Born Blind, Chronic Pain, and Finding Purpose | Daniel Hodges

Born blind and living with severe chronic pain, Daniel Hodges knows what it feels like to be underestimated, isolated, and told what he would never become.In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Travis sits down with Daniel Hodges, president and co-founder of Pieces of Me Foundation, for an honest conversation about blindness, Ehlers-Danlos, chronic pain, anxiety, suicidal ideation, disability stigma, faith, law school, advocacy, and finding purpose through service.Daniel shares what it was like to miss years of school because the system did not know how to support a blind student, how bullying and isolation affected his identity, and how mental health struggles followed him into adulthood. He also opens up about a crisis during law school, the moment that helped spark Pieces of Me Foundation, and why stigma reduction matters for people living with disabilities and mental health challenges.This conversation is about more than overcoming blindness or chronic pain. It is about what happens when a person who has been dismissed chooses to create space for others to feel seen, heard, and valued.What We DiscussedDaniel Hodges' experience being born blind and living with Ehlers-DanlosHow chronic pain shaped his daily life, identity, and limitsMissing grades 7 through 11 and the emotional cost of isolationBullying, exclusion, and being told what he would never becomeAnxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideationWhy mental pain can feel impossible to explain from the outsideHow a law school crisis became part of the story behind Pieces of Me FoundationTurning pain into purpose without minimizing the pain itselfWhy disability stigma and mental health stigma are connectedHow organizations, schools, and workplaces can build more people-centered culturesWhy access, inclusion, and accessibility should be framed as a win-winThe danger of comparing pain and ranking disabilitiesWhy hope dies in isolationHow self-care, faith, and service help Daniel stay groundedLearn More About Daniel HodgesDaniel Hodges is the president and co-founder of Pieces of Me Foundation, an organization focused on reducing stigma, increasing understanding, and helping people with disabilities and mental health challenges feel seen without being reduced to a diagnosis or limitation.Pieces of Me Foundation:https://peacesofme.orgDaniel explains the spelling this way: people are not broken, and real peace can come from embracing who we are and the value we bring to the world.Visit Blog:https://overcomepod.comShop Merch:https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealthFollow Overcome - a Mental Health PodcastInstagram: @overcomepodYoutube: @overcomepodListen to usSpotifyApple PodcastsWant to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form! Get Travis White's coloring book here: https://a.co/d/05Bl6CQRVisit Blog:https://overcomepod.comWorkbook:https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbookShop Merch:https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealthFollow Overcome - a Mental Health PodcastInstagram: @overcomepodYoutube:  @overcomepodListen to usSpotifyApple PodcastsWant to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form!