hi hello hey, helping is a fine line… but we’re here to help you help (sort of).

We’ve done many an episode about living in the gray area of low vision—especially how tricky it can be for the sighted people in our lives. When we might be someone’s first experience with the disabled community, we get why people instinctively jump in to help… or avoid helping altogether.

In this episode, we unpack that blurry line between helping so much that it feels condescending and not helping at all. We talk about what it feels like to receive help in a way that honors our independence while still extending kindness.

And don’t worry: this is NOT meant to scare anyone off from offering help just because you’re afraid of doing it “wrong.” Truly, we all have a part to play. One of the most helpful things you can do is simply ask what someone needs.

For disabled folks, we also chat about communicating lovingly with the overly helpful people in your life, expressing gratitude for their intentions while also reminding them that you’ve got autonomy too.

We mention a few past episodes in this one. Check them out for more stories and laughs:

• 8. dear sighted people things sighted people do that are wonderfully helpful
• 85. hold up, sighted people things sighted people do that are… less than helpful
• 65. feeling like a burden the emotional challenge of repeatedly receiving help
• 111. lifting the burden: how we pay it forward the ways we express reciprocity to the people who help us

For episodes where we get to record in the same room (!!!):

• 32. reunited at the happiest place on earth! our Disney trip in 2021
• 57. live from memphis: recording together for the first time! when Cass visited Case in Tennessee for her 30th in 2022
• 103. live from columbus: recapping our amazing weekend when Case visited Cass in Ohio in 2024
• 120. still alive but barely breathing lmao: ats recap our time at the American Thoracic Society in 2025