A life of learning differently

My disability does not define me but makes me who I am today. Without the challenges I faced at a young age, my adult victories would not feel as grand. At age 10, I was diagnosed with dyslexia through the school system, and with Irlen Syndrome through a testing center. These conditions are considered learning disabilities and they affect the way my brain processes written language and other visual information. As a child, this impacted my ability to learn in school, made it difficult to gain life skills, and hurt my self confidence. Everyday learning felt like running a marathon with 10-pound shoes. I felt like I couldn’t keep up with my peers and that I had to work so much harder to try to even catch up to them. Today, as an occupational therapy practitioner, I can use my personal journey and professional knowledge to help others in similar situations to successfully navigate their own challenges.