Lisa’s Story
I wanted to do Occupational Therapy since I was eight years old, I realized at the age of eight, that I was different to most children. I found that nature and animals helped me cope, even though I had no idea why I was different. On finishing my matric, I did not have sufficient marks to get into OT. The next step was to do my matric year again, to try improve my marks to get in to OT. I managed to improve my marks and was accepted in to my 4 year degree of OT. I failed my 1st year and had to repeat it. My 3rd year of university was my @nd year of my degree, I failed this as well. I only started my 3rd year of OT in my 5th year of attending university. By this time I was extremely frustrated and thought that the teachers at school that told me that I was lazy and stupid where correct.
I then decided to go to a Educational Psychologist to see, if I actually was stupid and lazy. when the report came out I was diagnosed with severe dyslexia, now called a learning difficulty. And to be told that it was totally unbelievable that I have actually got so far in university. So not only was I not stupid and lazy, but I struggled to learn, and read and write, I was clever and was able to think out the box. I eventually finished my degree 7 years after finishing my first year of matric.
It was a long journey through trials and tribulations, but in 1992 succeeded in getting my Occupational Therapy qualifications.
I started my own OT practice at Sleepy Hollow Horse Riding, using Hippotherapy as my main treatment modality. I then started to travel to countries around the world lecturing and attending many different courses to further my knowledge and be able to provide many different modalities.
On finishing my Occupational Therapy degree, I decided that there where many more modalities that could be added to my degree to help clients with the use of nature. I then proceeded to travel the world, on and off, over the years. While overseas I attended many courses, lectured, ran Therapeutic Riding program at Summer Camps for ADHD and autistic children, Main Speaker on Hippotherapy in New Zealand Annual Hippotherapy and Riding for the Disabled Conference, Senior Examiner for SA Riding for the Disabled (SARDA) and founder member of the Equine Assisted Therapy Association of SA (EATASA).
Because of the dyslexia, I can think out of the box, enabling myself to be able to see the big picture, with all my clients I work with, rather than the immediate difficulty they are currently dealing with, leading to a more holistic picture. I have had the experience of pushing through boundaries and striving towards goals and dreams, this leads to better understanding of the clients I have the privilege to work with.
I discovered Craniosacral Therapy in the USA and realized that Craniosacral Therapy was a potent therapy. This then led me to do Craniosacral Therapy Level 1 and Level 2, I have attended many of the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy online seminars. This was due to my fascination of this potent and phenomenal treatment stratergy.
I am extremely privileged in that I love my work and have a passion for what I do.
“Dyslexic kids are creative, ‘outside-the-box’ thinkers. They have to be because they don’t see or solve problems the same way other kids do. In school, unfortunately, they are sometimes written off as lazy, unmotivated, rude, or even stupid. They aren’t. It is not a bad thing to be different. Sometimes, it’s the mark of being very, very talented”
– Rick Riordan.
“I didn’tt succeed despite my dyslexia, but because of it. It wasn’t my deficit, but my advantage. Although there are neurological trade-offs that require that I work creatively (and) smarter in reading, writing and speaking, I would never wish to be any other way than my awesome self. I love being me, regardless of the early challenges I had faced.”
-Scott Sonnen, Professional Athlete