{"id":9518,"date":"2026-05-20T22:02:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T03:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9518"},"modified":"2026-05-20T22:02:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T03:02:01","slug":"wellness-wednesday-returns-honest-conversations-about-mental-health-belonging-and-community","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9518","title":{"rendered":"Wellness Wednesday Returns: Honest Conversations About Mental Health, Belonging, and Community"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Podcast Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 This episode of Wellness Wednesday returns with an open and heartfelt conversation in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, focusing on the importance of community and connection. Hosts Beth Gustin, Robin Ennis, and Jeff Thompson reflect on how community can support emotional well-being, reduce feelings of isolation, and provide encouragement during life\u2019s struggles. Robin shares personal experiences from her doctoral journey as a blind student, while the discussion explores identity, belonging, loneliness, and the value of finding people who truly understand and support you. The episode gently challenges myths around mental health and reminds listeners that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether through friendships, support groups, hobbies, or online spaces, the conversation encourages listeners to start small, stay curious, and seek meaningful connections that nurture mental health and personal growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Show Hosts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Www.transitioningthroughchange.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093. They are looking forward to hearing from you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for listening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Transcript<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

{Music}<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Song: <\/strong>WellnessWednesday with Beth and Robin going to settle it down. Oh yeah. Get your feet planted on the ground. Wellness Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>There you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Okay, I got the backup running as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>I was gonna make a joke, but I will, I will not now that we’re recording. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday. It’s been a long time. We’re glad that we’re back with you. It’s May already. And I didn’t introduce myself. I probably should do that. Huh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Oh, wow. We take a little time off and look at us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(song)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday. My name is Beth Gustin, a licensed professional counselor here in Colorado. And I have my co-host and colleague Robin Ennis, a licensed clinical social worker in Colorado. And now we call her Doctor Robin or Doctor Ennis, whichever. I think Doctor Robin sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Or just Robin. We’ll just go with Robin. Okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>And we’re also here with Jeff, who is our amazing behind the scenes. Couldn’t do the podcast without him. Thompson. That’s a long middle name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>My mom would like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>It’s been a long time since we’ve done a podcast, and we’re a little punchy and a little out of practice. We’re back. It’s May. Our topic is mental health awareness because May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And the theme for this year is community. And so we thought we’d take some time and talk about the benefits of community, some facts and myths about mental health, and just raise everyone’s awareness about the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yes. Speaking of community, I missed. Uh. I miss you all. You all make me smile. Um, Beth and Jeff and our listening community. Speaking of community, I believe that the impacts that we have on each other is that we allow one another to step outside of our heads. And that’s where I feel like I benefit from. My sense of community is sometimes I can be really hard on myself from what I’ve been told, and so that the people around me allow me to be the observer and to step back from myself. So that’s why I feel like a sense of community is very beneficial for a person’s mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>This is Beth that I agree with you, Robyn. I think community for me also gets me out of my head. It serves as a good distraction. It serves as a good reminder of what I’m feeling like. I don’t have a lot of support or feeling like I’m alone in something. It reminds me that I’m not. And it provides a lot of laughter, which for me is a really good escape from sometimes a challenging day to day stuff that life can bring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Mhm. I think for me, it’s like if you’re isolated a little bit and you start painting your own picture, it’s all up to you, you know? There’s no paint by numbers. It’s you can take your canvas and fill it, depending on what’s on your palette. Do you use. But when you’re with community, there’s so many other crayons in the box to help make that picture, and you’re not responsible for everything that’s going on. You just kind of blend in or blend out. So yeah, I like community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>I like the artistic analogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: I do too. <\/strong>And it got me thinking because Jeff, you said something well is that we all have, you know, kind of, in a way, differing perspectives that we bring. And I also do think that with community, there’s also to maybe some shared commonality that helps us feel, you know, less alone. So in the beginning of the intro, Beth mentioned about, am I going to be called Doctor Ennis or, or Doctor Robin because I’m graduating this week. And so within the community of my school, I felt less alone in terms of the struggle. I jokingly say this, but misery loves company, right? I’m like, okay, so I’m not the only one struggling in this class. So it helped me gain more perspective. And I believe that in that sense of community. Me and my peers, we built one another up in order to get through the program. And right now we’re all going back and forth and basking in the title of of doctor. I think that’s something I’m still going to have to get get used to. Um, but anyway, DRRE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>D r.