Meet Rebecca Bush: The Advocate Turning Diagnosis Into Empowerment for Families Navigating Dyslexia.

When a child is diagnosed with dyslexia, families are often left with more questions than answers—and very few roadmaps. Enter Rebecca Bush: author, educator, and licensed dyslexia therapist whose untraditional path to advocacy is as inspiring as the work she does today. From working at music festivals to teaching in rural Honduran villages and Texas classrooms, Bush’s journey has been driven by one thing: a deep belief in the power of education to change lives.

Now, as the author of the forthcoming Dyslexia and Your Newly Diagnosed Child (Zeitgeist/Penguin Random House, Sept. 9), Bush brings clarity, compassion, and actionable support to parents standing at the beginning of an unfamiliar road. With a unique blend of professional expertise and personal understanding, she’s made it her mission to help families move from fear to confidence—and ensure that no child is left behind simply because they learn differently.

In this Q&A, Bush opens up about her remarkable journey, the inspiration behind her book, and the four most important things every parent should do after a diagnosis. Her message is simple but powerful: with the right tools and support, every child with dyslexia can thrive.

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You have a remarkably diverse background. Could you share more about your journey and how it has shaped your work?

My journey to becoming a dyslexia specialist started in a place few would expect: the music industry. For years, I worked behind the scenes at concerts and festivals until I realized I wanted something more. I leaped and began volunteering at a community-owned school in a Honduran village. Some of my students came from homes with dirt floors and no running water, but their families believed in education as a path to a better future. I saw firsthand how education was changing lives, and that experience changed mine.

From there, I went on to teach in elementary schools in Texas and abroad. Every year, I encountered students who struggled with reading. It frustrated me to no end. I’m not someone who sits quietly with a problem, so I invested in becoming part of the solution. I earned an MA in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama and an MEd in Advanced Literacy from Concordia University of Texas.

Even then, something was still missing. I remember one turning point vividly. I was sitting across from a seven-year-old girl, watching tears well up in her eyes because she couldn’t read the words in front of her. That moment drove me to dig deeper. I went on to complete Neuhaus Education Center’s Dyslexia Specialist Preparation Program and became a Certified Academic Language Therapist and Licensed Dyslexia Therapist.

When I started my private practice in 2018, I quickly realized that students with dyslexia don’t just need evidence-based instruction; they need adults who truly understand them. The learners need the right support, but so do their parents. There’s a surprising lack of clear, accessible information out there for families, and I’ve made it my mission to close that gap.

This work is also deeply personal. I worked with a reading specialist myself in first grade, so I understand what early intervention can mean for a child’s confidence. I also bring a holistic lens to my work, shaped by my work as a therapeutic riding instructor offering equine-assisted services for individuals with disabilities and emotional needs. All of these experiences, across music, education, therapy, and life, have helped shape the approach I bring to families today.

What inspired you to write Dyslexia and Your Newly Diagnosed Child, and how does your background as both a classroom teacher and dyslexia therapist inform your approach?

Dyslexia and Your Newly Diagnosed Child was born out of a clear gap I kept seeing over and over again: there are very few resources created specifically for parents. We have an abundance of materials for educators and specialists, and a growing number of programs for struggling readers themselves. Parents, though, are often left on their own, spending countless hours scrolling the internet for answers, trying to piece together what to do next.

My background as both a classroom teacher and a dyslexia therapist shaped not just the content of the book, but the delivery of it. In the classroom, I saw firsthand how teachers are often the first line of communication with parents, put in the difficult position of explaining why their child is struggling with reading. As a dyslexia therapist, part of my role is helping parents understand what is going on and what can be done to help.

Over the past seven years in private practice, I’ve supported a wide range of learning profiles, from more straightforward cases to deeply complex ones. One student in particular was a real aha moment. Their case reminded me of two important truths. First, dyslexia is often just one part of the puzzle. Learning differences rarely show up in isolation, so our approach must be holistic. Second, an informed, empowered parent who refuses to take “no” for an answer can make all the difference in a child’s life.

As I was writing, I kept thinking about that parent and every family I’ve ever worked with. I wanted to create a one-stop guide that covers everything a parent needs to know, without requiring a background in education to understand it. I think I’ve accomplished that. Part I focuses on what families need to know about dyslexia, and Part II dives into the challenges learners face, with practical, actionable strategies to help them thrive.

