3 June 2025
Helen Spencer, a consultant in our older people’s services in York, always wondered why she had to work twice as hard and longer than everyone else, to achieve the same goal.
For much of her life, Helen was labelled as lazy, messy, disorganised, and lost in daydreams. This followed her through school, work, and even into adulthood, chipping away at her confidence. It wasn’t until the age of 37 that everything changed, she was diagnosed with dyslexia.
“Throughout my early years I met all my developmental milestones; my verbal language skills were excellent, and my written skills were above average. I was consistently at the top of the class in primary school and top set in secondary school for all subjects,” said Helen.
“Unsurprisingly, in subjects like music and drama, where most of the assessment was practical, I excelled. Science and maths were also strong subjects because I didn’t have to write long sentences to demonstrate my understanding.”
It was when Helen went on work experience in a mental health hospital when she was 16, she instantly knew it was what she wanted to do.
“I became passionate about understanding mental health and making a difference to those who struggle with it, but I had completely lost confidence in my academic ability and felt I wasn’t clever enough to go to medical school.
“I went to university and studied drama but kept my interest in medicine by working in a local GP practice as a healthcare assistant and receptionist.”
After completing her degree (and getting a 2:1 instead of a predicted 1st), Helen set up and ran a successful international theatre company.
Although she loved her work in drama, psychiatry was still in the back of her mind, and she decided to apply for a pre-medical course. Passing with distinction, she earned a scholarship into Manchester University to study medicine.
“Every year of my medical training I thought, this is the year that I will fail.
“I was always the top of the year in my practical exams and bottom of the year in my written papers.
“I excelled on placements but sat shaking with fear at the back of lecture halls.”
Feedback she received was always excellent, diligent, hardworking, organised, and excellent with practical and communication skills.
“I was starting to feel competent! I got into psychiatry training and my dream was coming true.
“But it wasn’t until I kept failing my psychiatry exams and watching my peers finish core training while I had multiple extensions, that I realised something wasn’t quite right.”
While talking to a Foundation Year 2 doctor about another failed attempt, they asked if Helen had taken a reading test.
“That simple question transformed my life!
“I was tested, diagnosed, given extra time and adjustments for my exams, and passed them all first time.
“At first, at the age of 37, I felt ashamed to tell people I was dyslexic, perhaps they would think I wasn’t a safe doctor.”
“I felt like everything changed once I knew. Lots of things became clearer and easier, but there was also a psychological struggle and battle with stigma that I hadn’t anticipated.
“It was at this point that my real journey with dyslexia began.
“So many things about my life to this point started to make sense. I think the most profound thing I learnt, was that dyslexia is not just about reading and writing, it affects your perception of the world, the way you problem solve, your concentration, your sensory processing, and so much more.
“Thinking is completely different to those without it and although it has some challenges it also comes with enormous strengths.”
Helen decided that it was important to understand what it meant and to help other people to understand not only her, but what dyslexia is for others too.
“I started looking into dyslexia and found a whole world of people who are incredibly successful, pioneering and at the top of their fields. It was so inspirational to see and feel a part of a community of innovators and creatives.
“Every single one of them had a story like mine, of feeling misunderstood, not good enough and tired of working twice as hard in environments that are designed for non-dyslexics.
“80% of dyslexics leave school unidentified and most of them will be high achievers who have spent years learning how to cope and compensate.
“It’s not a surprise that I was drawn to a speciality that allows me to use my dyslexic thinking to the full.
“Good communication skills are key to practising psychiatry, but my ability to innovate and problem solve has a positive impact on my work.
“I always try to think of new and more efficient ways to do things, whether that is on the ward or in medical education.
“I love nothing more than trialling new ways of doing things and I embrace change positively.”
Helen has spent the last ten years developing an innovative medical education programme using applied drama techniques to teach medical professionals communication and clinical psychiatry, as well as running workshops and presenting the work at the RCPsych Medical Education Conference.
Helen has met some challenges to get the support she needed from both the educational and working systems she has been part of.
“We need to widen our understanding of the strengths that dyslexics bring because if we only focus on the weaknesses we will never benefit from their unique gifts.
“I am now proud to tell people I am dyslexic and very grateful for all the strengths it has given me.
“It may not have always been easy, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Helen is determined to make that journey easier for other people by talking about her own experience with pride. She has recently had an article published in the RCPsych neurodevelopmental psychiatry newsletter.
Dyslexia is a common neurological based learning difficulty that leads to the brain processing information differently. Unlike a learning disability, intelligence is not affected. It mainly causes challenges with reading, writing and spelling. It also results in a pattern of strengths, like problem solving, creative thinking and seeing the big picture. It’s estimated up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia. Dyslexia is a lifelong problem that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support and technologies are available to help those with the problem be successful in education and work.
To learn more about dyslexia and dyslexic thinking visit the Made by Dyslexia website.
