Befriend your Brain
About Sarah
Sarah Bisson, BA (Hons), PGDip, PGDIP (Dyslexia, SpLD), PPM
- Dyslexia Specialist Teacher and Assessor
- Trauma and Mental Health in Schools and Communities Advisor
My areas of expertise are in dyslexia, neurodiversity, trauma and mental health, and confidence building.
I am a self-employed Specialist Teacher and Assessor for Dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties. I am registered with the PATOSS. I am also qualified to advice on Trauma and Mental Health difficulties within the school and community environments.
With 17 years experience in community development, youth development and developing curriculum for young people with different issues, I am able to understand and engage with people who have found education difficult.
Previously, I also worked for 4 years developing the Learning Support element for Adult Education across Cumbria, setting up support systems and coordinating support for adult students.
My own neurodiversity and as a parent of a neurodiverse child I am able to understand the people I work with. I can empathise with the different barriers and frustrations that they have had to negotiate at school and in the workplace.
Qualifications
Degree IN pSYCHOLOGY AND sOCIOLOGY
Postgraduate Diploma in Assessing for Specific Learning Differences
Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Dyslexia Teaching
Postgraduate Diploma in Youth and Community Development
Level 5 IN TRAUMA AND MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS and communities
Level 3 Certificate in Understanding the Autistic Spectrum
NLP Diploma
Level 3 Award in Education
My Background & Journey
Befriend your Brain
Before working for myself, I worked in Cumbria Adult Education, developing the Learning Support element of Adult Education in Cumbria.
Before then, I worked in homeless men’s hostels and was the Manager of a youth work charity in Cumbria for 10 years. I opened youth centres and worked to advocate for youth issues, for which I was nominated and chosen to carry the Olympic Flame in 2012. During this time, I also taught Psychology at the University of Cumbria.
I am dyslexic and have also been diagnosed with ADHD, which has been extremely validating. These issues have only been highlighted as an adult. I always suspected that I viewed the world in a slightly different way from others, and also wondered why I found some things more difficult than others. Diagnoses for both ADHD and dyslexia have helped me understand myself better and allow me to realise how hard I work, even though productivity may seem less on some days because of the difficulties which are directly linked to my neurodiversity. I know I have to put more effort into everyday life than most people, especially when studying and doing the job I do, which requires a good level of literacy and a lot of focus and concentration. However, this also means that I can truly empathise with the people I work with.
My adventure with dyslexia and ADHD has taught me to understand that what I have to offer is unique and valuable because of my neurodiversity, not despite my neurodiversity! This is what I want to teach everyone in our community who is neurodiverse.
As a parent, I understand the issues that parents have in trying to get their child’s needs met. This, coupled with my experience as a youth worker, teaching and coordinating learning support, which underpins my training as a dyslexia specialist and trauma and mental health practitioner, means that I understand how parents and schools can work together to get the best for every child.