Connect with Samantha:
https://everybrainisdifferent.com/

Connect with Katey:

Website: https://yourdifferentability.com/

Book: https://yourdifferentability.com/book

Book Preview (Katey made this free for this podcast's listeners!): https://yourdifferentability.com/welcome

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kateyfortun

Personal Website: https://kateyfortun.com/

Samantha and Lauren welcome back disability advocate and dyslexic speaker Katey Fortun to discuss her newly published book, "Embracing Your Different Ability," available in standard print, dyslexic-friendly print, and audiobook, along with her "Different Ability Podcast."

Katey shares that she was inspired to write the book after feeling prompted on a walk in late 2023, committed in early 2024 to doing “one new thing,” and self-published through Amazon with support from a book-coaching team, ultimately releasing it on March 26, 2024—the same date she signed up to begin the process.

Written initially for her eight-year-old self, the book aims to help kids feel seen and understood while also supporting parents, guardians, and teachers, including chapters from Katie’s mother to show both child and parent perspectives.

They discuss distinguishing “won’t” vs. “can’t” by defaulting to “can’t” and investigating, the hidden struggles of kids who appear “fine” at school, the trauma of forced reading aloud, and how diagnosis can be validating and unlock resources; Katey also shares a free “welcome package” with sample chapters and resources at her website.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:33 Why She Wrote It
04:45 Who the Book Is For
09:21 Won Versus Cant
16:25 School Trauma and Diagnosis
21:43 Dyslexia Strengths and Success
25:24 Closing Questions and Hope
27:16 Where to Find the Book
29:34 Final Advice and Wrap Up

Connect with Samantha Foote!

Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent