In today’s episode, we’re stepping outside the usual conversation about dyslexia. This isn’t about the classroom. This isn’t about work. This episode is about how dyslexia influences our relationships, our communication, our identity, and our lived moments with the people closest to us.
We explore what happens when the dyslexic brain moves into the social world — how we interpret tone, language, meaning, and intention differently, and why this often leads to misunderstanding between dyslexic and neurotypical communicators.
You’ll hear my own story of diagnosis, the relief of finally having a name I could own, and the challenge of learning the deficits and the strengths that come with dyslexic processing. We talk about how dyslexics often see the forest, not just the trees, and why that big-picture thinking changes the texture of our interactions.
We’ll also examine research from psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science to understand why dyslexic communication is unique — and why the system rarely discusses these social impacts.
And we end on a positive: the web-based memory system that makes dyslexic thinking powerful, rich, creative, and deeply interconnected.
In This Episode:
(0:00) Welcome and introduction
(0:14) Why we need to move dyslexia beyond school and work
(0:28) Getting a diagnosis — and finally having something to own
(1:01) The deficits as described by research — from a neurotypical lens
(1:35) Big-picture processing: seeing the forest AND the trees
(2:27) Communication differences: high-concept expression, not fine-detail scripting
(3:04) Word recall, memory, and why arguments can feel distorted
(4:10) Meaning vs. words: the dyslexic brain listens differently
(5:21) The missing research: why organizations overlook the social realm
(6:16) Looking at dyslexia through psychology, neuroscience, and medical data
(6:41) What dyslexia could mean beyond “learning disability”
(7:27) The beauty of web-based memory
(8:24) Why our answers seem off-topic (but usually aren’t)
(9:21) Seeing what others don’t — and celebrating that strength
(9:53) Why dyslexics matter in the social world
Key Takeaways:
• Dyslexia doesn’t stop at reading or writing — it shapes social interaction, communication, and emotional processing.
• Dyslexic communication focuses on meaning, not just words.
• Big-picture thinking can cause conflict, but it also creates incredible insight.
• Dyslexic memory works like a web, not a filing cabinet — deeply interconnected.
• Understanding dyslexia socially helps us understand ourselves more fully.
#UnmaskingDyslexia #DyslexiaAndRelationships #Neurodiversity #DyslexiaAwareness #CommunicationDifferences #PositivePsychology #MeaningAndMattering
[email protected]
https://www.carleenross.com/

Thank you for listening to Unmasking Dyslexia. This podcast is dedicated to reframing how we understand dyslexia—shifting the narrative from deficit to difference.

If you found today's episode valuable or think someone you know could benefit from its message, please share it. By doing so you become apart of the positive shift society needs around what it means to be dyslexic.

To learn more about Carleen Ross’s work in positive psychology, coaching, and neurodiversity advocacy, visit https://www.carleenross.com or to connect with me directly, email me at [email protected].