Understanding and Managing Dyslexia: Counselling Support Strategies for Clients and Practitioners
Updated: 5 days ago
Dyslexia: Beyond the Surface
Dyslexia can profoundly influence all aspects of an individual's life, including reading, writing, memory retention, analytical thinking, communication, confidence, esteem, and self-perception. In a counselling context, the ramifications of dyslexia often lie just beneath the surface and run deep, affecting a client's emotional, psychological well-being and sense of self. Clients may not explicitly express their struggles by stating, “I have difficulty with literacy,” “I am dyslexic,” or “I feel anxious about paperwork.” They might also refrain from admitting, “I avoid reading aloud or in public.” However, these unspoken challenges can conceal a wealth of emotions and experiences that may warrant and benefit from supportive exploration.
Understanding the deeper implications of dyslexia is crucial for counsellors, as it enables them to facilitate meaningful conversations and uncover the underlying issues that affect a client's life. By addressing these hidden struggles, we can foster a more supportive environment that promotes healing and self-acceptance.
This is a personal blog/vlog as I share that I proudly identify as a diagnosed dyslexic person, yet this wasn't always the case. I was formally diagnosed with dyslexia in my mid-forties. I struggled, avoided, masked and joked to deflect from my painful reality. In education, I was often written off and sidelined, in social settings, I was often misunderstood and isolated, in professional settings, I was overlooked, disbelieved, undermined, and often neglected. I've even been told on numerous occasions, "You are not dyslexic, you can't be, you are one of the smartest, eloquent and intelligent people I know". Such comments, whilst maybe well-intended, are more often than not based upon ignorance, lack of awareness, direct and indirect, intentional and unintentional discrimination, forces that, unfortunately, are alive and well within our so-called 'modern and fair society'.
To this day, one of my biggest fears is going on a date or out with friends and being presented with a restaurant menu (with often no context to the words - just lists and lists of ingredience), and having to choose a meal with dyslexic social and reading pressures added to personal and planning preferences, within finance and table availability limits, all whilst under the time constraints of others social interaction needs and the waiter returning expecting clear recall of choices, delivered in a coherent order; nightmare! I recall a time when I would only ever order food from the menu that I could read, yet my taste buds yearned for much, much more! Any dish with ingredients I couldn't read would usually mean it was not an option. Dyslexic tricks, such as asking others, "What are you having?" In the hope that they would point to something and read it out. This would often seal the duplicate order, even though it was not my preference or desired dish. Equally, giving your full concentration to a menu is, of course, not the social or engaging thing to do as a group sits down to celebrate an event, yet most wouldn't notice the fear and time needed for a dyslexic person to decipher and navigate such a complex and pressurising situation.
This blog aims to help address some of these issues and empower an evidence-informed, strengths-based, and continuous developmental approach towards emotional healing, personal development, and long-term self-acceptance.
For counsellors, understanding dyslexia is not about becoming a formal assessor. It is about recognising how literacy, memory, processing speed, and shame can affect the therapeutic relationship. For clients, it can be a relief to understand that dyslexia is not a lack of intelligence, effort, or motivation, but a difference and diversity that can be supported, encouraged, and held with acknowledgement, acceptance and pride.
This post offers an overview of dyslexia, how it can affect daily life, and how counselling can be adapted with empathy, support, resources and care. It also includes the Time2Talk text-friendly dyslexia screening tool, designed for quick use with adult clients in mind.
More than just difficulties with reading and spelling
Definition:
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that primarily affects an individual's ability to read, spell, write, sequence, recall and process information. It is characterised by difficulties with phonological processing, the brain’s ability to recognise, interpret, and manipulate the sound and structure of language. Individuals with dyslexia often experience challenges with working memory (holding information in their heads whilst using it), sequencing (ordering ideas), recall (pulling from memory), organisation (multiple pieces of information), and the speed at which they process information.
Dyslexia is primarily a phonological‑processing difference linked to under‑activation in specific left‑hemisphere reading circuits, and is not a conflict between the two hemispheres, as previously (1970-1990) considered.