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Dre Dre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>I that’s what I kind of figured that’s where you were going. I was like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Dre doctor Robin it used to be rockin Robin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>I just said congratulations to you Robin because I have been a semi witness to parts of your journey. I know some of the times where it was really hard and some of the times where it was a triumph. And I just I commend you for for sticking with it and for getting another degree. I mean, that’s that’s huge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>No, really. Thank you, both of you. And so that you mentioned. Right. And you’ve been part of both the triumphs, but then the struggles. And Jeff, you, you have to. And both of you have witnessed, when you hear my voice sounding different, you know, if I’m not upbeat like I usually am. And so again, that’s a part of communities, maybe recognizing something in ourselves that we may not recognize or, or picking up on things that we may not want to speak about, but you’re noticing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>One thing I really remember is when you first started out on this journey for this this last college hurrah, I guess that community, you were alone and they didn’t understand blindness and you thought, oh my gosh, here I go, you know, and it brought you all the way back to when you first started going to the school. And, you know, and you thought it would be so much different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Exactly. I’m the first completely blind student that the program has had. So yeah, there is a lot of learning from each other. And so it did take me back to some other of my educational journeys. I enjoyed it, but, you know, but there were definitely some struggles. And so I was worried that those struggles would happen again. And in some classes they did, but not for the majority of the program. I feel like a lot of the students were very understanding and, um, and didn’t have a lot of preconceived notions about me, but rather tried to get to know me as a person and it was inclusive. So that helped a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I remember on the, when you first started this journey, we would ask you, is it okay to record today? Are you sure?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yes, but but no, but that’s that’s true. Right? Because that’s what I’m saying. Jeff, is that you all you and Beth recognized when I just was not all there some days. Again, I appreciate that because it helped me feel less alone. And it it let me know that both of you were being attentive to me, so I appreciate that. Um, so yes, you are. You both are my community and that’s why I said it. It feels good. You know, whenever we, we talk, it’s really like a coffee talk table. Like, oh my goodness, that didn’t make sense. It’s it’s like a coffee table talk. Yes. Thank you. Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>I think too, I’m working with a number of, of clients right now on this concept of finding their community, finding their people that, that get them that they feel comfortable around and safe around. And Robin, you know, you reminded me that community can be as small as 2 or 3 people. Mhm. Yeah. It doesn’t have to be this large group. It can be just 1 or 2 people that you feel close to and safe with and, and comfortable around. And I also think community is extremely hard to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

robin: <\/strong>Um.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>You know, sure, you can go on meetup.com and try to find something that’s very hit and miss. If you don’t have a spiritual home, like a church or a mosque or a temple or something, then it’s harder to find community. So it is. I think, especially today, it can be a lot of work and energy to find a community. But when you do find community, the benefits to every aspect of your life are positively impactful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>I agree, and we were on the same wavelength, but because I, because I know we talked about this before, is that about age and community and how when we get older, it looks different. Even within a community, there can be the need to find community within itself. For instance, I have clients who have multiple disabilities. And so if they try to find community, like, let’s just say blindness, but they have other disabilities. And so they may not feel like they can find that sense of community within the blindness because they may not have that sense of belonging. So then it’s like, okay, well, now where do I go? I think that sometimes it can be added layers. That’s where people have to be creative. So maybe one community may not feel all of your needs. And so that’s why it’s important to you can have a community based off of your identity, or maybe you can have a community based off of hobbies or whatever it may be, but making sure that you have a diverse community of people who. And it can only be a couple of people or however it may be, but making sure that you truly feel like you are being understood or belong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>You know, something that I have found in communities. Sometimes when you feel like you really should get part of a. Into a community such as the blindness