Building Resilience and Creating Emotional Safety for Dyslexic Learners

For dyslexic learners, learning to read and write is only part of the journey. Just as important is how they experience themselves while learning. Repeated frustration, correction, and comparison can quietly shape a child’s self-image, leaving lasting emotional scars even after academic progress is made. That’s why building resilience and creating emotional safety is an essential part of literacy instruction. When children feel emotionally safe, they are more willing to take risks, persist through challenges, and see themselves as capable learners.

Counselor, coach, and dyslexic advocate Dr. Jacob Santhouse emphasizes that many dyslexic individuals grow up carrying invisible “suitcases” of shame, self-doubt, and loneliness. Emotional safety helps lighten that load. It shifts the focus from fixing the child to supporting the whole learner—academically and emotionally.

Practical Ways Parents and Guardians Can Build Resilience and Emotional Safety

Make space for honest conversations.
Children don’t need adults to have all the right answers, they need adults who are willing to listen. Creating pressure-free time to check in, sit together, or simply be present allows children to share what they’re feeling when they’re ready. Silence isn’t something to rush past; it’s often where the most meaningful thoughts emerge.

Validate feelings without rushing to fix them.
When a child says, “This is hard” or “I feel different,” the most powerful response is validation. Acknowledging their experience—“That sounds really frustrating”—helps children feel seen. Jumping too quickly to reassurance or strengths can unintentionally shut down emotional expression.

Structure feedback to build agency, not shame.
How adults respond to mistakes matters. Constant correction—“No, that’s wrong” or “Try again”—can chip away at confidence. Instead, Dr. Santhouse encourages feedback that invites reflection. Phrases like “Take a look—do you notice anything you might want to change?” give children the opportunity to find errors themselves. This approach sends a powerful message: You are capable, and I trust your thinking.

Invite self-correction before stepping in.
When children are given time to notice and fix mistakes on their own, they build independence and resilience. If they can’t find the error, support can follow—but starting with invitation rather than correction reinforces agency and problem-solving skills.

Praise effort over outcomes.
Celebrating effort builds resilience far more effectively than praising grades or accuracy alone. Effort-based feedback helps children understand that growth comes from persistence, focus, and willingness to try, not perfection.

Talk openly and honestly about dyslexia.
Children often sense when dyslexia feels like a burden to others. Naming it openly, without judgment, helps prevent internalized shame and supports self-acceptance.

As Dr. Santhouse reminds us, dyslexic learners don’t need to prove their worth. They are enough as they are. When families and educators honor the whole child—heart, mind, and learning—we create the conditions for true confidence, belonging, and lifelong growth. They learn to see dyslexia as one part of who they are, not a flaw that defines them. 

Learn more about Dr. Santhouse at YouTube, Instagram,  TikTok, Olive Counseling, and Blue J Coaching.

Listen to the episode here.