40 years of living with Dyslexia with Matthew Head

There’s no Money in the NHS for Adult ADHD!These are the words which our guest, Sarah Templeton, heard for NHS GPs time and time again before having to go private to prove that she did in fact have ADHD!That diagnosis of ADHD then kicked off the diagnosis of other conditions for Sarah, such as Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia and sensory processing disorder! And all this in her 50’s!Looking back, Sarah shares with us that the turning point in her life was when the un-diagnosed ADHD and Dyscalculia changed the course of her education throughout her teenage years. Not having had accommodations for ADHD and Dyscalculia she failed her 12+ exam and missed the opportunity to go to Grammar School and spent her teenage years in a Secondary State School which could not support her gifts. Decades later, Sarah was shocked to find that the school system has not improved in screening children for these conditions which otherwise could change the course of their lives. Diven to make sure that others do not have to go through her experience, Sarah is a recognised specialist in neurodiversity awareness and a passionate advocate for screening for ADHD in the criminal justice system.Today, Sarah has over 9 years of experience in counselling, education, and community support. Sarah is the founder of ADHD LIBERTY - Charity, a non-profit organisation that provides free and confidential screening for ADHD and related conditions to adolescents and adults involved in the justice system.To add to all her amazing work in this field, Sarah has authored three best-selling books on parenting and teaching ADHD kids, and a frequent keynote speaker, court and media expert, and campaigner on neurodiversity issues. Working closely with the police, prisons, probation, youth offending services, and other agencies, Sarah ensures that each offender has their conditions identified and the correct support put in place to enable them to engage fully in education and employment. I believe that screening for ADHD can reduce reoffending, improve mental health, and unlock the potential of neurodiverse individuals.ADHD LIBERTYKey Topics: Finding out Sarah has ADHD and other neurodiversity in her 50’sImpact on non-diagnosis in her childhood,  Screening for ADHD and other neurodiversities in the CJS.-Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmes.For more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

This story starts when I turned 18 years old, it was 2002, I was riding a Honda - CB400 Super 4, mid-length hair, at College doing Automotive Engineering, and Dyslexia was not something I talked about.At this point in my life career advisors would push university on you. But I WAS DONE! I poured everything I had into my College course. And this is where I took my life in a Direction I didn't think I would (or could). I started working as a mechanic servicing Trucks for Volo and as time ticked by I lost interest and I wanted more for myself. I saw an amazing job opportunity to test engines to destruction, essentially BLOWING engines up! But the employer wanted an Engineering Degree. So that's what I did, but not before Imposter Syndrome hit. Feeling not capable and not in the right place.But I managed to complete the degree as a mature student and pursue my dream career, starting on a graduate scheme at age 30.But one thing that has stuck around since that start of this story is Dyslexia. It's not something I had talked about until I was well in to my 30's but I had never let it hold me back. I gave it all I had with all the grit and determination I could muster.In this episode, I share my story of my life with Dyslexia, going to college and university, and pursuing my dream career.Key Topics:Motorbikes,Going to college,Going to University as a mature Student Discovering my dream career -Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmes.For more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

What's the BIGGEST misconception about Dyslexia?People with Dyslexia can’t learn to read or write. Well in this episode of the Podcast, we hear from Kait Feriante from Chicago to share with us why she is on a mission to help everyone struggling with literacy realise their potential and grow confidence to achieve their dreams and aspirations.Growing up in Albania and travelling the world with her parents, Kait was exposed to a wide variety of different educational models from country to country. From this experience, she found that there are many routes to learning.Kait shares that she believes everyone thinks differently therefore everyone’s education, especially those who are neurodiverse, should have a tailored education to meet their way of learning.Kait shares that each teacher needs a big educational tool box to enable them to select the right tools to fit the situation of the student. Even in Dyslexia, there is no ‘one- size fits all’!Through her experience as a teacher and tutor, she witnessed firsthand the discrepancy between different socio-economic backgrounds. She saw that the better access you have to resources, the more support you will have and the more likely the student is to succeed.Not content with the inequality, Kait founded Redwood Literacy, with her partner, to see the evidence-based reading intervention they had seen change the course of many of their student’s lives become more widely available to any student who needed it, regardless of age, geographical location, or socio-economic background.At Redwood, they do this by using a 50/50 model, whereby 50% of their services fund the opportunity for 50% of Redwood’s students to receive services for free. As of January 2021, Redwood is serving 290 students, with 160 of them having access to our services for free.Key Topics:Learning to read and write with dyslexia.Tailoring education to each person's individual needs,Routes to Learning,Challenges with access to quality support dependant on socio-economic background.Find Kait at.Redwood LiteracyKait's LinkedIn-Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmes.For more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

