By Sara Jane Gorman
A lived-experience and educational guide to disability, neurodivergence, learning difficulties, mental health, support and inclusion.
FRONT MATTER
Title Page
Special Needs, Learning Difficulties, Disabilities and Mental Health Awareness
By Sara Jane Gorman
A book about lived experience, understanding, support and inclusion
Author's Note
This book comes from both lived experience and professional experience.
I have spent many years learning about disability, mental health and inclusion—not only through my own life, but also through advocacy, training, education, writing and working with other people.
My aim is simple:
To help people understand what life can be like when you have a disability, learning difficulty, neurodevelopmental condition or mental health difficulty—and to explain what support can make a real difference.
This is not intended to speak for everyone. Every person is different.
Instead, I want to combine personal experience, research, education and the voices of others to encourage better understanding.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Meet Sara Jane Gorman
Sara Jane Gorman is a disability awareness advocate, writer, speaker, trainer and educator originally from Wolverhampton, UK.
Her work has developed from her own experiences of disability and mental health, together with many years of advocacy and awareness-raising.
Sara has been involved with organisations and projects including Mencap, One Voice Wolverhampton, Our Shout and Access All Areas Now!
She has worked in advocacy, mentoring, training and education and has shared her experiences through writing, creative work, public speaking and teaching.
She has also worked as a Visiting Lecturer in Learning Disability and Mental Health Awareness at the University of Wolverhampton, helping students and professionals understand disability through both educational knowledge and lived experience.
Her work is based on a belief that people with disabilities should not simply be spoken about.
They should also be listened to, represented and involved.
ABOUT THE BLOG
Sara Revealed
This book grew from my writing.
I began writing about my experiences in 2007, creating what became Sara Revealed.
The blog developed from sharing personal experiences into a wider disability and mental health awareness resource.
Today, my work focuses on:
- learning disabilities
- learning difficulties
- neurodivergence
- autism
- mental health
- disability rights
- advocacy
- accessibility
- inclusion
- everyday experiences
- support and services
- creative writing and poetry
- lived experience
The book allows me to take those ideas further by bringing them together into a structured learning resource.
WHY THIS BOOK EXISTS
1.1 Why This Book Matters
It is not always easy to understand learning difficulties.
It can be especially difficult when you are living with a learning disability, mental health condition, neurodevelopmental condition, physical disability or other challenges yourself.
Sometimes the hardest part is not simply dealing with the condition.
It is trying to make yourself heard and seen.
People may make assumptions about you.
They may misunderstand your behaviour.
They may focus on what you cannot do instead of what you can do.
They may talk about you rather than talking with you.
That is one of the reasons I am writing this book.
I want to explain how disability and mental health can affect everyday life—and, just as importantly, what help and support people actually want and need.
This Book Is For People Who Care
This book is for:
- people with disabilities
- people with learning difficulties
- autistic people
- people with mental health conditions
- parents and families
- carers
- teachers
- teaching assistants
- students
- healthcare professionals
- social workers
- support workers
- employers and managers
- disability professionals
- researchers
- anyone who wants to understand more
You do not need to be studying disability or mental health to read this book.
You can simply read the parts that are useful to you.
For students and professionals, however, the book can also be used as a learning resource, with questions, activities, case studies and reflection exercises.
WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK DIFFERENT?
This is not simply a book of definitions.
It brings together three important perspectives:
🧠 Research
What do we know about different conditions?
❤️ Lived experience
What can those conditions actually feel like in everyday life?
🛠️ Practical support
What can families, educators, professionals, employers and communities do to help?
These three perspectives belong together.
A diagnosis can tell us something about a condition.
Research can tell us what is known about it.
But lived experience can help us understand what that information means in someone's actual life.
THE BOOK'S APPROACH
Throughout the book, I want to ask questions such as:
- What is this condition?
- What does it actually mean?
- How might it affect someone's everyday life?
- What strengths might a person have?
