Vision Beyond Sight Reflections from ACBO Connect 2025

After a smooth drive from Newcastle on Wednesday, our Sydney journey began long before the official seminar even kicked off. We were warmly welcomed to The Eye Site in Caringbah on Thursday by the incredible Melissa Allen and her sensational & passionate team who graciously invited us to sit in on vision therapy sessions for the day.

To witness their flow, their systems and their intuitive way of connecting with patients of all ages and visual challenges was a masterclass in itself.

There is something sacred about seeing another therapist in their element because no matter how many years we have been practicing, how many patients we have guided or how many workshops we have attended there is always something new to learn.

A language cue to adopt.

A fresh technique to explore.

A new lens to try on.

A quiet moment that reminds you why you fell in love with this work in the first place.

We left with full notebooks and even fuller hearts. Deeply inspired before the seminar had even begun.

As day two of the Vision Beyond Sight seminar comes to a close, my head and my heart are still buzzing.

My notebook is bursting at the seams with insights, ideas and inspiration.

There are some weekends that feel like turning points and this was one of them. 

There is something electric about being in a room filled with passionate, purpose-led humans who care deeply about helping others not just see but see through the lens of possibility.

This week I had the absolute honour of attending the ACBO Connect National Seminar: Vision Beyond Sight and from the very first moment, it felt like stepping into a vibrant field of energy, knowledge and connection. 

The title of the seminar truly says it all.

This was about more than just about eyes.

It was about the heart of vision care.

The why beneath the what.

The spark beneath the science.

The spirit behind the structure.

Somewhere between the notetaking, laughter, sequins and learning something clicked into place.

Attending this seminar was not just a professional experience. It was a soul-level reminder of why we do what we do.

This weekend held both the science and the spirit of vision care and I feel changed by it.

There are moments in life when you know you are sitting in the presence of greatness, not because someone tells you but because you can feel it.

That was exactly how it felt listening to Dr. Jen Simonson from Boulder Valley Vision Therapy. 

Her energy was magnetic.

Her passion, undeniable.

Her clarity could be felt as it rippled through the room like a well-tuned vergence response.

To be in the same room as her was a masterclass in wisdom, presence and purpose. Every sentence was laced with insight. Every example was grounded in experience.

Jen breathed life into every concept she shared. She spoke of Visual Development, Vertical Phoria and Strabismus, not as abstract conditions but as deeply human experiences.

Jen reminded us that visual development doesn’t happen behind closed doors or in isolation. It doesn’t evolve in a clinical container. It is sculpted through relationship, shaped by experience and grounded in real environments with real people. 
Vision grows in connection with caregivers, with movement, with meaning.

As Vision Therapists we are entrusted with the tender and sacred task of nurturing that growth while walking beside patients as it unfolds in the rhythm of real life.

Each presentation from Jen made me want to go back and reread textbooks and go through course notes, not for the facts but through the lens of connection.

Her Vertical Phoria & Strabismus Workshop was clinical gold as we dove head first into techniques, case discussions and hands-on learning to elevate how we assess, support and guide our patients toward integration and ease.

One of the clinical questions that lingered long after this session ended was does structure cause function, does function cause structure—or are they inherently interrelated? It is in exploring this interplay that our work deepens in precision and in meaning.

There is something sacred about being in a space filled with clinicians, therapists and practitioners who live and breathe this work.

The passion. The curiosity. The commitment to better outcomes for every child, adult and family we serve.

Dr. Simonson truly is a fabulous force to be reckoned with. Equal parts educator, energy-bringer and visionary.

She didn’t just share information as she also told stories, wove research with practice and invited us into the heart of her clinical reasoning.

She reminded us that every patient has a story and every visual behaviour is communication. An offering of what is going on beneath the surface.

The ACBO Connect Seminar opened with presence, power and purpose and thanks to Jen, it set the tone for a weekend of transformation.

Yesterday was rich with layers of science, soul and surprises.

Every single presentation carried weight, value and heart.

We dove deep into the foundations of visual development, revisiting the early building blocks of sight and how sensory input, motor development and environmental interaction weave together in the formative years.

It was like stepping back to the roots of vision with new eyes.

It was time for us to explore Vertical Phoria and Strabismus, unpacking the complexity of vertical misalignments and how they often go undetected, yet dramatically affect daily life such as reading, posture, balance, mood and emotional regulation.

Yes theory was included but it was mostly about understanding real impact, real people and real transformation.

The accompanying Vertical Phoria & Strabismus Workshop brought it all to life. An eye-opening, hands-on session that allowed us to test, tweak and experience subtle shifts in prism, posture and perception.

From sensory fusion techniques to compensatory strategies, we walked away with tools and clinical pearls we could start using right away that were infused with fresh confidence and clarity.

The closing session of Day 1 felt like a homecoming to everything I intuitively know to be true, the important of Designing Your Vision Therapy Space.

We were reminded that our therapy environments are more than just rooms. They are regulation zones.

Every colour, sound, scent, surface and light either supports or hinders healing.

As someone who values sensory attunement, energy flow and the sacredness of space this session lit me up.

