Continuing with our new interview series, Member InSIGHTS, real conversations with members of COVD, we hope that you will be inspired to increase your participation within the COVD family. Our goal is to offer our readers some insight as to how our members found COVD, what motivates them to deliver Vision Therapy, and to understand what being a part of the organization has meant to them.

This week, we have chosen to check in with Past COVD President, Lynn Hellerstein OD, FCOVD, FAAO. Dr. Hellerstein is the founder and co-owner of Hellerstein & Brenner Vision Center P.C. A third-generation optometrist, located in Colorado. Dr. Hellerstein graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry in 1977. For more than 45 years, Dr. Hellerstein has provided vision treatment for children/adults with learning & reading deficits, visual processing disorders, brain injuries, or special needs. She is known as a pioneer in vision therapy and has created “brain-based” visual strategies to help individuals increase school and work success, and improve sports performance and confidence.

As a new graduate, what attracted you to COVD as an organization?

I felt very isolated when I graduated. There were very few ODs providing vision therapy, much less continuing education in developmental vision/vision therapy. I was so happy to find my “peeps” at COVD! The education, comradery, and the “COVD Family” provided me the community where I learned, taught, and shared about the field of developmental/behavioral optometry. My optometric study group was created through the ODs I met at COVD over 30 years ago. (We still meet yearly).

The FCOVD certification became an important goal for me, to be certified and acknowledged in developmental vision/vision therapy. I also frequently utilize the “Locate a Doctor” list for patient inquiries outside of CO. COVD is the reason I am here now as a successful OD.

As a former president of COVD, can you tell us something you learned from serving this organization in a leadership capacity?

I learned about the importance of community, courage, and connection. The COVD Board members became some of my closest friends and colleagues. Leadership starts with listening… listening to the Board members, the COVD members, and the administration. It is about really hearing what people are really saying, not listening to my judgments of what people are saying.

Another big lesson was that I could not/should not do it by myself! It was truly a time of learning to build trust, communication, and accountability–some of the most important ingredients in successful Board growth.

For those of you who I served with on the Board, thank you for your inspiration, trust, and hard work. I appreciate all of you who tolerated and became efficient at utilizing the Action Plans…our system for creating and implementing projects. (It was a modified version of the See It! -visualize, Say It! – declaration/intention, and Do It! process – the actual creation of the plan of action).

You have been credited with creating and organizing the Tour de Optometry, which has been a fantastic success! What was the impetus for the Tour and how has it evolved? 

I was asked to speak at an optometric conference in Chicago in early 2000. I was on the COVD Board and was frustrated at the lack of integration of our professional organizations (like COVD, AOA, COA, etc.) and optometry schools. I have always loved teaching and knew that if students in optometry school did not have experience/training in the VT area, how would we ever expect them to be interested in establishing a practice of developmental vision/vision therapy after they graduated.

My father had attended ICO (1951). I always wanted to visit that school and look for his graduation picture! I asked the ICO administration if I could provide a free lecture at their school for their students and meet with their VT/peds faculty during the time I was visiting Chicago. The ICO faculty and administrators were exceptionally receptive. After this inspirational experience, the COVD Board discussed and created a program to integrate, educate, and connect with the schools more consistently. The COVD Board members would travel to EVERY school of optometry in the US and Canada. Our goal was connection… connection with the students, residents, faculty, and administrators. During one of our happy hours, we created the name “Tour de Optometry” (inspired by the bicycle Tour de France). The issue then became the funding of the Tour. Our gratitude to our donors, and especially to the Mountain States Congress for their funding then and now!

August was first declared Vision & Learning Month in 1995. The overall goal of this national observance is to help increase awareness among parents and educators on the prevalence of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed vision problems. What has been the overall impact of this declaration on the Development Optometry as a profession?

August Vision & Learning month has been a particularly important ritual to increase awareness with the public and educators. It helped create media/marketing and education opportunities. I believe that rituals, dates, structures, etc. help keep the awareness and importance alive in the minds of the public!

As stated on the COVD website: 

“Children who grow up with undiagnosed vision problems are often unaware that what they see is abnormal, and that means they do not know to ask for help. The yearly Vision & Learning Month campaign encourages parents to take their children in for a comprehensive vision exam every year.”

How did See It! Say It! Do It! come into our lives?