community, whether it be like checking out the NFB or checking out the ACB or other groups, activities and stuff. But sometimes people think as it like being a savior in a sense. And I found myself. I had to get out of the bubble of putting yourself in a little too far, taking on too much, and doing this. And pretty soon you’re centered around that community and you lose your identity in a sense, because you’re now claiming to be all this other, not yourself, but you’re requested of to do this and that. And if you get into the leadership and stuff, so I, I like community, but just don’t throw yourself in hook, line and sinker. You got to watch how you do that. Sometimes just commotion, activity and stuff, you know, getting involved in stuff, you know, off and on is enough. And that’s kind of a community too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yeah. Don’t lose yourself within the community is what I hear you saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>That’s what I was trying to say. Yeah. No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yeah. No, you said it perfectly just right. Yeah. Keeping your individuality. Um, that is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Robin’s back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Sort of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>I think you bring up a good point though, because where does identity start and end? And you know, what’s all included in that and how involved in a community that is part of your identity? Do you want to become. And so there is that there’s that line I think each of us needs to find for ourselves of what does belonging look like, and how much do I want to belong to a specific community?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>And I really like that, that both of you, what you said there on this is your own identity having a strong identity. So I’ve known in the past, I’ve seen myself, uh, be more like clay and mold myself to different areas and lose myself. Like you said, Robin, I have to watch that. And like you said, as you get older, you get different perspectives and you probably have a more solid core to go from. But there are tendencies to want and to be. So yeah, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>There’s a song and I can’t remember who sings it, but it talks about that. It’s really brave or courageous to try and be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to change you or make you, you know, kind of like that status quo. Um.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>Yeah, I know what you’re talking about and I can’t pull it either right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I knew this was going to be a competition between Beth and I. So I was like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>Who can Google the fastest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I can name that in four notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>Jeff. Name that tune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Right. Exactly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Hum the tune a little bit there. Robyn. Come on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yeah, I’ll have to Google it the next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>We do a podcast recording. I’ll have to say I’ll start it off with that trivia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I heard a line and I don’t remember the entirety of it, but it was something like everything of mine has changed except for the loneliness. And it made me turn my head. And I looked towards the speaker, you know, like we do. Um, but I had to think about that line and it was like, wow. I don’t think community is the answer to loneliness. I think it allows you to set things on the shelf for a little bit. I mean, you have to deal with other certain things, particulars in your mind, but community at least gives you that breathing room. It’s like opening up a window and letting the wind blow through and, you know, going for a walk or something in your head, you know, because when you get back home, there’s stuff’s still there. But it might, you might be in a better position to actually deal with the stuff that you want to write.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>And when I think of that, so maybe you’re right. Community is not a cure for loneliness, but maybe community is like that energy that allows you to be okay, even in the midst of your aloneness with yourself. Like, okay, so I can do this. I’m not alone in my thoughts or my experiences. So even when I’m not around this community, I still know that I have people around who are caring similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I don’t mean community as a distraction at all. I’m just trying to say that it kind of buys you time and gives you more space to work out the equations, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yeah, I agree, it’s a confidence booster within mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>I think was in mental health. I think within the blindness community, I think about all the different support groups that are out there, you know, through ACB, NFP, you don’t look blind. And I hear the stories of people that have attended those various organizations and how much more confident they come out than when they started. And I think it’s the community that that of being with people that get it. Of being with people that understand and can either be a mentor or just be that quiet voice of like, hey, you know, I can do this, you can do this. That in itself does a lot for our mental well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>It really does. And so when I was listening to you, Beth, it made me think of that’s why I think how you said that a community can be even like 2 or 3 people or it can be small. So like, I have quite a few clients who will ask me about my journey in regards to blindness, and that makes them feel less alone, you know, in regards to their experiences. And Mr. Thompson didn’t know this, but he even though we still have yet to meet in person, he was my first person with low vision, my first friend, I call him my friend, and he’s my first friend who, uh, allowed me to feel safe in the blindness community because I held a lot of preconceived notions of me not being good enough or me not being blind enough. And so Jeff provide that sense of safety for me with no judgment, um, and help me feel more comfortable in my skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>This Mr. Thompson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yes, yes, yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>The one, the only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

robin: <\/strong>The one, the only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>14 years ago. 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>2009, 10?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Oh, wow. Yeah. Because it was 2009 or 2010, somewhere around there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>You were still collecting Betty Boop then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>I, I yeah, I’m still collecting. Betty Boop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Okay. Some things haven’t changed. I know when you’re talking about community and we were talking about or I mentioned losing yourself or getting in too far and stuff like that, I, I pictured the Olympic rings, how they’re five separate rings and they kind of overlap a little bit here and there, but not in entirety. So community is taking your circle and dipping it into another circle, like two rings coming together and overlapping and forming a little piece of area there while you’re still have, you know, 80, 75% of yourself, but part of you is enjoying that community. And then you can move over to other areas, different friends, like you said, two friends, five friends, groups, activities, or just being outside and not being in the four walls that sometimes seem to contain us. So I like that symbolism of the Olympic rings. Whoever came up with that, they were really. That was genius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: so Jeff, <\/strong>they’re not Olympic rings. But can I tell you something that’s really funny? And you had no idea is that maybe you can edit this out or keep it. Um, but I have a fidget toy in my hand and their rings that go in and out of another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Oh really?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>So the fact, the fact that you just mentioned rings. I’m like, huh, that’s interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I always catch you fidgeting in the edits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Yeah, because I. But I haven’t done that in a long time actually. But anyway, so I just.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>One time in the edit, Robin was fidgeting with something. She opened the door and put it away and shut the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>I don’t even have drawers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>No, it was a long time ago. And you did. Oh, and then I mentioned that and you said no, I dropped it or something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Oh. Yes. Yep yep yep. So anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>I caught myself fidgeting because I’m wearing a necklace today and I can it’s got a pendant and I can move the pendant back and forth on the chain. And I was like, wait, that’s probably gonna get picked up in the audience. I should stop doing that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I actually think when you’re fidgeting that you’re you’re doing well. I don’t get nervous and fidget. I’m like with toys. Usually I’m doing fine and I want to see this thing. I got one sitting here and I can spin it and it goes. I don’t know what it does to me, but it sits there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>I don’t know what it does to me. But anyway, I just mentioned that because it was funny because yeah, this, this particular fidget toy has little rings in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>You know, we, we talked about discussing some mental health myths or facts and doing some myth busting. And one thing that was coming to mind around community is, you know, there’s a, there’s a belief out there by some people, I think that if we seek mental health support, we are weak, or if we need to find a community to help us feel better, we are we are weak, you know, because we should be able to do things on our own and by ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>That’s a tough one. Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>It’s a tough one because I think some of this is cultural, some of this is who we are. Some of this is upbringing. Uh, but I will say that I personally think that all of us need help at some point with something. And there’s nothing weak about seeking community. I actually think it’s a strength when we’re able to reach out and say, hey, I’m struggling and I need someone to talk to. And sometimes maybe, you know, your therapist is initially your only community you really feel like you have. And that’s okay because you can build from that. Or maybe it’s a, you know, a teacher or maybe it’s a neighbor, whoever it is, you know, but it’s not a sign of weakness, at least in my opinion, to reach out for community and ask for help or support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I think some of the walls crumble down as soon as you open that up a little bit with someone because they’re under the pretense, or they’re under the assumption that you’re a rock solid person, you never have problems and stuff like that. So they would never go there. And that when all of a sudden you show the little cracks in your armor that it’s bothering you, it’s like you’re actually asking someone to come on in and let’s sit down and talk about this a little bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>Yeah, yeah, I agree. That’s actually the.