We explored how a warm, inviting, sensory-aligned space can become a co-therapist.

A soft light.

A calming scent.

A safe corner to play and connect.

These aren’t extras—they anre essential. 

Our spaces speak to our patients.

Do they feel safe here?

Do they feel seen?

Do they feel calm?

As I listened, I found myself already sketching a few ideas in the margins of my notebook as ways to re-tune the therapy room to reflect more safety, creativity, co-regulation and growth.

Our space holds stories and I am ready to let it tell new ones.

Every conversation sparked a new idea.

Every topic added another lens through which to view vision care.

By the end of Saturday, I was holding new tools but I was also holding new perspectives.

One of the unexpected joys of the weekend was the ODMA exhibition unfolding just a few steps away.

Within the ICC the seminar room and the exhibition halls sat right beside each other a vibrant, bustling world of colour, creativity and innovation.

Between sessions, we found ourselves wandering through ODMA 2025 perusing new frame brands, admiring bold splashes of colour, textured materials and playful designs that felt like wearable art.

There was something electric about seeing what is next in eyewear fashion while holding space for timeless clinical wisdom.

The synergy of structure and style, science and sparkle, was a perfect metaphor for the weekend itself.

What a delight to oscillate between educational depth and design inspiration all within the same breath.

The theme for the evening was “Show Us Your Sparkle,” and the Saturday night dinner and awards celebration was a walking, shimmering reminder that joy belongs in our profession and we are not only allowed but encouraged to let it shine.

My feet are still recovering from shimmering the night away as a real-life disco ball. (Of course there is a photo. A walking, twirling, sequinned Vision Therapist and Intuituve Wellness Guide in her natural habitat… shining as she learns, laughs and leans into the magic of this work.)

The message of the evening was clear, to always celebrate who you are as boldly and brightly as you wish.

Message received.

Challenge accepted.

Wrapped in silver sequins and joy, I showed up as a real-life walking disco ball—glittering inside and out, smiling from the heart.

My feet are still recovering from shimmering the night away as a real-life disco ball. (Of course there is a photo. A walking, twirling, sequinned Vision Therapist and Intuituve Wellness Guide in her natural habitat… shining as she learns, laughs and leans into the magic of this work.) 

In a field that asks so much of us, any chance to radiate joy is a chance worth taking and as someone who never says no to an opportunity to sparkle, this was a full-body yes.

We sparkled.

We honoured award recipients.

We laughed over dinner and delighted in the spark within each of us.

We celebrated not just achievements, but community, growth and the shared mission we hold because joy belongs in all professions.

Sometimes, the most therapeutic thing you can do… is dance. 

There was glitter.

There was soul-deep laughter.

There was reconnection and recognition.

There was also something undeniably magical about seeing colleagues, those who give so much of themselves as they let loose, laughed freely and remembered why they began this journey in the first place. 

The evening was about more than awards.

It was about acknowledgment.

Of the effort. The dedication. The unseen hours.

The commitment to patient-centred care in the world of Behavioural and Neuro-Developmental Optometry.

The passion and purpose that threads through every therapy session, every lesson, every lightbulb moment in the room.

From sequins to soul and from glitter to grounded gratitude, this was a night to shine, to celebrate and to remember that sparkle and substance are not opposites, they are allies.

When you are invited to sparkle always say yes.

Today brought us back to heart-centred clinical care, with a focus on some of our most precious and most perceptive patients…as we turned our gaze toward the little ones who teach us so much with their energy, their honesty and their unique ways of seeing the world.

We ventured into vision therapy with young children. Therapy that is playful, presence-based and profoundly impactful; explored the binocular approach to amblyopia, reframing treatment from isolation to integration; immersed ourselves in a brilliant amblyopia workshop filled with creativity, compassion and practical tools and then closed with Vision Beyond Sight, a session that reminded us our work is rooted in possibility rather than just acuity(how clearly someone sees).

This morning welcomed us back gently, yet powerfully.

From behavioural cues to adaptive strategies, we explored how to build trust, hold space for dysregulation and make therapy both playful and purposeful.

It was a deep reminder that behavioural optometry and vision therapy are more than just science—it’s attunement, co-regulation, creativity and care.

Working with young children requires flexibility.

It means adapting the plan when a child walks in tired, overstimulated or bubbling with boundless energy.

It means letting your intuition lead as much as your clinical plan.

Above all it means seeing their potential more clearly than any diagnosis ever could.

The binocular approach to Amblyopia was one of the most paradigm-shifting moments of the weekend.

Gone are the days of monocular (one eye) isolation.

This session invited us to embrace integration from the beginning by encouraging both eyes to work as teammates rather than opponents.

This is vision therapy at its most relational, where the brain is guided to rewire through collaboration not competition. 

Up next was a workshop with a focus on Amblyopia where we rolled up our sleeves and dove into real case studies, interactive tools, filters, lenses and plenty of hands-on strategies.

We left with tangible tools to take back to the practice next week and a completely renewed understanding of how to support amblyopia with empathy and innovation.

