Dyslexia: More Common Than You Would Think

 

Photo from: https://news.elearninginside.com/dyslexia-dragon-develops-gamified-platform-help-learners-read-spell/

“Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Cher, Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg, Leonardo Da Vinci, Whoopi Goldberg, explorer Ann Bancroft, and Thomas Edison. What do these well-known people have in common? Each one was or is dyslexic.”- J. Richard Gentry Ph.D

Dyslexia is a neurological condition that affects learning ability affecting people with average and above-average. It is the most common learning disability and it has been reported that up to one in five people may have some degree of Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that changes the way the brain normally processes reading material, making spelling, comprehension, and word recognition more challenging. Almost all students who struggled with reading in high school are likely to in adulthood as well. Recent studies have shown that Dyslexia can also have an effect on prospective memory. 

A new helpful solution called Dyslexie font has been developed and designed for people with dyslexia to help make learning, reading and working easier. Some of the qualities that make Dyslexie font work the way that it does include:
- heavy-bottomed letters
- inclined letters
-  different shaped letters
- capital letters and punctuation 
- various letter heights
- closer spacing

Check out https://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/home/ for more information about this font. Or, contact our office if you have any questions regarding Dyslexia or learning disabilities in general.


You can comment on this post, call (239-599-5656), e-mail (LSWpsychology@gmail.com), visit our Facebook page (LSW Psychological Services), or submit a request through our website (www.LSWpsychology.com). We are looking forward to hearing from you!


Have a beautiful day,
Robbi Coltune
Office Assistant

Nightmares

Psychology Today defines a nightmare as "a dream that results in feelings of extreme fear, horror, distress, or anxiety". Nightmares typically happen during the stage of sleep when the brain is very active, or during the REM cycle. It's important to remember: it is natural to feel afraid when awakening from a nightmare, the nightmare was not real, and you are okay. 

Although there is no conclusive answer to what causes nightmares, some possible explanations include:
-The brain is trying to process thoughts and feelings
-Stress levels are higher than usual
-Dealing with a change
-Reacting to trauma
-Reaction to medication

Some things that can be done to encourage positive sleep experiences are:
-Have a regular sleep and wake time
-Avoid scary movies, TV shows, and stories/books before bedtime
-Have white noise softly playing while you sleep (examples: ocean breeze, raindrops, crickets chirping)
-Engage in regular exercise
-Avoid exercising close to bedtime
-Relax before bed (take a warm bath, read, take a short walk)
-Do not consume anything with caffeine close to bedtime

While it's not uncommon for people to experience nightmares once in awhile, nightmares that are reoccurring can cause significant distress in one's life. If your nightmares are causing significant distress or are interrupting your sleep on a daily basis, it may be time to seek professional help.

If this is something we can help you with, please contact our office to discuss your options. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have. 

You can comment on this post, call (239-599-5656), e-mail (LSWpsychology@gmail.com), visit our Facebook page (LSW Psychological Services), or submit a request through our website (www.LSWpsychology.com). We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Have a peaceful day,
Allie
Office Assistant

The Power of Positive Affirmations

Do you know what an affirmation is? "Affirmations are positive statements that describe a desired situation or goal, and are often repeated, in order to get them impressed on the subconscious mind. Repeating them motivates, inspires, and programs the mind to act according to the repeated words."

We know it can be hard to come up with positive affirmations on your own, so we've done some of the work for you. Below you will find an article and some examples we hope can help. 

https://www.successconsciousness.com/positive-affirmations.html

Examples of positive affirmations:

-I am in charge of how I feel and today I am choosing happiness.
-I have the power to create change.
-I am good enough.
-Today I am successful. Tomorrow I will be successful. Everyday I am successful.
-I fill my mind with positive and nourishing thoughts.
-I release past anger and hurts, and fill myself with serenity and peaceful thoughts.
-I am grounded in the experience of the present moment. 

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  You can comment, call (239-599-5656), e-mail (LSWpsychology@gmail.com), visit our Facebook page (LSW Psychological Services), or submit a request through our website (www.LSWpsychology.com). We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Have a peaceful day,
Allie
Office Assistant

How to Talk to Children About Shootings

Parenting is already a challenge in itself without having to worry about if your children are safe at school. We understand how difficult this can be for parents, especially after a tragic event. The following article from Today.com includes suggestions on how to talk to your kids about shootings based on their age. Hopefully some day soon, we will not have to worry about school shootings, like the recent Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting in Parkland, Florida.

https://www.today.com/parents/how-talk-children-about-shootings-age-age-guide-t59626

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  You can comment, call (239-599-5656), e-mail (LSWpsychology@gmail.com), visit our Facebook page (LSW Psychological Services), or submit a request through our website (www.LSWpsychology.com). We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Ask Dr. LeighAnn Wong: Is this feeling or emotion wrong?

LSW Psychological Services, Fort Myers, FL
www.LSWpsychology.com

Clients often ask me how to stop feeling a certain way.  "Dr. Wong, how do I stop feeling angry?"  "How do I make my sadness go away?"  "I wish I never got nervous."  "Is there something wrong with me?"  The surprising truth is that our feelings are always right.  It's what we do because of our feelings that can get us in trouble.

Our feelings and emotions are there for a reason.  They tell us things we need to know to make the first step toward change.  Having no feelings or emotions means that we are not living.  When we feel like our emotions are out of control, we can also feel like there is something wrong with ourselves, but most of the time that is not true.

The most valuable thing to do when we get to an emotional cliff is give ourselves a Pause Moment.  In that moment we can take control of our next actions despite how we are feeling.  Because our feelings and emotions are there for a reason.  In that moment, what is your feeling telling you?  Are there several feelings at once?  If so, why might that be the case?  That Pause Moment gives us more than time.  We also get empowerment, control, and confidence (just to name a few).  Once we take that Pause Moment then we can choose what happens next, even if the choices aren't great.  That choice can be the difference between bad things always happening to us or good things coming our way.

So next time you find yourself on that emotional cliff, do yourself a favor:
1- Take a deep breath and PAUSE.
2- Try to NAME THE FEELING OR FEELINGS that are trying to take over your control.
3- Try to NAME THE CHOICES you have in this moment.
4- CHOOSE your path.
5- And then DO IT to the best of your ability at the time.
6- FORGIVE YOURSELF if it does not turn out the way you want.
7- TRY AGAIN the next time you end up on that emotional cliff.

Life never turns out the way we expect.  All we can do is what we can in the moment.  If we can figure out one moment that means we can probably figure out the next one.  Before you know it, a bunch of moments have gone by and it turns out that they were not that bad.  Moments turn into minutes, which turns into hours, which turns into days.  All done one moment at a time.  We can do it.  Together we will find a way.

-Dr. LeighAnn Wong
Licensed Psychologist
LSW Psychological Services

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.  You can comment, call (239-599-5656), e-mail (DrLeighAnnWong@gmail.com), or submit a request through our website (www.LSWpsychology.com).  We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Summer Fun & Safety

With summer already upon us in South Florida it can be overwhelming trying to juggle fun, sun, and safety along with responsibility and obligations.  Some of us are already off to a challenging start, especially those touched by the recent events in Orlando, Florida.  Others are enjoying fresh air, relaxation, and good times.  Most of us are trapped somewhere in between.  When life becomes too overwhelming, it helps to remember the Rule of One.  If you can do ONE of something that is a step further than you were a moment ago and oftentimes that makes it easier to take the second step.  For those of you who would like help taking that first (or second) step, we at LSW Psychological Services (www.LSWpsychology.com) would value the opportunity to be there with you.  Together we will find a way!
-Dr. LeighAnn Wong