- What difficulties might they experience?
- What support could help?
- What misunderstandings or stereotypes exist?
- How can professionals communicate better?
- How can families provide support?
- What reasonable adjustments might be useful?
- What does inclusion actually look like?
PART 1 — FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 1: Introduction and Why Disability and Mental Health Awareness Matters
Topics
- Why this book exists
- The importance of awareness
- Lived experience
- Disability and identity
- Inclusion
- Stigma
- Representation
- Why listening matters
Key message
People are more than their diagnosis.
Chapter 2: What Are Special Needs and Learning Disabilities?
This chapter establishes the terminology used throughout the book.
Topics
- What does "special needs" mean?
- Learning disability
- Learning difficulty
- Specific learning difficulty
- Intellectual disability
- Developmental disability
- Neurodevelopmental conditions
- Physical disability
- Mental health conditions
- Neurodiversity
- Disability versus impairment
- Person-first and identity-first language
This chapter is particularly important because terminology varies between countries.
For example, learning disability has a different meaning in the UK from learning disability in much of the United States.
That distinction should be explained early in the book so readers do not become confused.
PART 2 — DEVELOPMENTAL, NEUROLOGICAL AND OTHER CONDITIONS
Chapter 3 — What Is Spina Bifida?
Topics:
- What spina bifida is
- Neural tube development
- Spina bifida occulta
- Meningocele
- Myelomeningocele
- Mobility
- Hydrocephalus
- Chiari II malformation
- Communication
- Learning
- Speech and language
- Bladder and bowel difficulties
- Support and rehabilitation
- Lived experience
Your detailed material about mobility, hydrocephalus, communication, dysarthria, dysphagia and support can fit here.
However, I would carefully review claims such as exact percentages and statements about "cocktail party syndrome" before publication.
Chapter 4 — Williams Syndrome
Chapter 5 — SYNGAP1 Disorder
Chapter 6 — Global Developmental Delay
Chapter 7 — Challenging Behaviour
This chapter should be particularly careful to explain that behaviour is communication in many situations, while avoiding the assumption that every behaviour has one simple cause.
Possible topics:
- What challenging behaviour means
- Communication difficulties
- Pain
- sensory overload
- anxiety
- frustration
- trauma
- environmental factors
- unmet needs
- positive behavioural support
- restrictive practices
- dignity and human rights
Chapter 8 — Cerebral Palsy
Chapter 9 — Angelman Syndrome
Chapter 10 — DiGeorge Syndrome
PART 3 — SPECIFIC LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Chapter 11 — What Is Dyslexia?
- Reading
- spelling
- phonological processing
- working memory
- written language
- education
- employment
- strengths
- reasonable adjustments
Chapter 12 — What Is Dyspraxia?
Also introduce the term:
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Topics:
- coordination
- motor planning
- organisation
- handwriting
- everyday tasks
- fatigue
- sensory experiences
- education
- employment
- practical support
Chapter 13 — What Is Dysgraphia?
Chapter 14 — What Is Dyscalculia?
Chapter 15 — Autism and ADHD: Similarities and Differences
This could be an especially useful comparative chapter.
| Area | Autism | ADHD |
|---|---|---|
| Attention | May involve intense focus or difficulty shifting attention | Often difficulty sustaining or regulating attention |
| Sensory processing | Sensory differences are common | Sensory differences can also occur |
| Executive functioning | Can be affected | Frequently affected |
| Social communication | Differences may be central | Difficulties may arise from impulsivity or attention regulation |
| Routine | Some people strongly prefer predictability | Some people struggle with maintaining routines |
| Presentation | Extremely varied | Extremely varied |
And importantly:
A person can be both autistic and have ADHD.
PART 4 — MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
Chapter 16 — What Is Mental Health and Mental Illness?
This chapter should distinguish:
mental health ≠ mental illness
Everyone has mental health.
