Back in the 1990’s dyslexia was not seen in the same way it is today! A lot has changed in the past 30 years (outside dial up internet, mobile phones, wide screen TVs, DVD’s, and interesting haircuts) the way dyslexia is seen in schools and workplace has changed significantly. But there is still more to do! This episode’s guest Donna Stevenson tells us how, today companies want to learn more about dyslexia and other neurodiversities and even appoint more into roles within their organisation. Don...
Jan 31, 2024•52 min•Ep. 71
In this episode, we step beyond dyslexia and dive into the psychology of humans and how we’re born with characteristics and how experiences shape how we approach life. You will remember that we spoke with Lee Povey in episode 58 as Lee discussed with host Matthew Head; Men's Mental Health, Dyslexia, Athletics, and the Journey to Self-Acceptance. In this episode, we discuss coaching and human psychology and how that shapes who we are and how we respond to situations. When you layer dyslexia over ...
Jan 17, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 70
Technology which helps many dyslexic people throughout the world started life in a place you might not expect! In this episode we meet the CEO and founder of texthelp whose aim is to help everyone to understand and be understood! texthelp creates assistive technologies software to help people with dyslexia in many computer applications. A life of assistive technology started out with Martin writing code to help his father communicate after suffering a stroke leaving him unable to talk. Today Mar...
Jan 03, 2024•55 min•Ep. 69
Last Episode of 2023! To finish off this incredible year full of amazing insights from equally amazing guests, we’re changing from our usual format for a one-off episode with our host Matthew Head answering some of your burning questions! Join Matthew for a coffee (tea or other hot beverages also allowed) to discuss Matthew’s thoughts in an unscripted Q&A session! Hear Matthew’s thoughts on hiring and retaining dyslexic people in the workplace, what dyslexic strengths Matthew has and uses in...
Dec 20, 2023•40 min•Ep. 68
Have you ever found yourself masking your dyslexia so much that you stop being You!? In this episode we catch up with past guest on the show, Kirsty Heap, as we find out how Kirsty has got on leaving her corporate job and going full time self-employed, and what's that like for someone who is Dyslexic! Kirsty shares that, in her corporate job which she worked in for years and reached a very senior level, she never felt like she was able to be herself and found that the constant masking and hiding...
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 67
1,500! That’s the number of micro-traumas neurodivergent people experience just at primary school age (5yrs - 12yrs). This includes things like saying; “you’re not trying”, “you’re lazy”, “you don’t work hard. You need to work harder!”. When we hear words like this what is actually being heard is “you’re not good enough” “you’re not worthy”, “you’re not enough”. It’s an attack on your personhood. In this episode, our host Matt Head is joined by Devon Lowndes, Co-founder and Director of ‘Self Age...
Nov 22, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 66
At school, Matt Bird was placed in remedial English classes and left school education believing he was stupid. It wasn't until he was in his 20's when his mum suggested he may be dyslexic and should get tested. This was the first time Matt had even heard of the word 'Dyslexia' but the description started to make sense of the challenges he had faced when he was at school. Since leaving school, with a little nudge from his friends, he started his book writing career and he has now authored 20 book...
Nov 08, 2023•49 min•Ep. 65
Of course, we all know the common challenges of dyslexia in reading and writing, but few know how people with dyslexia can improve their reading and writing skills, and even excel neurotypical people in these two areas. Few know more about helping dyslexic people in this area than our guest for this episode Russell Van Brocklen. Russell is the founder of Dyslexia Classes, an ed-tech startup focused on teaching-learning different students (especially students with Dyslexia) how best to overcome c...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 64
Training in a competitive sport in any arena requires dedication, commitment, sacrifice and a lot of hard work. To reach the peak of your sport to compete in the olympics is an achievement not obtained by many. It is hard enough for anyone from most backgrounds to achieve. When a neurodiversity is thrown into the mix, it makes that achievement all the more impressive. No other success story compares to this episode’s guest, Olympic Rower for Team GB Caragh McMurtry. Starting out rowing from a yo...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 63
Starting her primary education in Ghana in west africa, this episode’s guest Elizabeth Takyi was penalised in the class room for poor spelling and ready by the use of the cane. This traumatic experience with education gave Elizabeth the feeling that ‘this is just the way it is. I must be stupid’. Moving to the UK for secondary education, Elizabeth became more disassociated with education and would regularly be ‘naughty’ and bunk off school. It wasn’t until leaving an abusive relationship and, in...