When Emily Gee became that student at school who was left behind and forgotten, it was hard to see where she fitted into the world. Always having that sense at school that something wasn’t quite right when struggling with common challenges of dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Emily always found comfort and confidence in the performing arts. Being a talented performer, Emliy found her place in the world, and whilst she would always struggle with the challenges which come from dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia, performing not only brings her joy, but is also the area where she excels the most in. Surrounded by the right support and encouragement from some great teachers and her parents, Emily learnt to lean into her strengths in performing arts, share her talent with everyone, and not to overthink and dwell on what she found a challenge. The traditional school system would commonly ask students to stand up and read chapters of books and write on the blackboard (old school interactive white boards for those who didn’t go to school in the 1980s). But never do teachers ask students to stand up in front of the class and sing. In Emily’s experience, she had teachers which would celebrate her talents by welcoming her to sing at the front of class as opposed to reading. These early days of building confidence in your strengths as opposed to focusing on weaknesses are incredibly formative for most people with dyslexia. For Emily, with the support and encouragement she received, she studied performing arts at university and is now pursuing a career in that field. From Emily’s experience, support for dyslexia was plentiful. Most teachers are fully aware of the challenges people with dyslexia face, and how to support them. However, this was not (and still is not) the case for dyscalculia. Very little is known about dyscalculia, how to identify it at school, and to support people with dyscalculia. It is the reason and through Emily’s experience that she is an ambassador for the Dyscalculia Network. Emily is now on a mission to share her experience and help others get the support for dyscalculia that they need as early as possible. If you are a parent with a child who has early signs of either dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia, this episode is for you. https://dyscalculianetwork.com/dyscalculia-ambassador-emily-gee/https://dyscalculianetwork.com/Key Topics:Surviving school with Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, and Dyspraxia. Leaning into her strengths through encouragement. Sharing experience to spread awareness. -Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmes.For more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

When a life changing moment spawned a desire to understand herself more and figure out why she struggled with spelling and reading, our guest in this episode, Usha Patel, put aside all her years of training and experience as an Architect, and retrained as a Neurocognitive Therapist. After setting up her own therapy practice in London in 2008, Usha has helped countless children and parents with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD. Because everyone is different and each brain works differently, Usha introduces unique and bespoke solutions for each child.In Usha’s therapy sessions, she discovers how each child learns through the process of play. Using play as an ice breaker and a way to connect with children on their level, Usha gains their trust and finds a much deeper understanding of how their brain works.One method which is not widely used in the UK but has found much success with Usha is the Infinity walk Method. Developed in the 1980s by clinical psychologist Deborah Sunbeck. Infinity Walk is a therapeutic method for progressively developing coordination. It strives to improve the sensorimotor functioning of those who practise it. If you are a parent of a child with Dyslexia or ADHD, this episode is for you! Find Usha At:WebsiteCase StudiesKey Topics:What is Neurocognitive Therapy,How Neurocognitive Therapy could help you or your child,The Infinity Walk method, Reading techniques, andDyslexic challenges in the workplace.-Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmes.For more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

What is it like working in the government? What is it like working in the front bench of the government? What is it like leading a major government department through a deadly pandemic? What is it like doing all that, with Dyslexia? Well, that was the job of the well known and proud dyslexic, Matt Hancock.Most people in the UK will know Matt Hancock as the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and he became a very familiar face during the COVID -19 pandemic.What most people may not know is that Matt Hancock is a very proud dyslexic person. In this episode of the podcast, Matt tells us about how his dyslexic strengths helped him to reach a senior level in government, in particular, Big Picture thinking, and Communication.Now as a backbencher in government, Matt remains a big advocate for the dyslexic community and ensures that their needs are being heard by the very top, through the introduction of the “Dyslexia Screening and Teacher Training Bill” to parliament.In this episode you will hear what led to Matt receiving a late diagnosis of dyslexia at the age of 18, while studying at Oxford University and the help that he then experienced which in turn, has supported him throughout his life.Recorded in person at The Dyslexia Show 2024 on 15th March 2024. Find Matt at:WebsiteAccessible Learning FoundationKey Topics:What is it like working in UK Politics as someone with dyslexia?UK GovernmentCOVID -19  The Dyslexia Screening and Teacher Training BillThe formation of the Accessible Learning Foundation-Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmesFor more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

