Share

cover art for Vanessa Potter: She Woke Up Seeing and Went to Bed Blind.

Good Life Project

Vanessa Potter: She Woke Up Seeing and Went to Bed Blind.

In just 72-hours, Vanessa Potter went from sighted to blind, and able-bodied to paralyzed. Nothing would ever be the same.

This is the story of brain gone haywire that led to a life transformed.

Guest: A married mother of two young kids, Potter spent 16 years as an award-winning broadcast producer in London. Then, in October 2012 fate conspired to turn the lights out on her, and overnight she found herself blind and unable to walk.

Vanessa’s response, was anything but usual. She began to document the entire journey on audio. Her curiosity and quest for answers led her to Cambridge University persuading neuroscientists to help her research what was happening in her brain, This led to a powerful collaboration on a brainwave-imaging project that invited members of the public to see and hear their own brainwaves translated into music and art.

Potter was invited to give a TEDx talk and recently shared more of her story in her first, Patient H69: The Story of my Second Sight. In today's Good Life Project podcast, we talk about what led to that fateful day, what actually happened in her body and brain, the incredibly unusual way she learned to cope and then thrive with a new reality, and how she is today.

Rockstar Sponsors: 

Audible has the best audiobook performances, the largest library, and the most exclusive content. Learn more, start your 30-day trial and get your first Audible book free, go to Audible.com/goodlife.

RXBAR Kids is a snack bar made with high-quality, real ingredients designed specifically for kids. It contains 7 grams of protein and has zero added sugar and no gluten, soy or dairy. Find at Target stores OR for 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/goodlife.

Are you hiring? Do you know where to post your job to find the best candidates? Unlike other job sites, ZipRecruiter doesn’t depend on candidates finding you; it finds them. And right now, GLP listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE, That’s right. FREE! Just go to ZipRecruiter.com/good.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • How to Love Midlife: 12 Ways Life Gets Better with Age | Chip Conley

    01:00:16|
    Are you navigating the profound transitions of midlife? In this insightful conversation, modern elder Chip Conley provides a brilliant reframing of the "midlife crisis" as a growth opportunity.Drawing from his book Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age, Chip outlines a holistic methodology for flourishing across the physical, emotional, mental, vocational and spiritual dimensions as we age. Discover how to cultivate wisdom, find your calling, and integrate your whole self during this remarkable stage of life's journey.You can find Chip at: Website | Modern Elder Academy Instagram | Chip's Instagram | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Karen Walrond about celebrating midlife.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • How to Experience Sacred, Mystical Moments in Everyday Life | Mirabai Starr

    57:11|
    In Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground, renowned mystic and author Mirabai Starr reveals how mystical experiences are not just for the elite few, but our birthright as human beings. Through radical presence, loving awareness, and embracing wonder, Starr shows how the sacred can be found in the most ordinary moments of everyday life. This profound conversation is an invitation to gaze at the world through eyes of love, immerse yourself in beauty, and awaken to the truth that we all belong to one beloved community.You can find Mirabai at: Website | Instagram | Wild Heart Space | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Elizabeth Gilbert about being present to love’s wisdom in our lives.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • Leading Integrative Psychiatrist | The Truth About Ketamine, MDMA and Psilocybin Assisted Therapy

    01:10:53|
    Could psychedelics revolutionize mental health care? Psychiatrist Dr. Will Van Derveer openingly discusses his exploration of psychedelic-assisted therapies after becoming disillusioned with conventional treatments. He details remarkable results using ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA for conditions like PTSD and depression. With the FDA's imminent decision on rescheduling MDMA, Van Derveer provides an inside look at these groundbreaking medicines' therapeutic potential. For those struggling with mental health issues, this candid conversation may reveal new hope.You can find Will at: Website | Higher Practice Podcast | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Adam Gazzaley about cutting-edge research he’s leading in this field.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • How to Stop Pleasing Everyone But Yourself | Natalie Lue