Oct 04, 2023•41 min•Ep. 62
One really under appreciated dyslexic strength is the ability to absorb information quickly and explain complex topics in a way that is engaging and easy to understand! It is the very specific dyslexia skill set which propelled our guest in this episode, Stephen Martin, to become a highly successful entrepreneur. Growing up in New Zealand, where the school system did not recognise dyslexia, Stephen's dyslexia wasn't picked up until his family moved to Saudi Arabia and continued his education in ...
Sep 27, 2023•52 min•Ep. 61
Ever wondered how dyslexia is seen in different cultures and other countries? Do all countries assess dyslexia in the same way? Well.. in this episode, our guest, Dr Martin Bloomfiled reveals the answer to these questions, and it's not what you might think! Martin breaks the mould of what many might consider ‘dyslexic’. Like most children with dyslexia, Martin was branded ‘lazy’ and ‘class clown’ by his teachers. Now, having achieved a Doctorate in Philosophy, and being an active advocate for pe...
Sep 13, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 60
Sometimes, providing support to people with dyslexia can be indirect. What does this mean…? Well, in this episode Matthew is joined by Mark Woodward from neurobox as he explains why the trend today is to support, coach and train those middle managers of organisations to equip them with the skills, knowledge, and understanding of what leading people with neurodiversity, such as dyslexia, looks like. When leading people with a neurodiversity, such as dyslexia, it is more than just understanding th...
Aug 30, 2023•55 min•Ep. 59
Having coached many of the fastest athletes to ever sit on a bike, our guest today Lee Povey built a reputation of being the best track cycling coach in the world. Imagine finding out at 50 years old you have dyslexia! Well, that is exactly what happened to Lee In this episode Lee shares his amazing story of how, growing up, he always excelled in areas such as Maths and Science but struggled to articulate that into written words. Having always suspected that there was something underlying to thi...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 58
Welcome to the latest episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show! In this episode Matt engages in a discussion with Edward Sabbagh the walk through journey through Edward's life in Brooklyn, his struggle with undiagnosed dyslexia, and turning it around to graduate college a year early. Edward takes us through his formative years in Brooklyn. Starting off in a Jewish school without knowing about his dyslexia, he shares the immense challenges he faced, leading to a pivotal decision to transition to a...
Aug 02, 2023•37 min•Ep. 57
In this episode, host Matt sits down with Steve Parke, the founder of ParkeCore personal training. Parkecore aims to provide support and accountability for everyone's fitness goals, believing that accessibility is key. Join Matt and Steve as they dive into Steve's personal journey, discussing his upbringing, experiences with teasing, and the impact of dyslexia on his life. Steve reflects on his upbringing in Leicester as a child of parents from the Windrush generation. He bravely shares the expe...
Jul 19, 2023•56 min•Ep. 56
Welcome to another episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show. In this edition, host Matt engages in a fascinating conversation with Jo Rees, founder of Another Way Round Dyslexia Support . With a 22-year career as a primary school teacher and extensive experience as a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), Jo now dedicates her efforts to providing support for parents and adults. Tune in as she shares her personal journey, including the revelation of her own dyslexia, and discover how she b...
Jul 05, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 55
Welcome to another episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show. In this episode, Matt sits down with Richard Purcell, the founder of CareScribe , a renowned assistive technology company based in the UK. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of CareScribe's innovative products, Caption.ed and Talk Type, designed to empower dyslexic individuals in their studies and professional pursuits. In this episode, Matt engages in an enlightening conversation with Richard Purcell, the founder of CareScr...
Jun 21, 2023•54 min•Ep. 54
Welcome to Episode 53 of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show! In this episode, our host Matt engages in an enlightening conversation with Paul Daniels Jr., the founder of Peripheral Thinkers . Paul is a seasoned advisor to Fortune 500 companies and boasts an impressive track record of generating significant revenue throughout his career. Paul shares his personal story, starting from his school days in Texas and his transition into studying business at university. Despite initially pursuing advertising,...
Jun 07, 2023•59 min•Ep. 53
Welcome to another episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show! In today's conversation, Matt sits down with Danielle Cudjoe-Michalski, founder of Thinking Light Coach . Danielle is not only an Associate Director Project Manager Vaccine at GSK but also a proud co-founder of the GSK Neurodiversity network. Join Matt and Danielle as they delve into her personal journey, discussing the challenges she faced during her degree studies and how managing dyslexia at the time influenced her choice of study. T...
