Michelle Friedman

Personal data

At eight years old Friedman started losing her sight. At 10 years old she became legally blind. Twenty-five years later she lost all sight, including the ability to differentiate light from dark. From that time on she learned to ride a horse, sail, ski, knit, garden, and make ceramics. She also flew in a hot air balloon! Today, Friedman has three children and five grandchildren. She lives in a Chicago suburb with her architect husband and youngest son.

Educating kids

Friedman speaks in schools, teaching kids lessons that form the core of Close Your Eyes – the book she wrote about a little girl who is blind and shows her friends all the things she can do. She tries to educate children through her book how to accept others who are “differently-abled.” She has spoken to first graders at Gems World Academy, giving them a blindfold to wear and talking to them about ‘reading’ a braille book, among other activities. She explained: “when you do more of the hands-on stuff and they get to feel the cane and they get to see a braille book and wear the blindfold, I know they're going to be engaged because they are interested and curious and they have open minds.”

According to Gems World Academy teacher Joel Blecha, lessons like Friedman’s can “bring this kind of open-mindedness to some of [our] youngest learners when they’re starting to shape their notions about how the world is and we should be treating other people.”

Friedman also speaks at synagogue pre-schools, public and private schools and local community events, using blindfolds for participants to navigate the area with canes. She explains how she uses her hearing, getting the students to clap and then she is able to figure out where they are and throw a ball right to them. She also spoke at the Congregation Beth Shalom Hebrew School as part of the National Jewish Disability Awareness Program on the topic of blindness.

Coaching

Friedman currently has a coaching practice with clients that range from small business owners and mid-life career changers, to non-profit organizations. Earlier on in her career she worked as a Counseling Psychologist. She was also a coach trainer, leading foundational coaching courses.

Other positions

Following her graduate degree, Friedman worked at an independent living center for the disabled in Chicago – Access Living. Once she had kids she volunteered on boards and fundraised for various non-profit organizations. For example, she helped one school to raise $38m, and over the years, many more millions for other such organizations.

Media

Michelle appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the mid-1990s and was featured in Chicago Parent Magazine. She also has a story in Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul by Jack Canfield. Her visit to GWA was reported on ABC 7 news, aired on Sunday, March 22, 2015.

Book

Friedman wrote Close Your Eyes. It was published by Abbott Press in November 2013. It has been described as a “wonderful teaching tool for discussing disabilities with children.” And: “This is also a book I would highly recommend any elementary school teacher add to their classroom or school library." She said that she wrote the book to bring out a positive role model of blind people since there are very few books or TV shows in which the hero is blind. Further she: “wanted the book to be a catalyst for conversations on differences in a kid-friendly way.”

Friedman herself explains: "This book, by demystifying blindness, teaches children tolerance and acceptance of children who are different. Hopefully, it will initiate dialogue with parents, teachers and other adults about disability, thereby removing the fear and creating an atmosphere of tolerance. We are all the same, and each of us is a little different. But someone with a disability can be just as capable.”

Education

Friedman has an Masters in Counseling Psychology from the Adler Institute and is a certified coach of The Mentor Coach LLC.