Overcoming dyslexia

With her background as a specialist dyslexia support tutor, Elizabeth offers a combined approach to dyslexia that can help resolve the following:

• Reading, spelling and writing difficulties

• Low self-esteem and lack of confidence

• Phobias related to reading or writing in front of others

• Examination anxiety and panic, including memory 'blank-outs'

• Organisational and time management problems

• Difficulties with concentration, attention and memorisation

Identifying dyslexia and providing specialist tuition can be helpful for many people but does not always deal with all the issues.  One of the barriers that people face in terms of learning difficulties such as dyslexia is a lack of self confidence due to negative experiences of the education system.  Dyslexia is not simply a case of an inherent difficulty as for some people the problems have been compounded by these early negative experiences.  This doesn’t mean that teachers are to blame as many of them were doing their best with the knowledge, resources and time they had available.  Nevertheless, people with dyslexia may have felt different and even inadequate because of their difficulties and this has consequences for some people.

People often debate whether dyslexia exists. There is extensive research into dyslexia and much of this appears convincing, particularly when it relates to brain scans and the use of other scientific methods.  However, for each argument that is made for the nature of dyslexia, a contrasting viewpoint is also provided.  The more research you explore, the more contradictory the data which simply shows that dyslexia is not a fixed entity but a changing and developing concept.  Official definitions are always changing and the dyslexia that 'existed' in the 1970's is very different from the dyslexia that 'exists' today.  In ten years time, dyslexia will probably have an 'existence' that we can't anticipate yet.  Is the research reflecting what dyslexia 'really is' or is it creating what dyslexia 'really is'?  Perhaps the main truth we need to acknowledge is that through no fault of their own, some people find it incredibly difficult to develop skills in certain areas.

Hypnosis can help get children or adults back to basics by priming the unconscious mind for developing the skills that led to the dyslexia in the first place.  All people with dyslexia are different; some may be good readers but find writing essays impossible whereas others may have developed good literacy skills but find they have a phobia of filling in a form in front of someone.  The spectrum of difficulties is huge and highly individual.  Specialist tuition can help people with dyslexia improve their learning and study skills. However, sometimes progression can be held back for some reason.  Often there are blocks to learning below the level of conscious control and this is  where hypnosis is effective.  It can help the person with dyslexia release their preconceptions about their difficulties and limitations. 

It is a fact that there are many celebrities with dyslexia who are high achievers, particularly in the art and entertainment industries.  Although it is true that many people with dyslexia are good problem solvers and visually creative, this is not to say that other skills cannot be learned.  For every reported difficulty associated with dyslexia there is at least one dyslexic person who has excelled in this skill.  For example, a fundamental difficulty for people with dyslexia is short-term memory yet Dominic O' Brien, seven times winner of the world memory championships, was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention deficit disorder as a child.

If you are going to achieve a desired outcome then you need to approach it in the right way and use the right tools for the job.  If the source of difficulties is within the unconscious mind then there is limited benefit in attempting to deal with it consciously.  This is the reason why the repetitive learning of reading and spelling does not enable everyone who has dyslexia to make progress.  It is like trying to open the back door with the front door key.  If feelings of failure and lack of self-belief are preventing learning progress then hypnotherapy can be helpful in opening the door to skills development.

Elizabeth provides hypnotherapy for dyslexia at Life Unlimited and is also a fully qualified dyslexia specialist with many years' experience of study skills tuition and diagnostic assessment for dyslexia.  If you are curious to find out if we can help with your goal, feel free to call us for an informal discussion. Elizabeth also offers NLP interventions, including a spelling strategy that is highly effective at removing these difficulties for many people with dyslexia.  These approaches are equally helpful for children or adults.  For some people, coaching is an appropriate intervention and an initial consultation can determine the best way forward for you as an individual.  Visit the About Us page to find out how to make an appointment or call us for a chat.

 A goal without a date is just a dream

Milton H Erickson