May 24, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 52
In this episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show, Matt talks to Dr. Brock Eide, co-author of the book, The Dyslexic Advantage , about the unique brain structures and strengths associated with dyslexia. Matt introduces Dr. Brock Eide, a neuro-learning expert, and co-author of The Dyslexic Advantage. They discuss Dr. Eide's background in medicine and his interest in dyslexia. Dr. Eide shares his first experience with dyslexia and how it affected his family. He talks about his children's experiences...
May 10, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 51
Welcome to episode 50 of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show! In this special episode, host Matt is joined by his old friend Richard Elliott Kirk, who appeared on the first two episodes of the podcast. As they catch up, they discuss how the podcast has grown since its launch in July 2021 and some of the highlights from previous episodes. Matt and Richard reminisce about their friendship that has lasted over 25 years, including Matt's role as one of the best men at Richard's wedding. They also share the...
Apr 26, 2023•57 min•Ep. 50
Introduction: Welcome back to the Dyslexia Life Hacks Show! In this episode, Matt is joined by civil engineer and podcast host Michael Fisher. Michael shares his journey of discovering he was dyslexic at six years old and struggling to receive the right support. We discuss the challenges of finding the right support and fitting in with peers while dealing with dyslexia. Michael's Dyslexia Journey: Michael talks about his experience of being taken out of his current school and put into a speciali...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 49
Welcome to The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show with host Matthew Head. In this episode, Matt speaks with Dr. Chris Arnold, founder of Dyversity Lab , a global network of people who naturally think differently. Dr. Arnold shares his dyslexia story and how his experiences have shaped his career in advertising and leadership style. He discusses the challenges he faced in school and how his dyslexia has influenced the way he thinks and approaches problem-solving. Chris delves into the topic of dyslexia in ...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 48
In this episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show, Matt is talking too Arun Iyer, a specialist occupational health advisor. Arun works for Health Partners Group and has extensive experience working with people with dyslexia. He's here to discuss how occupational health assessments can help people with dyslexia in the workplace. Background: Arun shares his background and how he became an occupational health advisor. He also talks about his experience working with people with dyslexia and the challe...
Mar 15, 2023•40 min•Ep. 47
In this episode of the Dyslexia Life Hacks Show, Matt is talking to Alanah Herron who is a talent acquisition specialist for Car Trawler . During this podcast Matt and Alanah talk at length about the Irish education system in and what it’s like to be educated in that country. They talk about her career in HR starting at H&M, where they didn’t use email. Then to working for Ralph Lauren, and now at Car Trawler. Alanah went through quite a lot of career growth as well as her personal growth wi...
Mar 01, 2023•59 min•Ep. 46
In this episode of the Dyslexia Life Hacks show matt is talking to Arron Smith. He is the founder of the Dyslexia Show and a dyslexic entrepreneur. Aaron has previously been on the podcast, and you can find out more about his backstory and the setting up of the Dyslexia Showing in episode 17 . The dyslexia show is a live event happening in the NEC in Birmingham on the 24th and 25th of March 2023. There is a range of exhibitors and speakers, split across various sections including education, pare...
Feb 23, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 45
In this episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show, Matt is talking to Carol and Alana Blumenstein from KidsRead2Kids . KidsRead2Kids offers audiobooks, as well as other study resources which are read aloud by teenage children. This is to provide role models for young children when it comes to reading there is also video content along with the audio. They have won a parents choice award. Carol is the mum to 5 neurodiverse children ranging in age from 17 to 25. She spent most of her early life unawa...
Feb 15, 2023•54 min•Ep. 44
In this episode of The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show, Matt is talking to Ekua Cant. She is a career coach and author of Be Your No.1 Cheerleader. In this podcast they talk about Ekua dyslexia and dyscalculia and its effect during her education. She had a career with the civil service where she had to learn how to write in a different way to watch, used to which she took on as a challenge as she enjoys long words however, her grammar is not her strong suit. She Started as a Personal Assistant, and lef...
Feb 01, 2023•50 min•Ep. 43
The podcast getting to know the people behind the word dyslexia. Are you limiting your potential because you feel you can not achieve as much because your dyslexic? Do you care for someone who has dyslexia and would like to understand it better? Famous dyslexics like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson can feel intimidating when along way for when working day to day with dyslexia, that is where the host Matt found himself. Having worked manual job in his 20s, as he let his self perception limit him. ...
Jan 21, 2023•2 min