Mental illness refers to diagnosable conditions that can affect thoughts, emotions, behaviour and functioning.
Chapter 17 — Understanding Emotions
Possible sections:
- Anger
- anxiety
- fear
- sadness
- frustration
- emotional regulation
- emotional overwhelm
- coping
- communication
- sensory overload
- trauma
Chapter 18 — Depression
- What depression is
- symptoms
- different presentations
- effects on everyday life
- disability and depression
- treatment
- support
- recovery
Chapter 19 — Borderline Personality Disorder
This chapter can build on the work you've already done studying personality disorders.
Important topics:
- emotional instability
- relationships
- self-image
- impulsivity
- fear of abandonment
- self-harm and suicide risk
- stigma
- treatment
- recovery
It will be particularly important to avoid portraying people with BPD as simply "difficult" or manipulative.
Chapter 20 — Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder
Include:
- psychosis
- hallucinations
- delusions
- disorganised thinking
- negative symptoms
- mood symptoms
- treatment
- recovery
- stigma
- communication
- crisis support
A major aim should be separating myths about schizophrenia from clinical reality.
Chapter 21 — Suicide Awareness and Prevention
This chapter should be written carefully and compassionately.
Possible sections:
- warning signs
- risk factors
- protective factors
- how to respond
- how to listen
- professional help
- crisis planning
- supporting someone after an attempt
- supporting families and carers
Because this is a safety-critical subject, factual information and emergency resources should be checked against current UK and US sources before publication.
PART 5 — SUPPORT AND PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
Chapter 22 — Mentoring and Coaching
Topics:
- mentoring
- coaching
- peer support
- self-advocacy
- goal setting
- confidence
- independence
- strengths-based practice
Chapter 23 — Counselling and Therapy
Explain different approaches without suggesting that one treatment works for everyone.
Possible sections:
- counselling
- CBT
- person-centred therapy
- trauma-informed approaches
- family therapy
- psychological support
- medication
- multidisciplinary support
Chapter 24 — Tools for Parents, Teachers and Employers
This can become one of the most practical sections of the book.
Parents and carers
- communication
- routines
- advocacy
- appointments
- education
- crisis planning
Teachers
- reasonable adjustments
- visual supports
- differentiated instruction
- sensory considerations
- communication
- behaviour support
Employers
- reasonable accommodations
- communication
- flexible working
- recruitment
- workplace accessibility
- supporting mental health
PART 6 — THE NEURODIVERSITY AND STRENGTHS PERSPECTIVE
I actually think your newer material gives the book a very important additional dimension.
Rather than making the whole book about deficits, you can deliberately ask:
What can people do—not just what difficulties do they have?
This section could include:
Strengths that some neurodivergent people may experience
- creativity
- pattern recognition
- detailed knowledge
- intense interests
- persistence
- problem-solving
- visual thinking
- honesty
- attention to detail
- specialist knowledge
- different perspectives
But I'd phrase these carefully:
These are possible strengths, not universal characteristics.
That prevents the book from replacing one stereotype with another.
PART 7 — LIVED EXPERIENCE
This could become one of the strongest parts of the entire book.
Instead of only writing:
"Dyslexia can affect reading."
You could write:
What this can mean in real life
Then give a short first-person example.
For instance:
"Sometimes I know exactly what I want to say, but getting the words onto paper can take much longer than people expect."
That is where your voice becomes particularly valuable.
You can do this throughout the book.
PART 8 — LEARNING RESOURCE
This is where your idea of turning the book into a course becomes especially useful.
Every module could finish with:
📝 Quick Quiz
5–10 questions.
💭 Reflection
What have you learned from this chapter?
🗣️ Discussion
How might this condition affect someone's everyday life?
🧩 Case Study
A fictional scenario based on realistic situations.
✅ Key Points
5 things to remember.
📚 Further Reading
Reliable sources for anyone wanting to learn more.
