{"id":12748,"date":"2025-06-16T00:34:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-15T23:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/davismethod.com\/?p=12748"},"modified":"2025-07-09T00:25:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T23:25:28","slug":"understanding-dyslexia-differently","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davismethod.com\/nl\/understanding-dyslexia-differently\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Dyslexia Differently"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Guest post by Stephen Martin<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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About Stephen:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stephen Martin is a leading voice in the adult dyslexia and ADHD space, best known as the host of The Truth About Dyslexia podcast \u2014 a raw, real, and relatable show that\u2019s reached over 1 million downloads. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Stephen now uses his lived experience and deep curiosity to empower neurodivergent adults through coaching, storytelling, and practical tools that actually work. He\u2019s the founder of <\/span>Truth About Dyslexia Coaching<\/a><\/span>, where he helps adults shift from confusion to clarity using strategies tailored to the dyslexic mind.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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My Davis Dyslexia Experience as an Adult<\/h2>\n

Hey there, I\u2019m Stephen Martin, host of The Truth About Dyslexia<\/em> podcast. If you\u2019ve found this page while looking for real answers about dyslexia in adults<\/a> or searching for an adult dyslexia podcast<\/a> that actually speaks your language, you\u2019re in the right place.<\/p>\n

Today, I want to talk about something that changed the way I see myself and how my brain actually works \u2014 the Davis Mastery for Dyslexia Program. But before we get into the nuts and bolts of the course, I want to share how I even got to the point of needing it.<\/p>\n

Diagnosed Young\u2026 Then Forgot About It<\/h3>\n

I was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 10. I was in a private school at the time, and to be honest, I was lucky. Dyslexia wasn\u2019t officially recognised in New Zealand\u2019s school system until around 2007. So to be picked up in the mid-90s was rare.<\/p>\n

My mum was my absolute hero. Like many mums of dyslexic kids, she fought tooth and nail for me. She helped me get a Reader\/Writer for high school exams, which, around 2000, was pretty rare, and that gave me a real leg-up.<\/p>\n

But once I left school, I did what so many of us do. I put dyslexia in a box and shoved it under the bed. I figured if I just worked harder, pushed myself enough, and stayed positive, I\u2019d be fine. Turns out, that\u2019s not quite how it works.<\/p>\n

A Pub Chat That Changed Everything<\/h3>\n

I was about 32 when my dad brought it up again. We were at the pub, having a beer, and he asked, \u201cDo you think your dyslexia might be behind some of the stuff you\u2019re struggling with in life?\u201d<\/p>\n

I did what any proud adult (and smart arse son) would do – I ignored him. Multiple times.<\/p>\n

But he didn\u2019t let up. Eventually, he found a Davis Dyslexia practitioner who lived walking distance<\/em> from my house. That kind of luck doesn\u2019t happen often. He kept at me until I messaged her.<\/p>\n

It took five text follow-ups from her before I responded. Like many dyslexics, I was stuck in the fog. But eventually, I got myself to her house for an initial consultation.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when everything shifted.<\/p>\n

The Builder That Didn’t Exist<\/h3>\n

During our session, she noticed my eyes drift off and asked what I was thinking about. I told her I was picturing the builder hammering on her deck outside.<\/p>\n

She asked, \u201cHave you ever seen my deck? Or met my builder?\u201d<\/p>\n

I said no.<\/p>\n

She smiled and explained that I had just created an entire scene in my head, a detailed, vivid, and completely made-up experience and believed it was real.<\/p>\n

That moment hit hard. It made me realise just how often I\u2019d trusted mental stories that weren\u2019t rooted in anything real. Stories about myself. About others. About the world.<\/p>\n

That was the hook. I was in.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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The Davis Concepts for Life<\/h3>\n

When I first heard about the Life Concepts<\/em> course, I was more than happy to invest in myself. And honestly, it was worth every cent.<\/p>\n

The amount of one-on-one time you get with a facilitator is incredible. And once you get over the fact that you\u2019re learning using clay-yes, actual clay, the depth of what you uncover is profound. It feels childlike at first, but it unlocks things that traditional education never came close to.<\/p>\n

I worked with a fantastic facilitator named Vanessa Victor<\/a>, and I honestly can\u2019t thank her enough. She made me feel seen, respected, and supported throughout the whole process. And I know there are other amazing Davis facilitators out there who care deeply about every client they work with, whether child or adult.<\/p>\n

The course itself uses real-life examples and practical application to teach you how to internalise<\/em> core concepts that so many of us missed growing up. Things like time. Sequence<\/em>. Cause<\/em> and effect<\/em>. Responsibility<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It sounds obvious, but it\u2019s not. Just because you can say the word \u201cconsequence\u201d or nod when someone talks about \u201ccause and effect\u201d doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ve actually embodied what it means. And that\u2019s the magic of this course.<\/p>\n

It was like filling in invisible gaps in my foundations, the kind of knowledge you didn\u2019t even know you were missing until someone pointed a light at it.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t do justice to what happens in that room with clay and a brilliant facilitator. But I can tell you it felt like rewiring parts of my brain that had been running on guesswork for years.<\/p>\n

What Changed for Me<\/h3>\n

After going through Davis, I began to:<\/p>\n