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

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

Transcript

Welcome to the EmpowEAR Audiology Podcast.

My name is Dr. Carrie Spangler, and I’m your host—an audiologist, advocate, cochlear implant user, and someone with a lifelong journey of navigating hearing challenges in this vibrant hearing world.

Over the years, this podcast has become a space for professionals, parents, individuals navigating their own hearing journey, and anyone looking for connection, support, advocacy, and inspiration.

Today’s episode is going to be a little different—and a little more personal.

So thank you for listening, for being part of this community, and for joining me for this conversation.

EmpowEAR Audiology has always been a space for real and honest conversations rooted in both lived experience and professional insight. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how much this space has meant to me.

I’ve had the privilege of connecting with incredible guests—and you all know who you are. Thank you for sharing your time, stories, and voices. Whether as clinicians, researchers, advocates, families, or individuals with lived experience, you have truly shaped these conversations and influenced the way I think about connection, advocacy, and the impact we can have in each other’s lives.

And to my listeners—thank you for subscribing, tuning in, and being part of this community. I hope you’ve learned from and appreciated each episode as much as I have.

What started as a volunteer effort to raise awareness, share stories, and advocate within the audiology community and beyond grew into something much bigger than I ever expected—more than 80 episodes, over 11,000 downloads, conversations with incredible guests, and listeners across 27 different countries.

But more than the numbers, what has meant the most to me is knowing these conversations helped people feel seen, heard, connected, and maybe even a little less alone in their journey.

My roots in educational audiology—and the students, families, and teams I’ve worked alongside—have grounded me in what this work looks like in real life every single day: people navigating communication, connection, identity, and advocacy together.

Over the years, one phrase I’ve continued to come back to in presentations, keynotes, and conversations is “finding your frequency.” And for me, that has never just been about hearing or pitch.

It’s about finding connection. Finding confidence in your voice. Finding where you belong. And sometimes… finding the courage to evolve into something new.

But it’s also about recognizing that every one of us has the ability to make a difference—sometimes in big ways, and sometimes in very small moments that we may never fully realize the impact of.

Whether you are a professional, a parent, a student, an advocate, a listener, or someone navigating your own hearing journey, I hope you continue finding your frequency in whatever way is meaningful to you—and continue using it to create connection, support others, and make an impact in the lives around you.

As many of you know, I’m stepping into a new role as Executive Director of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance. At the same time, I continue my own journey as a cochlear implant user—something that continues to shape how I listen, lead, connect, and understand the experiences of others.

So with that, I’ve made the decision to take a pause on the EmpowEAR Audiology Podcast.

Not because the conversations are ending—but because I want to create space to think about how they may evolve.

The topics we’ve explored—access, identity, advocacy, and connection—remain deeply at the center of both my work and my why.

And wherever your journey takes you next, I hope you continue finding your frequency—and using it to create connection, advocate for yourself and others, and make a difference in the lives around you.

For now, I just want to say thank you. Truly—thank you for listening, for being part of the EmpowEAR Audiology community, and for being part of this journey with me.

More to come… just in a new way, and at the right time.