Christy, Potchefstroom
Our Listener – Christy, Potchefstroom
“Listening with care and turning words into meaning.“
Christy joined Way With Words in March 2024, drawn by the steadfast belief that language is both art and architecture, something to be shaped carefully, word by word. For her, transcription isn’t simply about writing what’s heard; it’s about interpreting tone, silence, and intent. With a background steeped in a love for language and detail, she describes the work as “a craft – not just typing, but listening, understanding, and preserving someone’s voice with care.”
That sense of craft is what led her to Way With Words, a company she discovered while researching reputable transcription providers that respected both precision and people. The company’s emphasis on linguistic integrity resonated deeply. She recognised in its ethos a mirror of her own, one that values professionalism and human skill in equal measure. When Christy speaks about her work, she often returns to one word: “attention.” To her, every recording holds a story waiting to be honoured through careful listening. It’s not just what people say that matters, but how they say it. The quiet spaces between words that often reveal the most. This philosophy has shaped the way she approaches each task: with patience, curiosity, and empathy.
Away from the keyboard, Christy’s world is rich with reflection and creativity. Writing has been a lifelong companion as both an outlet and an act of discovery. She is on the brink of publishing her first novel (congrats!) and is also completing a nonfiction work that explores self-healing, anxiety, panic disorder, and agoraphobia.
These personal themes, she notes, have deepened her empathy for others’ experiences. “I’ve learned that listening, really listening, is one of the most healing things we can offer another person,” she explains. When she isn’t writing or transcribing, Christy finds pleasure and solace in the gentle rhythms of daily life: reading, gardening, baking, and taking quiet walks outdoors. Nature, she believes, offers the same grounding presence that language does. It’s a way to return to stillness and meaning.
One recording, in particular, reminded her why human transcribers remain irreplaceable. It was an emotionally charged interview, full of hesitation, pauses, and unspoken feelings. “An automated transcription tool might have missed those nuances completely,” she recalls, “but as a human listener, I could hear the emotion behind the words – the sighs, the moments of silence.”
For Christy, those small inflections carry weight. They convey what machines cannot grasp: empathy, understanding, and the subtle human signals that connect voice to emotion. To capture that with accuracy and respect is, for her, a privilege and one that reaffirms the enduring importance of human work in an increasingly automated world.
Of all the projects she has worked on, one stands out as especially meaningful. It was a research study on neurodivergent individuals and their daily experiences. Listening to participants speak about navigating a world not always built for them left a lasting impression. Being neurodivergent herself, Christy recognised in their voices the quiet resilience and grace that come from living differently. “It wasn’t just transcription,” she reflects, “it was witnessing.” That word, witnessing, captures her approach perfectly. She sees transcription as a form of respect, a way to ensure that voices are represented truthfully and with dignity.
Asked what makes a great transcriber or editor, Christy pauses before answering, almost as if considering each trait in turn. “Presence,” she says finally. “It’s not just about accuracy, it’s about being present enough to hear meaning beneath the surface.” To her, the best transcribers combine sharp attention with sensitivity. They honour not only the structure of a sentence but the emotion behind it. They know when to be exact and when to be gentle. And above all, they treat every recording as something worthy of care. It’s the belief that every word deserves to be handled with integrity, that defines her approach to the craft.
For Christy, working with Way With Words has felt like an alignment of values. The company’s dedication to human quality and authentic listening matches her own quiet philosophy. “Transcription allows me to combine focus, language, and empathy in a meaningful way,” she says. “It’s mindful work.” In a world that often rushes past the details, she finds purpose in slowing down, in hearing clearly, and in turning voice into something lasting.
Our Company – Way With Words
Way With Words provides accurate transcription, captioning, and speech data services to clients worldwide. Our global team of dedicated human transcribers ensures every project receives the care, context, and attention to detail it deserves.