Do you find that, because of your dyslexia, you are interested in loads of different things which seemingly don't go together!? Our host is an Automotive Engineer turned Dyslexic Podcaster, not an obvious link.Well, this is the theme of this podcast.This is a truly amazing life story of navigating dyslexia, travelling around Europe, writing, teaching and Eating Psychology Coaching! In this episode we meet an amazing person, Kathy Elkind! Kathy has lived a full and exciting life all while navigating the challenges of dyslexia.I think you can agree that, on the face of it, writing a book, planning for a 3 month expedition around Europe, training to be a coach and coaching people in Eating Psychology, and teaching don’t all naturally link together. But when you throw a Dyslexic mind into that mix. Suddenly it starts to make sense.Kathy's story demonstrates how many dyslexic people are multi-interests people. Not only that, when we find something we’re passionate about we go ALL IN! However, people with dyslexia can often feel guilty for having multiple interests which don't seem to marry together. When you listen to this episode you will feel inspired and empowered to keep up with all of your interests.Kathy’s Book “To Walk it is to See it”Key Topics:What is an Eating Psychology Coach?Teacher’s approach to Dyslexia through the decades,Taking an Adult Gap Year to go Travelling,How to support children with dyslexia or suspected dyslexia, Writing a book,Discovering ways to feel positive about your dyslexia!-Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmesFor more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

When Nathan was diagnosed with dyslexia at 35, he couldn’t believe that this is what he had battelling with all through school and university and then in the workplace. And then finally with the diagnosis of dyslexia was able to access the support needed to thrive in work. Later, Nathan set-up as a coach to help others with neurodiveristies like dyslexia and ADHD so that they too can thrive in the workplace.In this episode of the podcast, Nathan shares with Matthew Head his journey with Dyslexia and gives insights of techniques he uses with his coaching clients to help them find solutions on their own. Nathan is a coach, trainer and facilitator who has been focusing on 'neurodiversity in the workplace' since 2015. Nathan supports teams and individuals to help them amplify their strengths and manage the things they find difficult.Nathan has worked across the technology, engineering, commercial and non-profit sectors in leadership roles. In addition to Nathan's experience in the workplace, he also has personal experience within the family of neurodiversity, shaping his innovative approach to supporting individuals and teams to be their most effective.Nathan is accredited with the British Dyslexia Association as a workplace needs assessor, in addition to holding qualifications in coaching from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) and the international coaching federation (ICF).Key Topics:Coaching,Finding you have Dyslexia later in life,Dyslexia, ADHD and Autism.Find Nathan at:LinkedInWebsite-Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmesFor more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

What is Dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics. It will be unexpected in relation to age, level of education and experience and occurs across all ages and abilities. (BDA Guidance on Dyscalculia) In this episode of the podcast, Matt Head speaks with the founder of the Dyslexia Show, Arran Smith ahead of the 2024 event which brings Dyscalculia into the show to help raise awareness and help people find the support they need in this area of neurodiversity not often discussed. March 3rd 2024 is Dyscalculia Awareness Day so it makes sense to raise awareness about it on this podcast this week.The Dyslexia Show, the foremost exhibition in the UK devoted to dyslexia and neurodiversity, aims primarily to empower and provide understanding to those affected by dyslexia and neurodiversity. It endeavours to cultivate a more profound insight into the diverse ways in which education, parents, the workplace, and individuals themselves can extend support and awareness.Arran shared with us how the Dyslexia Show Started and how it’s growing and the aspirations of the Dyslexia Show in years to come.This is Arran’s third appearance on the podcast. If you want to listen to more from Arran then you can listen to Episode 17 and 45!Key Topics:Dyslexia ShowDyscalculia ShowFind Arran, Dyslexia Show and Dyscalculia Show atArran's LinkedInDyslexia ShowDyscalculia ShowKeywords:Dyslexia, Dyslexic, Dyslexia Show, Dyscalculia -Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmesFor more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

It's a topic not often talked about, the pressure  fathers feel to be both successful at work or as an entrepreneur AND be a great dad. For fathers, it can often feel like you get pulled in opposite directions by others but also by themselves to want to be a great dad and a successful career.Historically, fathers have been the bread winners whose role it is to financially support their family by bringing in a secure income to protect the family. Today it is also common that fathers should (and want to) be more involved at home with the children.This can often be a conflict between the two and often feel like as you succeed in one area you start to fail in the other.In this week's episode, our host, Matthew Head is joined by entrepreneur and coach Lee Eldridge who specialises in coach Dads who wants to balance work and being a Dad better. Lee discovered he was Dyslexic at University in his 20’s and today he believes that his unique dyslexic strengths makes him the effective coach he is today.Lee wants to help dads that struggle to focus and have a lack of energy to be able to engage with their children and become better leaders!Key Topics:Discovering have dyslexia in your 20’s,Being a natural coach because of dyslexic strengths,Sports coaching,Being a dad whilst juggling having a successful career.Find Lee at:Thriving Business DadYouTube ChannelLinkedIn-Proudly sponsored by neurobox. Working together with organisations and employees neurobox  builds neuroinclusive workplaces. They do this by creating awareness, improving wellbeing, and breaking down barriers through their tailored end-to-end support programmesFor more hacks tip and tricks for dyslexia and full show notes please visit Dyslexia Life Hacks.Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter