“A lack of clarity could put the brakes on any journey to success.” ~Steve Maraboli
“Having a neuro different brain doesn’t end the day you graduate from high school. You just get launched into a world that isn’t going to adapt to your neuro needs unless you can articulate what you need. Many people have little to no idea what they need to be a successful adult with a neuro difference. Maybe it is time to learn.” ~JoyGenea
It is time to look deeper under the hood of the terms and labels associated with the word DYSLEXIA or persons who are DYSLEXIC.
With the improvements in research on dyslexia comes new things to learn and additional clarity. That clarity is only valuable if we apply it. To add clarity to my conversations about neurodiversity, as it relates to dyslexia, here is a starting place to grow your knowledge.
Being an adult with dyslexia means you could also have any or all of the following:
- ADD
- ADHD
- Autism
- Anxiety
- Depression
Each of those has its own set of additional fun facts that present in adulthood. In the coming months I will create a fact sheet for each with a little “things to look for.” For now, I would recommend that you do a little web surfing about each of those terms to see if you might need to explore and learn more about a particular one.
Did you know that there is more than one type of dyslexia?
Types of Dyslexia:
- Phonological Dyslexia
- Rapid Naming Dyslexia
- Double Deficit Dyslexia
- Surface Dyslexia
- Visual Dyslexia
- Primary Dyslexia
- Secondary Dyslexia
- Acquired Dyslexia
They are still learning about dyslexics, and I believe this list will continue to grow as they add more categories and subcategories. As I continue to gather data, I will create a fact sheet for each of these categories with a little “what to know.” For the meantime, I would recommend that you do a little web surfing about each of those terms to see if you might need to explore and learn more about a particular one.
In the past people associated these things as being part of dyslexia. They have since determined that these are each separate things that are often associated with people who have been diagnosed with dyslexia.
Other Learning Difficulties Associated with Dyslexia:
- Left-right disorder
- Dysgraphia
- Dyscalculia
- Auditory processing disorder
I highly recommend that you take time to learn a little about each of those to see if you might also be dealing with that. If you have been diagnosed with any of these above items a deeper dive into the deals of that diagnosis would benefit you greatly.
Typically, right about here in talking with people they want to make sure that I am not leaving out the most diagnosed group of people. People between the ages of two and eighteen.
Signs and Actions ages 2 -18:
- Difficulty learning new words
- Delayed initial speech
- Difficulty with rhyming words
- Confusing letters for each other
- Poor reading fluency
- Grammar issues
- Poor sentence structure
- Lack of phonemic awareness
- Avoidance of reading aloud
- Difficulty copying words from a secondary source
Just a reminder to the adults with dyslexia, you can still have many or any of these signs and actions. You might want to review and see which ones of these are true for you as an adult and make a note of it for yourself. It will affect neurotypical people and you want to be able to talk about it openly and educate them on your differences without making anyone right or wrong.
This is really an important section to me and one that is not talked about enough. While this is actually just a start of a list of the gifts commonly seen in dyslexic persons, it is far from full and all-encompassing. So, if your gift isn’t listed it just means someone didn’t add it YET.
Common Strengths & Advantages of Dyslexic’s:
- Great at visual thinking-thinking in pictures
- Fast problem solvers
- Strong memory for stories
- Critical & Abstract thinkers
- Excellent trouble-shooters
- Intuitive-good at reading people
- Verbally articulate-great communicators
- Excellent puzzle-solving skills
- Creative designers, artists, actors, chefs
- Tremendous empathizers
- Think outside of the box
- Spatially talented-engineers, architects, designers, artists, physicists, physicians, surgeons, orthopedists, and dentists
If you identified any of the above items as, being you, take time to explore more about what that type of skill is and maybe you will find ways to support it, talk about it, and demonstrate the value it brings to your life and the lives of the people around us.
What I do as a coach?
What I do as a coach has four parts: Self-Awareness, Self-Advocacy, Personal Accountability, and Self-Determination. I focus and make a difference in these key areas.
Coaching for Adults with Dyslexia:
~Connecting to the right testing
~Know your brain:
Food, Water, Exercise, & Medications
~Mental Wellness:
– What if the situation just means things are different?
Anxiety, Depression, & Harmful coping skills
~Learning your Strengths
~Delegating your weaknesses
~Getting the right accommodations
~Accountability
~Understanding
~Creating a full toolbox of healthy supporting adapting processes
Who I can have the biggest impact on:
Young Adults
- Skills training to graduate college
- Life skills coaching
- Annual reviews and big picture goal planning
- Understanding their brain
Professionals
- Understanding their brains and strengths
- Skills to navigate work and advancement
- Weakness delegation training
International
- Connections to testing ~Create ways to maintain secrecy
- Understanding their brains and strengths
- Professional coaching items
Just a reminder:
Go and check out my short story on why labels and terms can be valuable.
Labels – Not Just Found In The Grocery Store and Neither Good Nor Bad – Solutions By JoyGenea
Being able to walk with people through this process of understanding themselves and achieving their goals is what my coaching is all about. I know that it can be a little overwhelming at times, I know that it can have some huge “ah-ha” moments and I know that it is life changing to really understand what you give back to the world.
Never stop exploring your value and if you need a little help relocating your value and direction, I am here to help.
Life is better when we work together.
JoyGenea Schumer
Business Owner, International Neurodiversity Coach and Speaker