VT Works

For the benefit of our readers, can you describe your current role and how you are involved in the field today?

I am currently the Lead Vision Therapist at Bella Vision in Spartanburg, SC. I work under Dr. Janet Wilson seeing patients while overseeing our practice’s vision therapy program.

If we go back to the beginning, how did you even find vision therapy? Was it something you were looking for, or did it find you?

Vision therapy definitely found me and I am forever grateful for it. In December 2021, I was teaching a Preschool class in Aurora, IL when I decided I wanted a change. I had friends that were living in Spartanburg, SC and even though I had never been there before, I thought I would give it a try. While I was in the process of interviewing for teaching positions in Spartanburg, my friend’s son was attending the vision therapy program at Bella Vision. My friend sent me a text about a job opening as a vision therapist at an Optometrist’s office and my only reply was, “You know I’m a teacher, right?” After giving it some thought, and watching a couple Brock String tutorials on Youtube, I applied for the vision therapist position. 4 years later, I am certified, overseeing the program, and still in love with this career.

How has your approach to therapy evolved from your early days to now? When did it shift from “this is a job” to “this is what I want to do”?

In my early days of vision therapy, I thought every patient had to complete each activity perfectly before moving on to the next. I was really worried about if my patients could successfully complete BO and BI ranges with the clown and spiral Vectograms. Thankfully, I quickly realized that it wasn’t about having each patient perfect the activity. Now, I spend more time listening to how the patient feels and what symptoms are still bothering them. Even if an activity isn’t going perfectly, I can help them understand how to apply the skills and concepts learned in the therapy room to daily life. The shift from “this is a job” to “this is what I want to do” happened pretty early on for me. As soon as I started seeing my own patients, connecting with them, providing hope, and seeing progress be made. I had the privilege of attending Dr. Bob Sanet’s course in 2023 and one of my favorite quotes of his was, “Information is like magic. You can give away 100% and still have 100%.” As soon as I started sharing the information I had learned with my patients, I knew I wanted to continue sharing for as long as I can.

You certified in 2025. Was there a part of the certification process that really stretched you?

Shortly after starting the process of getting certified, there were some circumstances at our practice that led to me gaining more responsibilities and more patients very quickly. My time at work was spent seeing patients for 9 hours and my time at home was spent researching and studying for my certification for another 2-3 hours every day. I was living and breathing vision therapy. Feeling a tad overwhelmed at first, I had to do something that didn’t come natural to me – I had to ask for help. Thankfully, I am blessed to work with amazing people who stepped right up to help me in any way they could. Even though it wasn’t easy, I will always be grateful for that time in my life, the ability to grow as a vision therapist, and the people that were right alongside me through it all.

How did preparing for certification deepen or change your clinical decision-making with patients?

Having a deeper understanding of the “Why?” questions that are asked in sessions every day, and being able to explain skills and processes to patients in a way that will be easier for them to understand. I also feel more confident with trying new and different ideas to help my patients. When an activity isn’t going as planned, I have more tools and methods to load/unload in order to make the activity mean more to the patient.

There are so many talented therapists who haven’t pursued certification yet. What would you say to someone who’s on the fence?

Getting certified is not an easy process, but it sure is worth it. This certification gives you a chance to grow as a vision therapist. It is a testament to your patients that you have researched, studied, and learned the information needed to help them. Also, I have had the pleasure of meeting some pretty amazing people, that I now call friends, while getting certified. This career is special, just like the people in this OVDRA community, and I am proud to be a part of it.

Can you share a moment in therapy that reminded you this is more than just a job?

Just one moment? Also, how lucky are we to work in a profession that rarely feels like “just a job.” I had a patient participating in our Syntonics light therapy program. One day, she brought her daughter who has cerebral palsy, cortical vision impairment, and is almost completely nonverbal. It was difficult for her to fixate on anything for too long and she mostly communicated with head movements or by pointing. My patient never knew exactly what her daughter was seeing, but she was sure her daughter could see. They had been to countless doctors, every one of them telling her that her vision would never improve. My patient had lost hope that her daughter’s vision could be helped. I asked her to give our practice and Dr. Wilson a chance to help her daughter. She agreed. 2 months later, her daughter had seen Dr. Wilson, was prescribed prismatic glasses with a therapeutic tint and was sitting in our Optical department. I walked over to say hi and not only did her daughter look right into my eyes, she said my name. I burst into tears. I know this moment didn’t technically happen in my therapy room, but it’s one of my favorite moments.

If someone shadowed you for a week, what would surprise them most about what we actually do?

The amount of time not spent talking about our patient’s eyes or vision during their sessions. Yes, that patient is there for vision therapy. However, something my doctor often says is, “Our patients are not just a walking pair of eyeballs, they are human beings.” One of the main treatment protocols that I have learned is to treat the whole person, not just their eyes. By doing this, I build rapport with my patients, start to see progress faster, and provide hope that growth really can happen.

Looking ahead, what kind of therapist do you hope to become in the next five years?

I hope to continue attending conferences, growing as a vision therapist, and learning new ways to help my patients. I hope to keep providing hope to my patients that life can get better. I hope to become a COVT mentor, so that I can help vision therapists become certified, and continue to be an active member of the OVDRA community.

Closing Thoughts from Robert: A great thank you to Stephanie for sharing her journey with such honesty, humility, and heart. What strikes me most is the quiet strength behind her story: her willingness to step into something unfamiliar, to ask for help when stretched, and to grow into leadership without losing the human connection that makes this work so meaningful. Her reflection that our patients are not just “a walking pair of eyeballs” captures the essence of what vision therapy is truly about. Stephanie represents the next generation of Vision Therapists in our profession, as she is grounded, thoughtful, and deeply committed to both her patients and her colleagues. The Vision Therapy community is better because she is part of it. Please join me in wishing Stephanie continued success and happiness!