Author Maribel Steel, who is legally blind, reveals how she changed a life-challenge into a lifestyle she can manage and enjoy, and shows how people who are vision-impaired can retain their independence in daily living activities.
The sighted reader learns how to support and encourage friends and family with vision loss, and how to avoid awkward interactions and common misconceptions about blindness. Losing sight is a life-challenge most people are not prepared to face.
In Part One, the author describes her own struggle and tells the story of her own journey to acceptance.
Part Two focuses on strategies for the ‘beginner to blindness’ and their families.
Part Three offers techniques on being an effective sighted guide, and discusses appropriate language and behaviors when meeting a person with a visual disability.
‘The most uplifting self-help book I’ve read this year. The autobiographical anecdotes from Maribel’s life are the most inspiring part.’ Hazel Edwards OAM,Author, Patron:Society of Women Writers VIC
About The Author
Maribel Steel is an Australian author, international speaker and educator who began to go blind in her teens with Retinitis Pigmentosa.
She went on to raise four children and trained as an Aromatherapist and Masseur. She led children’s choirs for two primary schools in Melbourne and enjoys being a singer and lyricist with her life-partner, Harry Williamson of Spring Studio.
Maribel launched into writing full-time in 2011 with her blogs, At the Gateway to Blindness followed by Touching Landscapes, and as the vision loss ‘expert’ for the about.com network in 2016. She has written over 250 non-fiction articles and short stories, personal essays and anecdotes that have been published online, in print journals, in anthologies and as audio podcasts. She is an award-winning blogger and Toastmaster, and a peer advisor for VisionAware (USA).
Maribel is an international speaker, having presented at the American Foundation for the Blind Leadership Conference in 2018. She was awarded a High Commendation in the WriteAbility Fellowships (Vic) and received an ‘Inspire’ Award in the Lynette Rowe Best Achievement in Community Service 2017.
Maribel is a certified vocational trainer, and sensory living specialist. After the publication of her book, “Blindness for Beginners”, the topic continues to spark interest in the media across Australia, UK and USA bringing the focus on ‘ability’ in disability. As a result, she has appeared on national TV, radio programs and international podcasts to help dispel the myths surrounding blindness.
Maribel loves to travel with her guide-dog, make new connections, and encourage people to reach for their ambitious dreams .
