What is it really like to grow up with an invisible learning disability? In this episode of The Sick and Tired Pod, I sit down with Michelle Steiner, a writer, photographer, paraeducator, speaker, and disability advocate living with dyscalculia. Michelle was diagnosed with a learning disability in kindergarten and grew up struggling with math, telling time, distinguishing right from left, and other things many people take for granted. She shares what it was like to receive learning support in school, struggle to fit in socially, experience bullying, and eventually find a community where she felt like she belonged. We also talk about what happens when you stop focusing on all the things you can't do and start asking, “What CAN I do?” Michelle shares how she found alternative paths toward her goals, earned her bachelor's degree after being told college might not be possible, built a career working with students with disabilities, became a published writer and photographer, and learned to see the beauty in experiencing the world differently. We also get into: ✨ What dyscalculia actually looks like beyond “being bad at math” ✨ Growing up with an invisible disability ✨ The importance of early diagnosis and accommodations ✨ Bullying, belonging, and finding your people ✨ Why disability doesn't define your capabilities ✨ Finding creative ways to work with your disability ✨ Michelle's journey into writing and photography ✨ Her children's book about a ladybug with dyscalculia ✨ Redefining what success can look like ✨ Learning to see yourself as different, not deficient Michelle's story is a reminder that success doesn't always come in the package we expect—and sometimes finding a different way forward can lead us somewhere we never expected. 🎙️ THE SICK AND TIRED POD Real stories. Different bodies. Divergent minds. Conversations about chronic illness, disability, neurodivergence, mental health, and the realities that don't always make it into the highlight reel. If this conversation made you feel seen, like the video, subscribe, and share it with someone who might need to hear it. #Dyscalculia #LearningDisability #InvisibleDisability #DisabilityAwareness #Neurodivergent #Neurodiversity #DisabilityAdvocacy #TheSickAndTiredPod