APPENDICES
Appendix A — Glossary
For example:
ADHD — Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
ASD — Autism Spectrum Disorder
DCD — Developmental Coordination Disorder
Dyslexia — A specific learning difficulty primarily affecting reading and related language processes.
Neurodiversity — The idea that neurological differences are part of natural human variation.
Appendix B — Accessibility Resources
Include:
- Easy Read
- large print
- dyslexia-friendly formatting
- audio
- captions
- transcripts
- symbols
- visual timetables
- communication supports
And your preferred tools such as Widgit and ARASAAC can be discussed here.
Appendix C — UK and US Resources
Because your book is intended for both countries, I'd separate these clearly:
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Health, education, disability, advocacy and crisis resources.
🇺🇸 United States
Healthcare, disability rights, education, IDEA/504, advocacy and crisis resources.
This prevents readers from confusing systems that operate differently.
Appendix D — Famous People and Disability
Your famous-person section can work well, but I would change its purpose slightly.
Instead of:
"Famous people with disabilities"
make it:
People Who Have Challenged Stereotypes
Then divide them into:
- musicians
- actors
- writers
- artists
- scientists
- public figures
- disability advocates
And be very careful about diagnoses.
For historical figures especially, don't present a modern diagnosis as fact when it is only speculation.
For example:
"Some writers have suggested..."
is very different from:
"He had ADHD."
That distinction matters in an educational book.
One Important Change I Would Make
Your current material sometimes moves between "learning disability," "learning difficulty," "special needs," "neurodivergence," "mental illness," and "disability" as though they mean the same thing.
They don't.
That actually allows you to make Chapter 2 one of the most important chapters in the book.
You could have a large accessible table:
| Term | Basic meaning |
|---|---|
| Learning difficulty | A difficulty with a particular aspect of learning; meaning varies by country |
| Specific learning difficulty | A specific difficulty such as dyslexia or dyscalculia |
| Learning disability – UK | A lifelong condition involving significant difficulties with intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning |
| Intellectual disability – US | Term commonly used in the US for what the UK generally calls learning disability |
| Neurodivergence | A broad term describing neurological differences from typical patterns |
| Mental illness | A diagnosable mental health condition |
| Physical disability | A condition affecting physical functioning |
| Special educational needs | Educational needs requiring additional or different provision |
That would prevent readers from becoming confused later.
And I Would Keep Your Personal Voice
This is perhaps the most important thing.
Some of the material you pasted has become very formal and academic, for example:
"The ability to comprehend the complexities surrounding learning difficulties and mental health challenges is of paramount importance..."
That sounds like a university report.
Your strongest writing is actually much simpler:
"It is not always easy to understand learning difficulties. Sometimes it is even harder when you are the person living with them."
That sounds like you.
I'd therefore use a two-layer writing style:
📚 Main text
Clear, accessible, researched information.
❤️ Sara's Voice
Short personal reflections, stories and observations.
For example:
Sara's Perspective
I know what it feels like when people see the disability before they see the person. Sometimes what I need isn't somebody to take over for me. I need somebody to listen, explain things clearly and give me the right support to do it myself.
That combination could make the book much more distinctive.
The Overall Book Architecture
I would ultimately aim for something like:
Front Matter
↓
About Sara / Why the Book Exists
↓
Part 1 — Foundations
↓
Part 2 — Developmental & Neurological Conditions
↓
Part 3 — Specific Learning Difficulties
↓
Part 4 — Autism, ADHD & Neurodiversity
↓
Part 5 — Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing
↓
Part 6 — Support, Advocacy & Practice
↓
Part 7 — Lived Experience & Strengths
↓
Part 8 — Learning Course / Activities
↓
Appendices & Resources
That gives you a much clearer progression:
Understand the terminology → understand the conditions → understand the person → understand the impact → learn how to support → apply the knowledge.
And importantly, your original purpose remains at the centre of it: making people with disabilities and mental health difficulties both heard and seen.
No comments:
Post a Comment