Diagnostic Criteria in the DSM-5
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), dyslexia is classified under the category of Specific Learning Disorder with impairment in reading. The diagnostic criteria include:
Persistent difficulties in reading that are characterised by inaccurate or slow and effortful word reading and difficulties with reading and comprehension (understanding the meaning of information).
These difficulties are typically evident during formal schooling and can impact academic achievement and daily living activities.
The difficulties are not due to other intellectual disability, visual or auditory impairments, or other mental or neurological conditions.
Prevalence Rates
Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities across the lifespan, affecting roughly 5% to 15% of children and adults, depending on diagnostic criteria and population studied,
Dyslexia is a lifelong disability. A person does not “grow out of it,” although many people develop strong coping strategies. Some people receive a diagnosis at school. Others reach adulthood without ever being assessed, especially if they mask, hide, or are embarrassed by their difficulties, avoid certain tasks, or are wrongly labelled as lazy, careless, slow, or 'needs to focus'.
Common signs of dyslexia:
Reading more slowly than expected
Losing your place on a page
Needing to re-read information several times
Difficulty spelling, even familiar words
Mixing up letters, words, or sequences
Avoids reading in public
Struggling with forms, emails, or instructions, especially in written form
Finds note-taking stressful
Difficulty remembering sequences, such as days, months, or directions
Confusion between your left and your right
Feeling tired after reading or writing tasks—prolonged exposure can cause headaches, migraines, overwhelm, and/or burnout.
Dyslexia looks different from person to person. Some people read well but struggle with spelling. Some write clearly but need more time. Some are very articulate in conversation yet find written communication exhausting. One size or label doesnt fit all.
Dyslexia is not a measure of intelligence! Many dyslexic people are highly, creative, thoughtful, verbal, practical, intuitive, and highly skilled in areas that do not depend on fast reading, spelling, writing, or recall.
Daily life can become more stressful than it looks
For many, dyslexia is most painful when it is misunderstood. The practical challenges matter, but the emotional impact often runs much deeper.
A client may have spent years trying to hide or manage their struggles. They may avoid job applications, training courses, written exercises, text messages, appointment letters, restaurant menus, online forms, games and social spaces where reading, writing or spelling might be expected. Even simple tasks can carry a history of embarrassment. Board games, for example, often require such skills, from reading chance cards to game rules or interpreting written instructions quickly enough to keep the game flowing. Many games also demand rapid word retrieval, sequencing, and working memory/recall — all areas that can be challenging and exposing for individuals with dyslexia, making what should be a fun social activity unexpectedly draining, effortful, even overwhelming and isolating.
In daily life, dyslexia can affect:
Area of life | Possible impact |
Work | Slow reading, difficulty with written instructions, anxiety about emails, reports, and presentations |
Education | Stress with essays, exams, note-taking, or timed tasks |
Relationships | Misunderstandings around messages, forgetting plans, avoiding paperwork, or organisation tasks |
Health care | Difficulty accessing, reading or comprehending general health information, letters, forms, or following written information |
Finances | Stress with bills, banking forms, budgeting apps, or official documents |
Self-esteem | Feeling “behind,” ashamed, anxious, or judged. Impacting social inclusion |
Involvement / Isolation | Avoiding or missing feedback opportunities. Updates and feedback are often provided and requested in writing, which creates accessibility barriers. |
Some clients may present with anxiety, low mood, anger, frustration, avoidance, perfectionism, overwhelm, or burnout, and while dyslexia may not be the sole cause, it can be a meaningful part of the wider picture. Difficulties with reading, processing information, or keeping up with demands can create chronic stress, erode confidence, and contribute to emotional strain, so dyslexia often interacts with — rather than independently produces — these experiences.
A person who has repeatedly been criticised for spelling, lateness, missed details, or unfinished forms may start to believe they are careless, disorganised, or simply “not good enough.” Over time, these experiences can shape a negative self‑story that feels deeply personal, even though the underlying difficulties may stem from dyslexia rather than character flaws. Counselling offers a space to gently separate the person from the challenges — to externalise the patterns, understand their origins, and recognise the strengths that have been overshadowed. This shift can be profoundly powerful, allowing clients to reclaim a more accurate and compassionate sense of themselves.
