Dyslexia Explored

In this episode of the Dyslexia Explored Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Jo Lee speak with Alex Chaparro, a former realtor of 37 years who became an author and neurodiversity coach. Alex explains how his journal, originally a private operations manual, unexpectedly became his book The Dreamer’s Guide to Achieving in Uncertain Times, rooted in erasing limiting labels and rewriting his own narrative. He describes early school experiences of being unable to read, bullying, and creatively hiding difficulties, then a seventh-grade shift where he rapidly improved his reading level. The conversation explores impostor syndrome, perfectionism, disclosure, and redefining labels’ “small print.” Alex shares returning to finish college with accommodations, his later ADHD diagnosis, and how self-acceptance helped him lose 200 pounds, regain mobility, and find joy and purpose in coaching.
This podcast is sponsored by ivvi. Visual Notes for Visual Thinkers.
Get ivvi notes now: https://www.ivvi.app/ 
Links: 
Ivvi: https://www.ivvi.app/ 
What is Dyslexia: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia 
How to Mindmap: https://www.bulletmapacademy.com/mindmap-beginners 
Alexander Chaparro Website: https://www.powerupcoach.net/
Book Title: The Dreamer’s Guide to Achieving in Uncertain Times  
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/0j2EgSVS 
Barnes & Nobles Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dreamers-guide-to-achieving-in-uncertain-times-alexander-chaparro/1150042091?ean=9781968247157 
Social Media Links:  Personal Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/chaparrogroup   
Personal Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderchaparro/   
PowerUp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powerupcoachinghub   
PowerUp FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566632063013  
British Dyslexia Association: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
International Dyslexia Association: https://dyslexiaida.org/ 
SEND: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs 
SEN Support: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/special-educational-needs-support
Disabled Students Allowance: https://www.ivvi.app/dsa-for-dyslexia 
Interested in being a guest? Email us at jo@ivvi.app

In this episode of the Dyslexia Explored Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Jo Lee speak with dyslexia specialist tutor and consultant Glynda Cullen about a parent’s long journey raising two daughters with dyslexia and ADHD, including the guilt and emotional impact of late diagnoses. Glynda shares early signs in nursery and primary school, her daughter’s growing anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance, and how limited teacher training and systemic pressures affected support, with accommodations only appearing at GCSEs. The conversation explores current SEND changes in England, inclusion expectations, and how tools like ivvi Notes can scaffold executive function in classrooms. Glynda describes her daughter’s path after school, finding confidence and “her tribe” through training protection dogs and building a dog training business, highlighting the importance of cultivating strengths beyond academics.
This podcast is sponsored by ivvi. Visual Notes for Visual Thinkers.
Get ivvi notes now: https://www.ivvi.app/
Links: 
ivvi: https://www.ivvi.app/ 
what is dyslexia: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia
Glynda’s Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glynda1270  
Website: https://guidingstardyslexia.co.uk/ 
Tutor: https://www.sensationaltutors.co.uk/
Do you want to pilot ivvi at your school?: https://www.ivvi.app/pilot-waiting-list 
Jennie Guise- DARA: https://dysguise.com/dara/ 
Executive Function podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/executive-function-brain-trainer-podcast/id1588400094 
What is Executive Function: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/tagged/executive-functioning
What is Working Memory: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/tagged/working-memory 
BETT Show: https://www.bettshow.com/ 
British Dyslexia Association: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Interested in being a guest? Email us at jo@ivvi.app

In this episode of the Dyslexia Explored Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Jo Lee speak with Ellie Barbour, a candlemaker and content creator who recently left her job as a high school PE teacher to pursue her business full time. Ellie shares being identified as dyslexic in primary school, receiving a formal diagnosis in later primary, and the impact of confidence, stigma, and support such as Touch Type Read and Spell. She describes a difficult first year of high school with missed support, followed by a pivotal move to Morrison’s Academy where small classes, learning support, and mind mapping transformed her study strategies, including using a scribe in exams. The conversation explores dyslexia strengths, teaching as a role model, possible ADHD, and how her all-in focus helped grow her taper-candle business from a lockdown hobby to markets and beyond.
This podcast is sponsored by ivvi. Visual Notes for Visual Thinkers.
Get ivvi notes now: ⁠⁠https://www.ivvi.app/⁠⁠ 
Links: 
Ivvi: https://www.ivvi.app/ 
What is Dyslexia: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia 
How to Mindmap: https://www.bulletmapacademy.com/mindmap-beginners 
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_tyninghame?igsh=Z3NvbzExN3Flc2Nl&utm_source=qr
Website link: https://tyninghamecandles.co.uk/
British Dyslexia Association: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
International Dyslexia Association: https://dyslexiaida.org/ 
SEND: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs 
SEN Support: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/special-educational-needs-support
Disabled Students Allowance: https://www.ivvi.app/dsa-for-dyslexia 
Interested in being a guest? Email us at jo@ivvi.app