I am especially excited to be adding new procedures and playful activities to my ever-growing Vision Therapy treasure box like new adaptations of attribute blocks and Spot-It which I know patients both young and old will love.
These tools are more than games as they are bridges to connection, engagement, and growth.

A beautiful clinical pearl for me was that Amblyopia is not a life sentence—it is a starting point.

The final session of the day, Vision Beyond Sight, tied everything together. 

The final session, purposefully and powerfully titled Vision Beyond Sight, brought everything full circle. It invited us to pause and ask how we can help our patients not just see better, but live better…because eyes tell our brain what we see and the brain tells our eyes what to look for.

For us as humans our visual system is much more than just a sensory system. It is a feedback loop of perception, attention, emotion and experience and when we honour that loop, therapy becomes transformative.

It reminded us that this work isn’t just about acuity, convergence or stereopsis.

It is about possibility.

Helping our patients move through life with more clarity, more confidence, more flow, more grace.

It is about seeing what is unseen on a chart.

It’s also about honouring the whole person not just their diagnosis.

The whole room was moving by Saturday afternoon as Jen shared elements of the Meaningful Moves protocol by the sensational Sarah Lane. This was more than theory as it was felt, lived and expressed through the body.
A reminder that vision therapy is as much about movement as it is about mechanics.

Every session today reminded me that vision therapy is not just a set of tools—it is a dance in the jungle of life. 
A co-regulated, curious, heart-led dance between therapist and patient.

Between body and brain.

Between sight and soul.

My greatest takeaway from the entire weekend was that connection is the real curriculum.

Not just connection with patients but with colleagues, with ideas and with the soul of our work.

Throughout the weekend, I felt waves of connection wash over me.

With familiar faces and new colleagues I can’t wait to collaborate with.

With mentors I have long admired from afar.

With the field of vision care itself including all of its roots, its wings, its evolving heart, its deepening passion.

This seminar was a space for remembering.

Remembering why we do this.

Remembering that the protocols we have learned are living tools, meant to evolve with us not confine us.

Remembering that we are not alone in this work as we are supported, resourced and deeply connected.

We reflected on what we do well.

We questioned where we can grow.

We shared resources, stories, laughter, and a shared commitment to act with integrity for every child, adult and family we serve.

There was something sacred about the energy of this weekend.

A frequency of care, presence and shared purpose that hummed beneath every session.

I connected deeply with colleagues old and new feeling both aligned in the work I already do and called to grow into new depths.

It was nice than just professional development.

It was personal expansion.

Kellie and I came away wide-eyed literally and metaphorically. Infused with notes, strategies and soulful stories. Ready to return to our therapy room and infuse every session with even more curiosity, creativity and compassion.

We do so much not than run vision therapy programs.

We dance with our patients.

That dance now has more rhythm, more purpose and even more sparkle.

The final session, aptly titled Vision Beyond Sight, brought everything full circle.

It invited us to pause and ask How can we help our patients not just see better, but live better?

What does it mean to hold space for the emotional, social, and psychological layers of visual function?

How do we honour the unseen stories behind every pair of eyes?

It reminded us that vision therapy isn’t just about helping someone track a line of text.

It is about helping them believe in themselves again.

It is about guiding them to move through the world with more ease, more confidence and deeper connection.

This weekend ignited a new fire within me.

To keep showing up.

With presence.

With playfulness.

With purpose.

With a touch of sparkle, of course with a touch of sparkle.

Vision beyond sight truly means trusting your inner knowing just as much as your clinical framework.
It is about seeing each patient as a whole person, not a diagnosis or deficiency and honouring the relationship just as much as the result.

It means believing in potential, even when others have stopped looking, and letting joy and science walk hand in hand.

It means creating space for the nervous system to heal, not simply working around it. It’s the commitment to keep learning, evolving and expanding even after years in the field.

It is also the quiet knowing that our presence is as powerful as any protocol we could ever write.

This was a weekend of learning and it was also a sacred pause.

A reset.

A celebration of the why behind the work.

A reminder that brilliance doesn’t have to be loud.

Sometimes it shows up in quiet hallway conversations, in knowing glances, in the shimmer you wear when no one is watching.

I am here to shine light on vision that heals.

To movement that matters.

To conversations that change everything.

To every therapist who dares to dance sequins, sneakers and all.

To vibrancy.

To dancing between depth and delight.

To learning something new every single day.

To sparkle on the face, in the eyes, in the heart and in the therapy room.

Thank you, ACBO.

Thank you, Eyes at Caringbah.

Thank you, vision therapy for giving me a path where science, soul and sequins meet.

Thank you for these new clinical pearls I get to take home with me….

💡 A renewed respect for the foundations of vision.

🔍 Deeper understanding of vertical imbalances and the power of precise intervention.

🧠 Fresh approaches for amblyopia that empower patients rather than isolates them.

🌿 New inspiration for transforming therapy spaces into nervous system sanctuaries.

🤝 Beautiful moments of connection with colleagues, mentors and fellow vision dreamers.

🎨 A touch of sparkle and style for every pair of eyes we serve.

🎇  A reminder to always bring a little disco ball energy into the room.