011 The Power of Adaptive Sports with Meredith Tyree

In this deeply moving and inspirational episode, host Matthew Reeves, a legally blind psychotherapist, sits down with Meredith Tyree, an incredible woman who embodies the spirit of resilience and adaptation. Meredith shares her experience navigating the complex, dual diagnosis of hearing loss from birth and later, Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), which led to a diagnosis of Usher Syndrome. Her story highlights the emotional difficulty of the diagnostic journey—feeling categorized and underestimated by the world—and the pivotal moment when she realized her only true limits were the ones she set for herself.

Meredith's passion lies in adaptive sports and recreation, which she credits as a channel for frustration and a source of profound freedom. She details her initial reluctance to try tennis again, despite loving it as a child, and how a challenge from a friend pushed her to find adaptive solutions, even for a hearing-impaired person playing Goalball, a sport that relies on a bell. She emphasizes that adaptive sports organizations like Move United and Sportable have incredible volunteers who provide the necessary structure and guidance, encouraging participants to simply show up and be willing to learn.

This conversation offers a powerful message for anyone feeling isolated or disheartened by vision loss: don't let fear be the reason you don't live. Meredith encourages listeners to take the "thousand excuses"—which she calls fear—and throw them out, giving life one shot. It's about finding a supportive community where you can shed the "armor" of constantly having to prove yourself and experience the liberation of being your authentic self. Meredith’s commitment to living life to the fullest, and her involvement with the Foundation Fighting Blindness, serves as a powerful reminder that every challenge is an opportunity to adapt, adjust, and soar.

Topics Covered: Usher Syndrome, Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), navigating dual sensory loss, the diagnostic journey, low expectations from others, the power of mentorship, Foundation Fighting Blindness, adaptive sports and recreation, Goalball, tandem cycling, kayaking, overcoming fear and self-doubt, the importance of supportive community, Move United, Sportable.

Move United: moveunitedsport.org/

ABOUT THE PODCAST

inSight Out is your podcast home for living well with vision loss. Host Matthew Reeves (LPC CRC NCC) is a legally-blind psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor specializing in helping people thrive while living with disability. Matthew is licensed in Georgia and is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

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