Counselling works best when it removes unnecessary barriers
Good dyslexia-aware counselling does not require a completely different model of therapy. It requires flexibility, curiosity, and respect. The aim is to make the counselling process easier to access without making assumptions about the client’s ability.
To ask rather than assume
Some clients will already know they are dyslexic. Others may suspect it. Some may feel embarrassed or defensive. A gentle question can help open the door.
Useful prompts may include:
“Would it help if we talked through this rather than writing it down?”
“How do you find written information, forms, reading and spelling?”
“Do you prefer reminders by text, email, verbally, or another format?”
“Has reading, spelling, or paperwork ever been stressful for you?”
These questions are practical and non-judgemental. They also show the client that literacy difficulties are safe to discuss within the counselling space.
Offering information in more than one format
Counsellors often use forms, diaries, worksheets, handouts, websites, blogs, written goals, and between-session tasks. For a dyslexic client, these can be helpful and/or overwhelming, depending on how they are offered.
Supportive alternatives may include:
Reading forms aloud if the client wants or benefits from this
Offering larger text with clear fonts and spacing
Using plain English
Avoiding long blocks of text
Using bullet points for exercises
Sending brief summaries after sessions
Offering audio files or voice memos where appropriate
Promoting and encouraging verbal instead of written feedback
Giving extra time to read or complete written material
Making blogs and websites available in audio files (vlogs) so clients can listen and or read
Check contract understanding and comprehension, including verbal contracting where applicable.
Where possible, ask the client what helps. One person may love diagrams. Another may prefer spoken recaps. Another may use text-to-speech, coloured overlays, or dictation tools.
Slowing the pace when processing is under pressure
Some dyslexic clients need more time to process questions/information, especially if they feel anxious. Silence can feel uncomfortable, but it may be useful. A counsellor can say, “Take your time,” and mean it!
Checking understanding also matters. This should not feel like a test. It can be collaborative:
“Would it help if I said that another way?”
“How did that land with you?”
“Shall we pause and put this into different words that have meaning for us?”
“What feels useful to take from today?”
What is your current understanding of X? Making for a more collaborative and tentative engagement.
These can help reduce shame and increase trust.
Empathy is central to dyslexia-informed counselling
Empathy is more than being kind and respectful. In this context, it means understanding how repeated literacy stress can affect identity, confidence, and safety within the client and within the therapeutic relationship.
Some adults with dyslexia have been laughed at or put down for reading aloud. Some have avoided promotion because of written tasks. Some have been told they are not trying hard enough, not focusing or applying themselves fully. Others have become skilled at hiding the difficulties, which can be exhausting.
Counselling can help clients explore:
The emotional impact of past educational experiences
Shame linked to spelling, reading, paperwork or recall/processing
Anxiety around written communication
Avoidance patterns that once protected them
Strengths that may have been overlooked
Self-advocacy at work, in education, or in relationships and socially
Dyslexia can present challenges, but clients are not defined by them. Here, a strengths‑based approach can be especially helpful. Many dyslexic people develop exceptional problem‑solving abilities, creativity, verbal reasoning, persistence, visual thinking, and deep empathy for others who struggle. These strengths often emerge precisely because they have had to navigate environments that weren’t designed for them. For practitioners, the task is to hold both truths at once: dyslexia can be hard, and dyslexic clients can be capable, resourceful, and remarkably resilient too.
Why dyslexia might be over‑represented among successful entrepreneurs
Research suggests several traits associated with dyslexia can become advantages in certain environments:
Strong problem‑solving and visual thinking, or pattern recognition
High resilience (from years of compensating for reading/writing challenges)
Creativity and unconventional thinking
Ability to see patterns or systems holistically
Delegation and team‑building skills (out of necessity)
These traits align well with entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership. Logan, J. (2009)
The Time2Talk text-friendly dyslexia screening questions
The following screening tool is adapted from the Adult Reading History Questionnaire (ARHQ) and the British Dyslexia Association indicators. It is designed for quick, text-based use with adult clients.
This is a screening tool only. It is not a diagnostic assessment. A formal diagnosis should be completed by a qualified educational psychologist or a suitably qualified dyslexia specialist.