I was a self-proclaimed workaholic, who thought I was quite proficient at balancing the stresses of a successful practice and raising a family. However, my life took a dramatic turn when I encountered a medical crisis in 2002 that threatened my physical and emotional stability. Through traditional medical, holistic, nutritional, counseling, and other treatment modalities, I was able to learn, heal and rebuild my life.

 My experiences with visualization in my vision therapy practice and through personal development courses helped me to create the See It. Say It. Do It! process. This process utilizing visualization was a major component of my healing. I discovered how vast and powerful its potential is in expanding my life, even in the midst of trauma, pain, and instability.

I am now making choices on my life’s journey from a distinct perspective, from a more balanced approach, balancing my passion with peace, through visualization and intuition. I have been given another chance in life and want to make the most of it!

In July of 2021, you released a book entitled Expand Your Vision: How to Gain Clarity, Courage and Confidence which illustrates that the impossible is possible through your new way of looking at life. Can you fill us in?

In 2016, I was honored to be asked to give a keynote speech at the Landmark Wisdom Conference of Global Transformation. My passion became my topic: Expand Your Vision Beyond Sight. Personal transformation as well as the impact of utilizing the See It. Say It. Do It! process created the content of this speech. 

This experience inspired me to author another book in 2018 with the same title as the keynote. Between the 2020 COViD19 pandemic and life, I decided to revise this book and include additional stories of people, from ages 7 to 78, who illustrate the impossible is possible and how you can turn dreams into reality. These stories represent my personal vision/intention: To inspire and empower millions of people to see and experience their lives through the lens of clarity, confidence, and courage. The stories reveal the power of visualization and the See It. Say It. Do It! process.

The new book is entitled: Expand Your Vision: How to Gain Clarity, Courage, and Confidence.  I am happy to announce the book was launched in July 2021. 

What is Vision Beyond Sight Podcast?

I am not ready to stop yet! The importance of vision and its impact on lives is more important than ever. Billions of people have vision problems and remember, vision is so much more than 20/20.

I have now discovered the power of podcasting. Yes, this is my new labor of love. With a computer, microphone and headphones, conversations can happen globally and be shared easily (all from the comfort of my office!).

Vision Beyond Sight podcast provides powerful and inspiring conversations with guests in the areas of healthcare, wellness, education, sports, and psychology. These guests share their inspirational stories of healing and transformation through their vision expansion. You will recognize some of the optometric guests (COVD Fellows), but you will also be surprised about some of the other non-optometric guests!

Remember, contrary to what most believe, you do not “see” with your eyes. “It’s your brain that does the interpretation and processing.” 

I invite each of you to join me! Subscribe and listen weekly on your favorite podcast platform. You can check them out here.  Please share this information with your friends, family, physicians, educators, athletes, and coaches.

Lastly, you seem incredibly busy! Between publishing books, recording podcasts, managing a practice in the Denver area, and playing with your grandkids, how do you maintain balance in your life?

LOL! My kids tell everyone that I do not work. The truth is that do not see patients very often anymore. That provides me to play, have fun, enjoy nature and podcasts!

I am so incredibly grateful for my business partner, Dr. Tricia Brenner, and the other docs, Drs. Amy Elsila, Sara Grell, and Shelby Riley, and our staff for keeping Hellerstein & Brenner Vision Center PC alive and well!

Most importantly, I have a daily practice of creating an intention for the day. I take a few moments to visualize and create how I want to live each day, whether it be through love, gratitude, fun, or connection… 

Remember, your vision does not create you…you create your vision!

Love you all! My deepest gratitude to COVD, the organization, staff, Board, and members around the world. You are making a difference in this world! I “see it” and am inspired!

Dr. Hellerstein is a nationally and internationally acclaimed speaker, educator, and leader in the areas of vision therapy, vision rehabilitation, and sports vision. An author of numerous professional journal articles, she has won multiple book awards for See It. Say It. Do It!, and the #1 Amazon Best Seller award for Expand Your Vision.

An adjunct faculty member at 5 optometry schools, she is Past-President of COVD.

Dr. Hellerstein has worked closely with several non-profit Boards, including Von’s Vision Foundation (created by All-Pro football player Von Miller- It provides low-income students with eye care and fashionable corrective eyewear) and she is Chair of the Sock It To ‘Em Board (providing socks to those experiencing homelessness).