empowEar Audiology

Episode 81: Finding My Frequency: A Pause, Not an Ending

Let's continue the conversation- send me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448351/fan_mail/new] After an incredible journey with the EmpowEAR Audiology Podcast, I’m sharing a brief and personal update. In this episode, I reflect on the conversations, connections, and experiences that have shaped this space—from clinicians and advocates to families and individuals with lived experience. Along the way, this podcast has also been part of my own journey of finding my frequency—personally, professionally, and as someone navigating life with hearing loss and cochlear implants. As I step into a new role as Executive Director of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance, while continuing my own journey as a cochlear implant user, I’m taking a pause on the podcast to create space for what comes next. This is not an ending—just an opportunity to grow through new experiences, and discover how these conversations may continue to evolve in a new frequency. Thank you for being part of this community and this journey. More to come… just in a new way, and at the right time. For more information about Dr. Carrie Spangler- check out her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-spangler/ For transcripts of this episode- visit the podcast website at: https://empowearaudiology.buzzsprout.com

Episode 80: Cochlear Implants, Hearing Aids, and a Whole Lot of hEARt: A Mom’s Journey Raising DHH Boys

Let's continue the conversation- send me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448351/fan_mail/new] When hearing loss enters a family with no history, everything shifts. In this episode of the EmpowEAR Audiology Podcast, Dr. Carrie Spangler sits down with Makaela, a mom of three boys — two of whom are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. One son has bilateral cochlear implants, and the other wears bilateral hearing aids. She shares what diagnosis felt like, how her family navigated early decisions and intervention, and the emotional journey that followed. Out of her lived experience, Makaela founded hEART to hEARt CLE, a parent support and collaboration group bridging families and professionals. This conversation is about more than technology — it’s about advocacy, resilience, and the power of community. If you’re a parent at the beginning of this journey — or a professional walking alongside families — this episode is for you. You are not alone. 🔗 Learn more about hEART to hEARt CLE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/663519298193613/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/663519298193613/]  🎙 Follow the EmpowEAR Audiology Podcast for more conversations  For more information about Dr. Carrie Spangler- check out her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-spangler/ For transcripts of this episode- visit the podcast website at: https://empowearaudiology.buzzsprout.com

Episode 79: Single-Sided Deafness & Cochlear Implant Journey: A Teen and Parent Perspective

Let's continue the conversation- send me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448351/fan_mail/new] What does it really mean to live with single-sided deafness? In this episode of the EmpowEAR Audiology Podcast, I sit down with a mom and her teen daughter to share their family’s journey with single-sided deafness (SSD) — from diagnosis and daily listening challenges to the decision to pursue a cochlear implant and life beyond activation. Although SSD can appear “invisible,” this conversation highlights the real impact it can have on listening effort, fatigue, confidence, and identity — especially in school and social settings. Together, we explore what it’s like to grow up with hearing in one ear, how cochlear implantation entered the conversation, and what families and professionals need to understand to better support students with SSD. This episode blends lived experience with educational insight, offering encouragement, perspective, and reassurance for families navigating similar decisions. If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share — it helps more families and professionals find the stories they need to hear. For more information about Dr. Carrie Spangler- check out her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-spangler/ For transcripts of this episode- visit the podcast website at: https://empowearaudiology.buzzsprout.com

Episode 78: Bouncing Forward: Embracing My Second Cochlear Implant Journey

Let's continue the conversation- send me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448351/fan_mail/new] In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Carrie Spangler shares about her upcoming second cochlear implant as she reflects on resilience, bouncing forward and her CI marathon mantra. From the first magical sounds she heard years ago—Jingle Bells, her dog’s collar, a car turn signal—to the lessons learned along the way, Carrie explores what it means to bounce forward, not just back. It’s a episode of resilience, rediscovery, and connection—and a reminder that whether you’re facing a cochlear implant journey or another life challenge, you’re never alone in learning to bounce forward.  Follow HearingSpanglish blog at https://hearingspanglish.com/ For more information about Dr. Carrie Spangler- check out her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-spangler/ For transcripts of this episode- visit the podcast website at: https://empowearaudiology.buzzsprout.com

Episode 77: Raising the Bar: The CH-EdAud in Educational Audiology

Let's continue the conversation- send me a text! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448351/fan_mail/new] In this special episode of the EmpowEAR Audiology Podcast, host Dr. Carrie Spangler honors Educational Audiology Awareness Week 2025 with notable guests in the educational audiology field: Dr. Cheryl DeConde Johnson and Dr. Kristin Samuelson. Cheryl and Kristin share their professional journeys and the collective advocacy behind the Certificate Holder in Educational Audiology (CH-EdAud) program, developed through the collaboration of the American Board of Audiology and the Educational Audiology Association. This program strengthens professional identity, raises awareness of the vital role educational audiologists play in schools, and ensures better outcomes for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. From program development and system change to direct school-based support, our guests highlight the power of educational audiology to make a difference. Whether you’re a seasoned audiologist, a new educational audiologist, or thinking about making a switch, this episode is for you! https://www.audiology.org/american-board-of-audiology/aba-certificate-programs/certificate-holder-educational-audiology-ch-edaud/ [https://www.audiology.org/american-board-of-audiology/aba-certificate-programs/certificate-holder-educational-audiology-ch-edaud/] https://www.edaud.org/ [https://www.edaud.org/] For more information about Dr. Carrie Spangler- check out her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-spangler/ For transcripts of this episode- visit the podcast website at: https://empowearaudiology.buzzsprout.com