Your kid is bright, curious, and full of ideas, yet reading feels like a daily fight. That mismatch can leave families stuck between “maybe they’ll grow out of it” and the heartbreak of watching confidence slip away. We sit down with dyslexia therapist Faye Casell to get clear on what dyslexia looks like, why it’s so often missed, and what parents can do right now to help at home.

We dig into the data on dyslexia prevalence (think 1 in 5) and the reality that many children never get formally identified. Faye explains why dyslexia screening can happen as early as age five because it’s rooted in phonological processing, not effort. We talk practical early signs parents can spot, including trouble with rhyming, difficulty blending and segmenting sounds, slow progress with letter-sound mapping, and why waiting until a child is “failing enough” creates unnecessary social-emotional damage. If you’re a homeschool family, we also cover a key detail many people miss: you can often request testing through the public school even if your child is not enrolled.

Writing comes up too, especially dysgraphia, the handwriting and written-expression struggle that can hide behind a verbally gifted kid. Faye shares why cursive can help some learners and how assistive technology like speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and audio tools can let students show what they know without turning every assignment into a stamina test. Throughout the conversation, we keep coming back to a steady message: trust your gut, get a baseline on skills, and use structured literacy and explicit phonics support that is beneficial for all and essential for some.

Connect with Faye: find her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or her website. Find Dyslexia Breakthough home intervention info here, and download the Free Dyslexia Road Map for Families ebook here.

Welcome to Speak Out Stand Out — the show where we build confidence in our future, one voice at a time. I’m your host, Elizabeth Green.

I grew up shy, so I know firsthand how life-changing it can be when someone helps you find your voice. Now, I get to help kids and teens do exactly that — and this podcast is a place to share those tools with you.

Each week, I talk with experts and inspiring guests about simple, practical and tangible ways to help the young people in

Thanks for listing! Be sure to check out the show notes for additional resources including a free public speaking lesson and 52 fun practice prompts. And if you enjoyed what you heard today, please give us a follow.

Thanks for Listening to Speak Out, Stand Out

Like what you hear? We would love if you would rate and review our podcast so it can reach more families.

Also - grab our free mini lesson on impromptu speaking here. This is ideal for kids ages 6+.

Interested in checking out our Public Speaking & Debate courses? Find more here!

What if the first word you heard after an autism diagnosis was “Congratulations”? That single reframing sits at the heart of our conversation with Mandy Cook—teacher, autistic adult, and parent of four—who has turned lived experience into an online platform, school leadership role, and a grassroots charity serving autistic kids, teens, adults, and their families.

We dig into the reality behind the spectrum: spiky profiles, shifting needs, and why rigid systems often miss what autistic learners can do. Mandy shares the practices that actually move the needle in classrooms and at home—predictable routines, sensory-aware spaces, visual supports, and collaborative planning that honors each child’s strengths. Communication takes center stage as we explore total communication: speech, typing, AAC devices, Makaton, visuals, and gestures. Mandy explains situational mutism, why pressure shuts kids down, and how to support gestalt language processors by expanding their favorite scripts into meaningful phrases.

You’ll hear practical stories that bring these ideas to life: tailoring requests for a child with demand avoidance, turning a love of Lego into learning, and even a daughter who spoke Spanish before English thanks to Dora the Explorer. We also talk about self-esteem and why a mirror that says “You are amazing” can do more than any worksheet to change a child’s day. For caregivers just starting this journey, Mandy offers a roadmap that begins with acceptance, leans on curiosity, and grows through community—youth groups, girls’ groups, and safe spaces where differences are respected and celebrated.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or ally, you’ll come away with strategies for inclusive communication, insights on supporting autonomy, and a renewed belief in the power of strengths-based education. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help more families find these tools.

Welcome to Speak Out Stand Out — the show where we build confidence in our future, one voice at a time. I’m your host, Elizabeth Green.

I grew up shy, so I know firsthand how life-changing it can be when someone helps you find your voice. Now, I get to help kids and teens do exactly that — and this podcast is a place to share those tools with you.

Each week, I talk with experts and inspiring guests about simple, practical and tangible ways to help the young people in

Thanks for listing! Be sure to check out the show notes for additional resources including a free public speaking lesson and 52 fun practice prompts. And if you enjoyed what you heard today, please give us a follow.

Thanks for Listening to Speak Out, Stand Out

Like what you hear? We would love if you would rate and review our podcast so it can reach more families.

Also - grab our free mini lesson on impromptu speaking here. This is ideal for kids ages 6+.

Interested in checking out our Public Speaking & Debate courses? Find more here!

A single message can flip a teen’s world. Our guest, South Carolina State Representative Brandon Guffey, walks us through the 100‑minute window that turned a fake Instagram flirtation into a fatal sextortion—and why he chose to go public to save other families. We move past headlines to the mechanics of the scam, the role of shame and speed, and the sobering reality that one in five teens now report sextortion attempts, with spikes during school breaks when screen time surges.

We get practical fast. Brandon shares the language parents can use before panic hits, why “we protect first, we debrief later” matters, and how to frame grace over perfection so kids believe mistakes are survivable. We talk tools that actually help—like the seven‑minute NoEscapeRoom.org training from NCMEC and safer devices with on‑screen nudity blocking and “rewind” visibility—alongside the hard truth that you can’t just ban the internet. We also cover platform choices that hinder investigations, what end‑to‑end encryption means when evidence disappears, and why app stores should be held to the same age‑gating standards as retailers.

Beyond policy and tech, this conversation centers on a boy who loved music and Comic‑Cons, who made people laugh and feel seen. Brandon’s message is simple and urgent: most suicides are impulsive; if we can help a teen survive the next twenty minutes, tomorrow is possible. Hear how to start the hard talk tonight, set clear device rules without shame, and spot the early red flags that predators exploit. If you’re a parent, coach, or educator, this is a playbook for guarding kids in a digital world that moves faster than our instincts.

If this moved you, share it with one parent who needs it, subscribe for more candid, solutions-forward conversations, and leave a review with the one takeaway you’ll act on this week. Tomorrow needs you—and so do the kids in your care.

Welcome to Speak Out Stand Out — the show where we build confidence in our future, one voice at a time. I’m your host, Elizabeth Green.

I grew up shy, so I know firsthand how life-changing it can be when someone helps you find your voice. Now, I get to help kids and teens do exactly that — and this podcast is a place to share those tools with you.

Each week, I talk with experts and inspiring guests about simple, practical and tangible ways to help the young people in

Thanks for listing! Be sure to check out the show notes for additional resources including a free public speaking lesson and 52 fun practice prompts. And if you enjoyed what you heard today, please give us a follow.

Thanks for Listening to Speak Out, Stand Out

Like what you hear? We would love if you would rate and review our podcast so it can reach more families.

Also - grab our free mini lesson on impromptu speaking here. This is ideal for kids ages 6+.

Interested in checking out our Public Speaking & Debate courses? Find more here!