Positive psychology coach and mentor Tamara Judge answers your questions on dyslexia coaching

What is dyslexia, and what are the signs I might be dyslexic?

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects how the brain processes language. It’s not just about jumbling letters, but also understanding and using spoken and written language. If you’re wondering whether you might be dyslexic, here are some signs to look out for…

You might read slowly, or with much effort, and struggle with spelling and organising your thoughts in writing, which can make your texts appear disorganised. Dyslexics often find it hard to follow sequences, which might show up as mixing up dates, or confusing steps in instructions. Oral language and short-term memory weaknesses can also be tricky; you might find yourself pausing to recall certain words, or frequently using fillers like ‘um’ or ‘thing’. Time management might be another challenge, often underestimating how long tasks will take. These difficulties persist over time, and if they sound familiar, considering an evaluation could be a helpful step.

What difficulties might someone with dyslexia experience?

While dyslexia primarily affects reading and writing, it can influence various aspects of life. Individuals often struggle with reading fluently, and comprehending what they read. Writing challenges include poor spelling, difficulty forming letters, and organising thoughts clearly on paper. Language processing can be troublesome, with problems in phonemic awareness and verbal expression leading to pauses or filler words. Dyslexics might also experience confusion with directions, and struggle with sequences and following multi-step instructions. Memory issues often manifest as difficulties in retaining new information, and juggling multiple tasks. Additionally, dyslexia can affect mathematical abilities, time management, and organisational skills.

These challenges can lead to frustration, anxiety, and low self-esteem. However, many people with dyslexia develop effective coping strategies, and excel in non-reading-based areas, demonstrating significant strengths alongside their challenges.

What does a dyslexia coach do?

As a dyslexia and positive psychology coach, I focus on helping people understand the incredible strengths and talents that often accompany dyslexia, in addition to addressing their daily challenges. I help clients set meaningful, achievable goals, and teach practical coping mechanisms, like mindfulness and gratitude exercises, to enhance wellbeing and resilience, and manage the stress, frustration, and anxiety, which can often accompany learning difficulties.

Personalised educational strategies that suit the unique learning styles of those with dyslexia – such as multisensory and creative approaches – may be offered. I help clients learn strategies to support their dyslexia, and build habits that allow them to flourish. Through feedback and reflective practices, we encourage a growth mindset, helping individuals thrive and envision a limitless future for themselves.

What are some strategies that can help manage dyslexia day-to-day?

  • Identify your individual strengths to boost confidence, and make the most of your natural talents.

  • Implement goal-setting, paired with visualisation techniques, to create a proactive, positive mindset.

  • Practise mindfulness and challenge negative thoughts to build resilience, manage stress, and enhance focus.

  • Integrate structured literacy instruction and assistive technology like text-to-speech tools to support independence in learning, and improve reading and comprehension.

  • Work on enhancing executive functions through coaching on time management, and building a bank of organisational tools or apps.

Coaching provides regular feedback to cultivate a growth mindset and continuous improvement. Dive into community engagement for peer support, and advocacy education for self-representation. This creates a holistic approach that tackles dyslexia’s challenges, and also enriches overall quality of life.

Read more about Tamara on the Life Coach Directory.

The British Dyslexia Assocation style guide was referenced when designing this article.