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Top myth that I was going to say that that’s why a lot of celebrities now are the slogans are now it’s okay not to be okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Whether you voice it or keep it all inside, everybody has, you know, struggles. So it’s just it’s important to let it out because you’d be surprised, you know, if you let it out to a safe person, not everybody’s worthy, you know, to, to have that level of confidence or trust. But I’m trying to find somebody who is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>There’s a book called Iron John, I believe it was the guy was from Minnesota or something, but it talked about how men used to take the boys out to the woods and teach them about being a man and how to pull yourself up by the bootstraps. And, you know, not like that. I mix about three generations together in that sentence, but they used to teach the boys how to be men and stuff like that. And I think the concept, what I grew up with was you got to be tough. You got to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and get on with it. Don’t let that stuff bother you. You know, you had to be you know what? Quote a man I’m doing the air quotes, a man and stuff like that. And so we had this identity that we weren’t. But we’ll have to be. So it’s like, okay, when I get there. So it’s like this, uh, place that you got to get to like climb a mountain to become something. But, you know, as soon as I in my lifetime was able to like, admit, you know, I was wrong or I, I have to do something about this or, uh, it was so much easier. Everyone’s got something, you know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: Exactly, exactly. <\/strong>So I appreciate all of you listening to our meandering conversation around Mental Health Awareness Month and staying with us as we took a couple side trips. Is there anything else, though, that we meant to cover and have not?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>No, but I want to. I want to hear from all of you. How do you celebrate your your mental health triumph, right? How do you celebrate your community or just celebrate you during this month of of May? Um, or actually even outside of the month of May, how do you take care of your mental health? That’s what I’m curious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>And if someone’s thinking that they don’t have somewhere to turn to, what, what would you suggest them to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>You know, I think the fact that you’re listening to this podcast that counts as community. We didn’t talk about online community. We didn’t talk about feeling like, you know, someone that you’ve never met because you hear their voice a lot. But that To me, that is a type of community. Is it ideal if that’s all you have? No, because there’s a lot to be said for in-person energy. But I also believe in starting wherever you are and starting small. And so if you’re thinking to yourself, I don’t know how to build community, I do believe it counts that you listen to the podcast because that is community. And I think a place to start from my perspective is what are your interests? What do you like to do? And are any those interests things you could do with other people? And if there are, then hop on to good old Google and see if there’s a group doing the same thing, or see if there’s even an online community around that thing that could then branch out to be more local.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: I agree. <\/strong>That’s what I suggest to clients. And so I think it’s, it’s important if, if you do have mobility challenges that prevent you from being as active. Yeah. Start small with online communities, um, revolving around your particular, um, interest. And then who knows, maybe you can develop a bond with a couple of people that you feel comfortable with meeting in person, um, and going from there, but it’s always trying to start small and seeing where it, where it takes you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>I like the idea of chasing curiosity. You get, you have a hunch about something. You’re thinking about something. Well, follow that path sometimes and see where it takes you. You know, I mean, it might get you out to a group activity. It might get you on to a webinar or something. Or like ACB has all those communities and stuff, uh, that are open. You can find that out from their website. Nf-b. And it’s just, it’s just interesting. Sometimes I dabble into it and then sit on the sideline and eat popcorn. But, but it’s, it’s interesting to see what else is going out there. And like you mentioned, the blindness community. Some people haven’t met that group yet, and it’s just kind of neat to see peers or people who are much like you or the same eye condition or something like that, that you can easily wrap your brain around in a sense, because they’re similar. And then you can learn from or they can learn from you and you know, that’s community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>I agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>As always, we love to hear from you and love your feedback. So please send us your messages. Leave us your voicemails. We do get them. We do respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: Yes, <\/strong>we always love hearing from you. And again, if you have any topics that you want us to dive into, feel free to to do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beth: <\/strong>Until next time, take care and stay grounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin: <\/strong>Until next time, take care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>Thanks for listening. And until next time, bye-bye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

