Regarding the discussion of Dennett and doubters, I am at a complete loss at how anyone could seriously think consciousness is an illusion in any meaningful sense when we know, for example, that very rarely fully anesthetized patients under general surgery wake in the middle of surgery completely unable to engage in any behavior whatsoever but nonetheless fully aware of the pain and their inability to move or speak. Not only is the experience a living hell I hear victims of it are often emotionally scarred long term. It's incoherent to me to label what is waking up in a case like this just some sort of an "illusion."
Heyho, although feeling slightly out of place in presuming to be in the position to make a suggestion regarding whom you could talk to, especially since you are very busy rn, I want to bring to your attention, at least for the duration of you reading this, and therefore thusly prime you with the name (of), Iain McGilchrist, who has very curious things to say about the role of the respective brain hemispheres in our experiences. Speaking egoistically, I would very much enjoy such a conversation, but further I believe, that this could be mutually enjoyable, if not downright beneficial between the two of you. Regards