Based on your experience, what are the four most important things every parent should focus on after their child is diagnosed with dyslexia?

The first thing I always tell parents is: take a deep breath. You finally have answers. Getting to this point often takes months or years of advocating, observing, and pushing for support. So pause and acknowledge how far you’ve already come.

Then it’s time to move forward with purpose. Here are the four most important things I want every parent to focus on after their child is diagnosed with dyslexia:

1. Educate yourself.

   
   

Learn everything you can about dyslexia, your child’s unique learning profile, and what supports are available, both in and out of school. The more informed you are, the more empowered you’ll be to make decisions and ask the right questions.

2. Prepare for the emotional journey.

   
   

A diagnosis can stir up big emotions for both a parent and their child. Make space for those feelings. Let your child know that dyslexia doesn’t define them and that you’ll be walking this road with them every step of the way.

3. Start effective intervention immediately.

   
   

Time matters. Whether through school or private support, make sure your child begins an evidence-based, structured literacy program grounded in the Orton-Gillingham approach. Learners with dyslexia need explicit, systematic instruction, and the instruction they’re getting in their classroom likely won’t be sufficient.

4. Be ready to advocate and communicate.

   
   

As a parent, you are your child’s most powerful advocate. You have the power to fight for your child to receive the right services and support. It’s up to you to make sure teachers and school staff are informed about the diagnosis, understand the recommendations in evaluations, and follow through on what’s in their plan. Most importantly, though, I want parents to know that they can do this. Their child will learn to read, and they will succeed, with the right tools, the right support, and their parents in their corner.

What are the most common signs of dyslexia that parents overlook during the elementary school years?

We can notice signs of dyslexia as early as age three. Of course, children at that age aren’t learning to read, but dyslexia is a language-based learning difference. While dyslexia is a difficulty with reading words, it often impacts the other areas of language as well: listening, speaking, and writing. Listening and speaking are domains in which we can notice early signs.

In the early elementary years, parents tend to focus on reading milestones, which is important, but some of the earlier, more subtle signs can be overlooked. These might include delayed speech development, difficulty learning rhymes or songs, trouble remembering multi-step directions, or persistent challenges with word retrieval (saying “thing” instead of the specific word they’re looking for).

When kids start formal reading instruction in kindergarten and first grade, signs of dyslexia often become more obvious, like trouble learning letter names and sounds or struggling to blend sounds into words when reading. These students might also avoid reading out loud, guess at unfamiliar words rather than sounding them out, or read very slowly and laboriously, even after a lot of practice.

Another common sign that often flies under the radar is poor spelling, especially when the spelling seems unpredictable and inconsistent. Because dyslexia affects how the brain processes the sounds in words (phonological processing), spelling can remain a challenge even when reading starts to improve.

Finally, parents sometimes overlook the emotional signs. A child who complains of stomach aches before school, says “I’m dumb,” or starts acting out may be struggling more than they can express. These emotional and behavioral cues are just as important as the academic ones.

How should parents break the news of a dyslexia diagnosis to their child without making them feel "broken" or different?

The key is to keep it simple, honest, and encouraging. A dyslexia diagnosis isn’t something to fear;  It’s an explanation. For a lot of kids, finally having a name for what they’ve been experiencing can be a huge relief. It helps them understand that there’s a reason reading has felt so hard, and that it’s not because they’re not smart or not trying.

When talking to a child about the diagnosis, it can help to say something like, “Reading has been tricky for you, even though you’ve been working hard. We found out it’s because your brain works a little differently. There’s a name for that. It’s called dyslexia. It just means you learn to read differently. Now that we know, you can start with the kind of help that works.”

As with so many things in life, focus on the positive. There’s nothing wrong with them. Dyslexia is just one part of how their brain works. Parents can point out their child’s strengths and remind them that lots of smart, successful people have dyslexia too.

Kids may react in all kinds of ways. Some feel proud and empowered, while others might feel worried or confused. All feelings are completely normal and ok. What helps most is for parents to keep the door open for conversations and remind their child often: “You’re smart, you’re capable, and we’ve got your back.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.leadchanges.com/