{Music}<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Song: <\/strong>Oh, yeah. Wellness Wednesday, with Beth and Robin going to settle it it down. Oh, yeah. Get your feet planted on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff: <\/strong>For more podcasts with a blindness perspective, check us out on the web at WW. Com and be sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you want to leave us some feedback, give us a call at (612) 367-6093. We’d love to hear from you. Thanks for listening. And until next time, bye bye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Song: <\/strong>Taking care of ourselves. It’s all about you and taking care of yourself. Yeah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Music]  [<\/u><\/strong>Transition noise]  –<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we share-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we see<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Through each other\u2019s eyes\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Multiple voices overlapping, in unison, to form a single sentence]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026We can then begin to bridge the gap between the limited expectations, and the realities of Blind Abilities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Podcast Summary:  This episode of Wellness Wednesday returns with an open and heartfelt conversation in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, focusing on the importance of community and connection. Hosts Beth Gustin, Robin Ennis, and Jeff Thompson reflect on how community can support emotional well-being, reduce feelings of isolation, and provide encouragement during life\u2019s struggles. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9311,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9518","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P6rcRg-2tw","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8734,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=8734","url_meta":{"origin":9518,"position":0},"title":"Wellness Wednesday:\u00a0Belonging: The Power of Choice in Accessibility","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"July 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Wellness Wednesday:\u00a0Belonging: The Power of Choice in Accessibility In this episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin and Robin Ennis, joined by Jeff Thompson, explore the evolving landscape of accessibility through the lens of an upcoming all-inclusive hotel designed specifically with people with disabilities in mind. Inspired by entrepreneur\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9385,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9385","url_meta":{"origin":9518,"position":1},"title":"Wellness Wednesday: How are You? I’m Fine. Hmmm.\u00a0Exploring Inclusion, Belonging, and the deep human need to be Seen and Heard","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"February 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: In this Wellness Wednesday conversation, Beth Gustin, Robin Ennis, and Jeff Thompson slow things down to ask a deceptively simple question: what does \u201cI\u2019m fine\u201d really mean? From aging and identity shifts to vision loss, assisted living, and feeling quietly pushed to the sidelines, the group digs into\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8724,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=8724","url_meta":{"origin":9518,"position":2},"title":"Wellness Wednesday: Isolation – From Alone to A Little Less Lonely: Steps Toward Social Reconnection","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"July 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: In this heartfelt episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth, Robin, and Jeff tackle the often-overlooked topic of isolation as we age\u2014especially for those living with disabilities. They explore how life transitions, loss of social circles, and the rise of technology can deepen loneliness, even while offering more independence. With\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8584,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=8584","url_meta":{"origin":9518,"position":3},"title":"Wellness Wednesday: Valentine\u2019s Day Reimagined: Loving Yourself First","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"February 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Audio Web Page Full Transcript: Valentine\u2019s Day is often seen as a celebration of romantic love, but what if love starts from within? In this Wellness Wednesday episode, Beth and Robin explore the foundation of love\u2014self-love. Without it, we risk settling for less, struggling with boundaries, and feeling unworthy. Self-love\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9075,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9075","url_meta":{"origin":9518,"position":4},"title":"Wellness Wednesday: Burnout, Balance, and Being Present: Finding Calm in the Chaos","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"August 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: In this reflective and energizing episode of Wellness Wednesday, hosts Beth Gustin and Robin Ennis join Jeff Thompson to dive into the overwhelming noise of modern life and how it contributes to burnout, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. Through honest dialogue, they explore the pressures of uncertainty\u2014from shifting politics\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7617,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=7617","url_meta":{"origin":9518,"position":5},"title":"Wellness Wednesday: Social Anxiety with Beth Gustin and Robin Ennis","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"September 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Page Full Transcript Jeff: From the Blind Abilities studios, it's Wellness Wednesday, with your hosts Beth Gustin and Robin Ennis. Robin: Welcome to Wellness Wednesday. My name is Robin Ennis, I am a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Colorado. I have been practicing social work for\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9518"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9518\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9519,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9518\/revisions\/9519"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}