Clients can respond with `Yes`, `No`, or a brief comment.
Number | Screening question |
1 | Did you struggle with reading or spelling in school or when you were younger? |
2 | Do you read more slowly than others your age? |
3 | Do you avoid reading aloud? |
4 | Do you find spelling difficult, even for common words? |
5 | Do you mix up letters or the order of letters or words when writing? |
6 | Do you struggle to remember sequences like days, months, or your left from your right? |
7 | Do you lose your place when reading, or do you need to re-read things several times? |
8 | Do you find note-taking or copying information difficult or stressful? |
9 | Do you rely on technology, such as spell check, voice notes, or AI, to help you? |
10 | Has anyone, including yourself, ever suggested that you might have dyslexia? |
Scoring guide
Number of `Yes` answers | Screening result |
0 to 3 | Low likelihood |
4 to 6 | Moderate likelihood |
7 to 10 | High likelihood |
A moderate or high score does not confirm dyslexia. It suggests that further assessment or referral may be helpful, especially if the client feels these difficulties affect daily life, work, study, and or emotional well-being.
Notes for practitioners
This tool is suitable for adult clients and works well in text-based communication. It provides a quick, structured way to identify literacy-related difficulties and can inform whether further assessment or referral is appropriate.
When using the tool, introduce it gently. For example:
“Some people find that reading, spelling, memory, or sequencing difficulties have affected their confidence. These questions are not a diagnosis, but they may help us understand whether dyslexia could be part of the picture.”
It is also helpful to ask how the client feels as they answer. The emotional response can be as important as the score.
Practical tools and resources can support both client and counsellor
Dyslexia support is often most effective when emotional support and practical tools work together. Counselling can help with confidence, identity, anxiety, and self-advocacy. Assistive tools can reduce daily stress.
Helpful tools may include:
Text-to-speech software for reading documents aloud (DreamVoice or Speechify, for example)
Speech-to-text tools for writing messages or notes (Dragon or ViaVoice software, for example)
Spell check and grammar support (Grammarly, for example)
Calendar reminders and visual planning apps
Voice notes for ideas, reminders, and reflections
Coloured overlays or reading rulers
Coloured backgrounds, screens or glasses to reduce glare or black/white contrasts, for example
Mind maps for planning thoughts (Visio)
Audiobooks and accessible formats (AI and audio assistance, such as Google or Alexa).
Templates for emails, forms, or appointment notes
For counsellors, useful sources of further information can include:
British Dyslexia Association resources
NHS information pages on dyslexia
Local adult learning services
Educational psychologists and specialist dyslexia assessors
HR and Workplace support information, including reasonable adjustments
Access to Work guidance for eligible clients in the UK
University or college disability support services for students
The best tools are the ones a person will actually use. A complicated system can become another source of pressure. Start small. One useful adjustment can make a meaningful difference.
Good support helps people feel less alone
Understanding Dyslexia in Counselling Support Strategies for Clients and Practitioners means looking beyond spelling or slow reading times. It means noticing the person’s history, their coping strategies, their frustration, and of course, their strengths.
For clients, recognising dyslexia can bring relief. It can explain years of struggle without blame. For counsellors, dyslexia awareness can make therapy more accessible, respectful, safe, and effective.
A simple question about reading, writing, or working memory may open an important conversation. A small adjustment may reduce shame. Our shared dyslexia screening tool may help someone take the next step, access support, build self-confidence, use assistive equipment, or move towards a formal assessment.
The key message is simple: dyslexia is not a personal or moral failing. With empathy, flexibility, and the right tools, counselling can help clients understand themselves more kindly and move through daily life with greater confidence. Also see "Summoning Your Inner Cheerleader" for more ways to support self-empowerment and lasting change.
To make a referral to Time2Talk Counselling Services, click here to complete our simple referral form.
Also, check out our other blog posts.
References:
Logan, J. (2009). Dyslexic entrepreneurs: The incidence, their coping strategies, and their business skills. Dyslexia, 15(4), 328–346.
Shaywitz, S., & Shaywitz, B. (2003, 2020). New York. Overcoming Dyslexia (2nd ed.).
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