    01:05:50|
    What if you could finally stop contorting yourself to please others and start living authentically on your own terms? In this honest episode, Natalie Lue, author of "The Joy of Saying No," opens up about her pivotal shift from people-pleasing into embodying her truest self.Natalie vulnerably shares the health crisis that made her realize she was suppressing herself to become "whatever anybody wanted." Discover her strategies for separating genuine desires from ingrained obligations. Learn empowering ways to shed the cultural conditioning disconnecting you from needs and boundaries.Unpack the subtle tendencies keeping you small, so you can courageously embrace the self you've been denying. If you crave more joy and fulfillment through radical self-honor, prioritize this dialogue.You can find Natalie at: Website | Instagram | The Baggage Reclaim Sessions podcast | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Susan Piver about the Enneagram and how it helps us relate to others and also set boundaries.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • What to Do in the Next 2 Years to Set Up Your Next 20 | The 2x20 Project™

    58:42|
    What would you do with 2 years to purposefully design your ideal next 20? Join Jonathan as he reveals his brilliant "two by 20" project - spending 24 months meticulously crafting a future centered on simplicity, significance and joy through intentional experiments across work, health and relationships.If you've ever felt restless about your life's next chapter, this fascinating framework will have you rethinking how to invest the precious time you have left.Episode TranscriptCheck out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • The Surprising Science of Cynicism & Hope | Jamil Zaki

    58:37|
    Are you feeling cynical about human nature? This fascinating discussion with psychologist Jamil Zaki, author of Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness, will renew your faith in people. Zaki demolishes common myths about cynicism and explains how hope - the belief that a better future is possible through our actions - is what empowers positive change. Discover practical ways to move from a stance of corrosive cynicism to one of "hopeful skepticism" rooted in curiosity, empathy, and accurate understanding.You can find Jamil at: Website | LinkedIn | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Robert Waldinger about the power of relationships.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • How to Create Deep, Secure Bonds with Kids, Family & Friends | Attachment Expert Eli Harwood

    56:38|
    Got that craving for a deep, soulful bond with your child? Attachment expert Eli Harwood is here to make it happen.The author of "Raising Securely Attached Kids" drops mind-blowing truths on how early attachments shape our emotional patterns, relationships, and even physical health. But Eli also serves up game-changing ways to become your child's lifelong "protective factor."You'll learn to repair your own attachment wounds and foster that unbreakable sense of security that allows little souls to soar. Whether struggling to bond or nurturing sacred connections, this primer will help build meaningful attachments to last forever.You can find Eli at: Website | Instagram | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the conversations we had with Dr. Shefali about raising kids.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • 6 Habits that Make Life So Much Better | Spotlight Convo

    55:07|
    Discover simple yet powerful daily habits to rewire your brain, boost confidence, and unlock your full potential.In this insightful compilation episode, Mel Robbins unveils the transformative High 5 Habit from her book and how high-fiving yourself daily can reprogram self-perception and resilience.Host Jonathan Fields also shares five cornerstone "good life habits" backed by science, like mindfulness, nature immersion, and intentional movement. Whether you're seeking more joy, focus, or inner calm, don't miss these deceptively simple tools to reshape your mindset and thrive through small consistent wins.Episode TranscriptYou can find Mel at: Join The High 5 Challenge | Website | Instagram | The Mel Robbins Podcast | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with MelYou can find Jonathan at: Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Jonathan on 5 Life-Changing HabitsCheck out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes
  • How to Change Ourselves & Our World | Prentis Hemphill

    01:01:38|
    What if healing from trauma required more than just personal work? In this profound chat, Prentis Hemphill, author of What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World, dives deep on the somatic practices key to both individual and collective healing. They share eye-opening insights on envisioning new possibilities beyond society's limiting scripts, remapping relationships through authenticity and hard-earned trust, and expanding our "we" through truly relating - not just racking up social media followers. Hemphill's work points us toward transforming the very systems and conditions that wounded us in the first place through an ethos of radical love.You can find Prentis at: Website | Instagram | Becoming the People Podcast with Prentis Hemphill | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Rev. angel Kyodo williams about liberation.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes