Jana Verheyen – From Agency Project Manager to Audio Coach
Jana Verheyen experienced sudden hearing loss at the age of 20. Since then, her hearing has deteriorated significantly. Nevertheless, she has really taken off in her career and is successful as an audio coach in Hamburg.
At a Glance
- Jana Verheyen – Hearing loss is no reason to give up—quite the opposite
- How Online Hearing Training Works
- Succeeding at Work—Despite Hearing Loss
“I know from personal experience how difficult it is to navigate personal and professional communication with a hearing loss. And I can attest that, while it takes effort, it is possible to resist the informational and social exclusion that can easily accompany a hearing loss!” —that’s what it says on Jana Verheyen’s website. And it was precisely this strength of will and positive attitude that I noticed in Jana Verheyen during our interview. Even though she, too—in times of crisis like these—faces very unique challenges.
Ihr-Hörgerät.de: Ms. Verheyen, as a graduate in business administration and industrial design, you worked as an agency consultant for twelve years. You also served as a communications manager in the marketing department of a high-tech medical device manufacturer. At the same time, your hearing loss was getting worse. Can you describe the hearing challenges you faced during that time?
Jana Verheyen: Although I experienced sudden hearing loss while studying industrial design, the mild, one-sided hearing loss I had at the time didn’t bother me much. During my subsequent business studies, my hearing loss was already slightly impairing me, but if I sat near the front of the lecture hall during classes, I was able to follow the lessons just fine.
Even later, when I was working at a design agency, I was still able to work effectively for many years despite my hearing loss. My better ear did start to deteriorate as well. But since my loss was primarily in the low-frequency range, I retained surprisingly good speech comprehension for a very long time.
However, talking on the phone became increasingly difficult for me. At first, I simply used my other ear to take calls. Later, a landline with better sound quality helped. Eventually, my apprentice had to take calls for me from people I didn’t know. Until I finally realized that things couldn’t go on like that anymore.
About the Person
Jana Verheyen is a passionate rower on Hamburg’s Alster River, and she also spends a lot of time riding her road bike. Since experiencing sudden hearing loss at the age of 20—for reasons unknown to doctors—she has been steadily losing her hearing. Now, more than 25 years later, after many years of severe hearing loss and using hearing aids, she has cochlear implants in both ears.
She has a successful career as an audio therapist (DSB) and systemic coach. Before she had to make a fresh start due to her hearing loss, she—who holds degrees in business administration and industrial design—worked for over twelve years as a consultant and project manager at a design agency, as well as a communications manager in the marketing department of a high-tech medical device manufacturer. She now works as an audio coach in Hamburg, gives lectures, leads self-help seminars, and consults with hearing care professionals and hearing aid manufacturers. She has also developed an online hearing training program.
Ihr-Hörgerät.de: So you switched to a company—why was it easier for you there?
Jana Verheyen:I made a conscious decision to switch sides—I moved from an agency to the industry. As soon as I was no longer a service provider but a client, I was able to set the terms—for example, deciding that communication would take place via email or in person—which allowed me to avoid phone calls.
Ihr-Hörgerät.de: Still, you didn’t stay with that company—you eventually went into business for yourself. How did that come about?
Jana Verheyen:The phone problem was solved. But back then, my day consisted mainly of meetings, which were acoustically very exhausting for me. It also became clear that my hearing loss would continue to worsen over time. I realized that I needed a different solution for the long term. So I made a clean break, completed training to become an audiotherapist and a systemic coach, and, as an audio coach, reframed my hearing loss to my advantage.
Since then, I’ve been coaching and advising other people with hearing loss, giving lectures, and leading workshops. And I’ve packaged my knowledge into an online hearing training program. My strengths lie in facilitating dialogue and conveying information. While this can be challenging with hearing loss, I’ve now found a way to align my communication skills with my condition.
Ihr-Hörgerät.de: How does an audio coach work?
Jana Verheyen:I work with people with hearing loss—currently, by the way, mostly online via Zoom or Skype, because people who have trouble understanding speech can turn on live captions on Skype. The core of my work is figuring out what options someone has to improve their own situation independently.
Many people with hearing loss experience conflicts or misunderstandings with those around them, or are too exhausted from the concentration and stress required for everyday communication to enjoy their personal lives. I show them how to be open about their hearing loss so they can communicate with less effort and actively involve the hearing people around them. After all, hearing loss affects both sides.
A solution is therefore beneficial for both parties. It is therefore important to discuss with those around you what helps you understand more easily and what, in turn, helps others understand you more easily right away. Having the courage to address problems, suggest solutions, and generally build understanding for your own situation—rather than pushing it aside—are very important factors in this process.
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Ihr-Hörgerät.de: But you don’t just work as an audiotherapist—you do a whole lot more than that.
Jana Verheyen:I lead self-help workshops and also give presentations at large companies on topics such as hearing loss, burnout, and tinnitus. I educate employees on how important it is to take timely action—such as using hearing aids and being open about the issue—when they notice that their hearing is no longer what it used to be. After all, hearing loss and burnout often go hand in hand.
It’s important to raise awareness that the exhaustion felt at the end of a workday can also stem from hearing loss. That’s why I try to encourage people to get a hearing test early on and, if necessary, to wear hearing aids so they can enjoy life more—both at work and, of course, at home.
Ihr-Hörgerät.de: You’ve also developed an online hearing training program.
Jana Verheyen:Yes, I’ve developed a holistic hearing training program in which, in addition to individual hearing exercises, I encourage participants to reflect on various listening situations. The goal is to find opportunities in your own daily life to practice listening that you actually enjoy. But it’s also about reflecting on what you yourself can do to improve a situation acoustically.
Online Listening Training
The online hearing training program is designed for people who wear hearing aids or cochlear implants and want to improve their speech comprehension. You’ll learn how to improve your speech comprehension and discover new strategies when you reach the limits of what your hearing devices can do. The online hearing training program offers comprehensive support with exercises for speech comprehension, tasks for recognizing sounds, and tips and tricks for coping with the challenges of living with hearing loss.
We conducted the interview with Jana Verheyen via video conference. We didn’t notice her hearing loss at all during the interview. This shows how appropriate treatment, training, and the use of all available technological options can help people overcome hearing loss.
In our video series, Jana Verheyen shares tips and tricks for people with hearing loss.
