Ep. 5 {Guest Spotlight} 80 Years of Living with Dyslexia: the ups and downs with Arne Sjursen

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and I’m celebrating by highlighting the successful dyslexics in my life and those around us. One of the biggest inspirations behind my career and this podcast has been my dad, Arne Sjursen. He was diagnosed with dyslexia almost two decades ago at the age of 42 and describes the mix of emotions that he felt when he found out.

My dad was a student in New York City in the 1940s and 1950s. Back then, there was a lack of compassion and understanding of different learning abilities. He was often forced to read in front of his classmates, which resulted in humiliation, bullying, and poor grades. He eventually made it to college at The University of Tampa, but because he was constrained to the same timed tests as his non-dyslexic peers, he struggled to keep his grades up.

Despite his frustrations as a student, my dad went on to become a successful businessman. He was known for his compelling presentations, the way he could read the room, and his sharp memory. In our conversation, he shares his advice for other people struggling with dyslexia and his message for parents of children with dyslexia. He also talks about how he has fallen in love with reading during this stage of his life and has been continuing his education with the newfound reading comprehension tools that he’s gained

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Topics Covered:

• How my dad discovered that he was dyslexic
• The most helpful tools that my dad has learned since being diagnosed
• What people get wrong or misunderstand about dyslexia
• Why my dad wouldn’t change his diagnosis
• Ways to support your child with dyslexia

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