Gael Hannan

Gael Hannan is an author, speaker and advocate on hearing loss issues. In addition to her weekly blog at the Better Hearing Consumer, which has a passionate international following, Gael has written two acclaimed books, “The Way I Hear It: A Life with Hearing Loss”and “Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss”, written with Shari Eberts. She is regularly invited to present her uniquely humorous and insightful work to appreciative audiences around the world. Gael has received many awards for her work that advocates for individuals to become more knowledgeable and successful at dealing with their hearing loss and a more inclusive society for them to live in.

Featured image for “Don’t Sweat the Small “Hearing Loss” Stuff!”

Don’t Sweat the Small “Hearing Loss” Stuff!

Is there such a thing as ‘small stuff’ in hearing loss? How can we possibly say ‘don’t sweat it’ when the ongoing advice (from people like me) are calls to action? Stand up for your rights! Self-identify! Wear your hearing aids! Explain your needs! Ask for accessibility! Don’t be dismissed because of your hearing loss! We’re encouraged to use our

Featured image for “Will You Make 2024 Your Best Year with Hearing Loss?”

Will You Make 2024 Your Best Year with Hearing Loss?

So, another year starts, a new year of possibilities. Events will happen that we didn’t expect or want – but we also have the power to reshape the flow of our daily lives. Our life with hearing loss, for example. I’ve had progressive hearing loss since birth, starting as mild and steadily worsening to where I am now deaf without

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Handling Those Holiday Hearing Loss Emotions

Do you consider yourself normally well-adjusted in terms of your hearing loss – yet find it bothers you more at this time of year? If so, you’re not alone. Even persons who live gracefully with their hearing loss may have an inner, subterranean space where it’s just not OK. This firepit of emotions lies dormant until ignited by – well,

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Emotional Hashtags for New Hearing Devices (#keepoutofmyway)

Getting a new hearing aid is exciting for many reasons – more technical sophistication, more comfort, more stylish and the big one, more-better communication. But there’s always a little pain with every gain, right? Every seasoned person with hearing loss grieves for a dying hearing aid and looks forward to a new, replacement device with a mixture of excitement and

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Joyful, Unexpected Moments of Understanding

It’s all in the small stuff. The ordinary small stuff that, just when you think nothing will surprise or thrill you again when connected to the words hearing loss, something unexpected happens. Perhaps a moment when accessibility is provided when you didn’t anticipate it. Or when, for whatever reason, sound becomes clearer, a conversation becomes easier. Another human suddenly, without

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Have You Had an Accessibility SNAFU?

“Excuse me?!” I must have misheard or misunderstood the airline staff person crouched beside me. She repeated, “I want to make sure you have all the accessibility you need. Can I get you anything else, a Braille card?” I hadn’t misheard. “Thank you, but no. My vision is fine, it’s my hearing that needs help.” “I am so embarrassed,” she

Featured image for “Taking a Moment to Change a Life”

Taking a Moment to Change a Life

If you had only 5 minutes to make a difference in the life of a stranger, would you attempt it? If, in an unexpected moment, a person whose daily world is unconnected to yours, is positioned to embrace your words, because they sense what you’re offering is something they need—would you say something? Five minutes, a fleeting blip in a person’s

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The Hearing Husband Speaks

I frequently write about Doug, aka the Hearing Husband, because he’s the most important relationship in my life, the person I spend the most time with. He is both my major support team and the leader of the opposition. I’m sure this is typical for most intimate relationships, many of which must deal with one or both people living with

Featured image for “The Shortest Audiology Course Ever”

The Shortest Audiology Course Ever

I love hearing care professionals (HCP). Simply put, they help me hear better with their technology expertise, after I’ve settled into a comfortable relationship with an audiologist I trust and who communicates well. I have just spent a few days with my coauthor Shari Eberts at the AudBoss conference, attended by HCPs in private practice. It was a fabulous event

Featured image for “Responding to the Two Most Painful Words”

Responding to the Two Most Painful Words

Last week, I shared an article by Lauren Sherwood about the most painful words a person with hearing loss can be told when asking for something to be repeated. “Never mind.” “Don’t worry about it.” “Oh, nothing.” “It wasn’t important.” The person who responds this way may honestly feel it wasn’t worth repeating, but it’s not their call to