top of page

Profile

Join date: Aug 8, 2024

About

Sarah Wheeler is an ASL/English interpreter, CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), and emotional intelligence coach with over 18 years of experience in the field. She has presented nationally and internationally on interpreting and communication topics and has served in the Air Force. Sarah holds a B.A. in Business Management, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, an M.Ed. in Interpreter Pedagogy, and a Master's in General Psychology. She is also a certified EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 Coach.


Sarah's work enhances interpreting processes by integrating emotional intelligence and user-centered experiences. Her diverse academic background and professional experience give her unique insights into communication’s evolving role in a global and technologically advanced world. As an instructor in Interpreter Education Programs (IEP), she has witnessed firsthand how interactions—whether in-person, virtual, or influenced by AI—can significantly impact outcomes.


Recently, she launched The Interpreter School (www.theinterpreterschool.com), a platform dedicated to empowering interpreters with essential skills for today’s connected world. Sarah also authored Borders Within: A Coda’s Journey to Finding Home, a poetry collection that explores identity and belonging, drawing on her experience navigating Deaf and hearing cultures.


Sarah is committed to fostering a global community that values diversity, emotional intelligence, collaboration, and empathy. She leverages her work to enhance authentic communication, understanding, and opportunities for true connection across diverse individuals and communities. 


Posts (40)

Nov 4, 20258 min
Deaf, Disabled, and Fully Human: Emersonian Precepts for Reclaiming Your Humanity
By Sarah Wheeler, M.Ed., M.S. A Particular Kind of Erasure There's a particular kind of erasure that settles into the being of anyone who belongs to a marginalized community. You enter a space, and before you communicate anything, people have already categorized you. They've reduced your multifaceted, complex self into a single descriptor. You're the Deaf person. The blind person. The disabled person. The immigrant. The foreigner. You're no longer recognized for who you are. You become your...

20
0
1
Nov 4, 202510 min
Professional Interpreters and the Unwasted Life: Hawthorne's Four Precepts for Sustainable Practice
By Sarah Wheeler, M.Ed., M.S. The Critical Moment There's a particular moment that comes for many professional interpreters, usually somewhere between year five and year ten, when they look up from the work and realize they can't quite remember who they were before they found themselves in the center of other people's stories. You remember the passion that drew you to interpreting. The fascination with language. The desire to bridge different worlds. The profound satisfaction of facilitating...

155
0
1
Oct 24, 20254 min
The Emotional Journey of Interpreters: Understanding Burnout and Recovery
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout There comes a point in many interpreters' careers when showing up starts to feel different. You still interpret and connect people across languages and cultures, but something inside begins to slow down. You might ask yourself, when did this start to feel distant from who I am? Burnout is not a personal failure. It is a natural response to sustained imbalance, when emotional output outweighs the input. Interpreting requires continuous empathy, precision, and...

35
0
1
bottom of page