In this episode of the Dyslexia Explored Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Jo Lee speak with Dr. Tara Williams, a chemistry professor in California and former Sussex PhD graduate, about how executive function often drives difficulties when students transition from high school to university. Williams describes the social and practical upheaval of moving away from home, the need to self-advocate for accommodations, and how unstructured time, shifting deadlines, and planning demands can overwhelm neurodiverse students. They define executive functioning as planning, organization, and time management, discuss accommodations such as extra exam time, quiet rooms, note takers, and flexible grading for spelling-heavy subjects, and emphasize early preparation, body doubling, reading and note-taking habits, and building supportive relationships with faculty and campus services. Williams also shares her consulting work, forthcoming book, and contact details.
This podcast is sponsored by ivvi. Visual Notes for Visual Thinkers.
Get ivvi notes now: ⁠https://www.ivvi.app/⁠ 
Links: 
Ivvi: https://www.ivvi.app/ 
what is dyslexia: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia
Dr Tara Social Media Links:
Website: https://innovativecollegiateconsultants.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-williams-phd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iccedservices#
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/your_innovative_consultants
Dr Tara Notable Guest Interviews: 
Parenting Teens: Advice Redefined for Today's Complex World: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/136-college-transition-hacks-for-parents-of/id1720826175?i=1000743905277
Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/helping-students-learn-executive-functioning-skills/id1307157016?i=1000682986383 
Executive Function podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/executive-function-brain-trainer-podcast/id1588400094 
Previous Episode with Janet Scott: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/71-ebola-and-coronavirus-doctor-discusses-her/id1387645599?i=1000478151331 
Previous Episode with Kerry Pace: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/80-dyspraxia-nursing-and-online-tutoring-with-kerry-pace/id1387645599?i=1000488468841 
Executive Function: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/tagged/executive-functioning
Working Memory: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/tagged/working-memory 
BETT Show: https://www.bettshow.com/ 
British Dyslexia Association: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Interested in being a guest? Email us at jo@ivvi.app

In this episode of the Dyslexia Explored Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Jo Lee interview Darren Clark, who discovered he was dyslexic at 36 after hearing a TV interview and researching via the British Dyslexia Association. Darren recounts severe isolation at secondary school, being placed in a “unit,” missing exams, and leaving with no qualifications, alongside growing up in an unsafe, high-crime area. He describes getting his first job pushing trolleys at Sainsbury’s, progressing through retail to senior leadership overseeing 76 stores and a £4m weekly budget, supported by mentor Robin Stevens. Darren shares entrepreneurial ventures including a large cleaning business, selling a social media company, and losing businesses during COVID while caring for his terminally ill mother. He explains dyslexia strengths like tenacity, communication, and outsourcing, and details advocacy work with the BDA and internationally, including Kenya and Malawi, school talks reaching over a million students, and his message to protect personal voice alongside AI.
Links: 
Ivvi: https://www.ivvi.app/ 
What is Dyslexia: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia 
How to Mindmap: https://www.bulletmapacademy.com/mindmap-beginners 
Darren’s Linkedin -  www.linkedin.com/in/darrenclark2
Neurodiversity Stories Youtube -  https://www.youtube.com/@neurodiversitystories5128
British Dyslexia Association: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
International Dyslexia Association: https://dyslexiaida.org/ 
SEND: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs 
SEN Support: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/special-educational-needs-support
Disabled Students Allowance: https://www.ivvi.app/dsa-for-dyslexia 
Interested in being a guest? Email us at jo@ivvi.app