q: In what ways could this discussion help audiologists better empathize with the emotional and social impacts of hearing loss?
A: I hope that audiologists will come to see how some of their own words and behaviors can negatively impact d/Deaf or hard of hearing people and exacerbate existing social and emotional challenges. I hope that audiologists will listen to the panel, see that we still have social and emotional impacts even though we are professionals ourselves, and become more aware of the social and emotional experiences of their patients.
Q: How might understanding hearing loss from a simulated personal experience perspective benefit an audiologist’s professional growth?
A: Depends on what the simulated personal experience is. I’m not a huge fan of certain kinds of simulations, particularly those that involve temporarily inducing hearing loss through earplugs and similar approaches. Research has identified that simulated experiences of disability can actually have negative effects where non-disabled people don’t come to a greater understanding of the disabled experience but instead just feel sorry for disabled people. That said, I use hearing loss simulations through the Verifit and YouTube videos to help teachers and families get a small taste of the listening experiences of d/Deaf or hard of hearing children, but this isn’t the same as actually inducing a temporary form of disability.
Q: What aspects of hearing loss might resonate differently with audiologists after engaging in this discussion?
A: I would really like to see audiologists come to understand that our work isn’t just about providing better auditory access. It’s holistic care that we need to be providing. Focusing entirely on the auditory has many problems, but one of those is not realizing that at times, giving more auditory access is more taxing on the d/Deaf or hard of hearing person. Listening is hard, and yes, I benefit greatly from my cochlear implants and Roger. But there is no way that I could listen through Roger nonstop every day because it’s just too exhausting. Auditory access is a great thing, but I hope that audiologists will be able to see beyond the ear after watching the panel.
Savanna Espinoza is a third-year audiology graduate student with hearing loss at Washington University in St. Louis. She is dedicated to improving the lives of children with hearing difficulties, exemplified by her passion for pediatric audiology.
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