How One Storyteller Found Her Voice After a Lifetime of Hiding Hearing Loss

On this episode of The Buzz, I chatted with Patrice Poltzer, a former TODAY Show producer and founder of her own video storytelling company who spent years hiding her hearing loss while shining light on others' stories.

Patrice shared the pivotal moment (see below) when she stopped hiding and began sharing her own story, helping her connect with others who could relate. Together, we explored how sharing her story empowered others to do the same, the importance of community in navigating hearing loss, how she uses tools to limit its impact, and her evolving definition of what success looks like.

Patrice also goes into the pressures of the media industry, her path to entrepreneurship, and the surprising ways her hearing loss has influenced her storytelling approach.

Be sure to catch the entire episode to take in Patrice’s journey to becoming an advocate and the lessons she’s learned along the way:

Below, I put together five moments from our conversation that give you a glimpse at her story.

The Challenge of Dismissing Hearing Loss

Growing up, Patrice and her mom downplayed her hearing loss, treating it like it wasn’t a big deal. As Patrice explains, they both adopted the mindset of “I'm fine, there’s no issue,” and continued to go on as if everything was normal. It wasn’t until she got to college that it reality hit—large lecture halls made it tough for her to hear professors, and she was struggling to keep up with her work. That’s when she was forced to face the truth: her hearing loss was something she needed to deal with. Looking back, she realizes that by ignoring it for so long, she ended up delaying her own growth in becoming more self-aware and confident.

Navigating Embarrassment and Acceptance

As Patrice began to confront her hearing loss in college, she found herself navigating another challenge: the embarrassment of wearing hearing aids. Her self-consciousness around them was real, especially in a new setting where she was already feeling out of place.

Patrice vividly remembers how societal stigma made her uncomfortable using the aids, often hiding them to avoid standing out. This feeling was amplified when she was found herself interning at 29 because she didn’t want to seem “different” or less capable. Eventually she Learned that acceptance—both from herself and others—was crucial to her personal and professional growth. This stage of her journey is a reminder of how judgement from others can shape how we deal with our personal challenges, and how embracing them is what helps us grow.

The Turning Point in the Newsroom

While working in a newsroom, she had an experience that forced her to confront her fears of being open about her disability. After a coworker mistakenly thought a box on her desk was an engagement ring, the truth came out—it was actually her hearing aids.

What started as a moment of panic turned into a revelation for Patrice. By being open about her hearing loss, her colleagues were not only supportive but more understanding of her needs. This experience shifted her perspective on vulnerability, teaching her that by sharing her struggles, she could build more genuine connections and finally feel accepted for being her genuine self.

The Role of Community

With acceptance came another crucial part of Patrice’s journey: the role of community. While her experience in the newsroom showed her the power of openness at work, her friends helped her navigate hearing loss on a personal level.

One of her closest friendships, with Marco, blossomed through their shared experiences with hearing loss. Over drinks, they would bond over their struggles and support each other in ways only those who “get it” can.

“We became close because whenever we were out in New York with friends, he would say, 'I can't talk about this with anyone.' I told him he could talk to me about it as much as he wanted.”

This helped Patrice further embrace her hearing loss and witness the value of community. It showed her that having people around who truly understand helps you feel less alone in the journey - and that’s only possible when you’re honest about what you’re experiencing.

The Irony of Storytelling

All of these experiences—facing her hearing loss, navigating embarrassment, and finding community—came together to shape who Patrice is today. There’s an irony in the fact that she, a professional storyteller, spent so long avoiding her own story. As someone who has built a career helping others share their narratives, she reflects on how challenging it was to tell her own.

Now, as the founder of her own company, Patrice empowers others to embrace their stories – messy or imperfect – just as she's learned to embrace hers.

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