My official discernment journey started exactly two years ago, though its been decades in the making.
Back then, there was no website. There were no “survival guides” or blog posts. There was just me, a pile of daunting Church of England paperwork, and a brain that seemed to fight me at every turn. There was also a huge amount of Googling what something meant, what was that ‘matrix’ they talked about, what are the steps for discernment…
As someone with Dyslexia and ADHD, those first few months were spent in a kind of internal silence—trying to figure out if I could actually do this, or if my “spiky” cognitive profile would eventually hit a wall I couldn’t climb.
I’ve hit that wall a few times in my life, and thankfully the systems around me have helped out. At university, I was diagnosed with Dyslexia - it was a relief, a blessing and enabled new ways of working. Just this year I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD. Both of these came about through huge struggles, building blocks i had created were falling down, but I was able to access support - and yes I know how lucky that makes me.
The Turning Point, Helping Others
While the journey started in 2023, the ideas for Discern with Dyslexia began forming in my mind almost immediately. Every time I hit a hurdle—like the “Paperwork Panic” or the struggle to process dense theological texts—I found myself thinking: “I can’t be the only one feeling this.”
In October of this year, I finally put those thoughts into action and launched discernwithdyslexia.co.uk.
I didn’t know if anyone would find it. I didn’t know if the Church was ready for someone to be this honest about the “messy” side of calling. But the response has been overwhelming. In just a few short months, the site has had over 15,000 hits.
Why the “Spiky Profile” is a Spiritual Gift
The last two years have taught me that the things I feared most—my inability to read in a straight line or my tendency to hyperfocus until I forget to eat—are not barriers to the priesthood. They are part of the gift.
The Hyperfocus: It’s what allowed me to build this site and reach 15,000 people in record time (just 2 months).
Dyslexia: It’s what forces me to find the “heart” of a Bible passage rather than getting lost in the surface-level words.
The Authenticity: Owning my mistakes in front of a Bishop’s Adviser has done more to build connection and “Quality” than any polished, rehearsed answer ever could.
The Next Phase: The Substack Journal
As I move into the final stages of discernment—the Psychological Assessment (APW) and the Stage 2 —the journey is becoming more personal. The website will continue to be the home for the “How-To” guides and practical advice that so many people are clearly searching for.
However, I am now launching a Substack to serve as my “Discernment Journal.”
This is where I’ll be sharing the raw, behind-the-scenes reflections that don’t always fit into a “survival guide.” It’s a space to talk about how this process feels on the inside, the “social hangovers” after big meetings, and the deep spiritual realisations that come from a neurodivergent life.
My First Journal:
15,000 Thank-Yous
To everyone who has clicked, read, and shared over the last few months: thank you. You’ve proven that there is a massive community of neurodivergent people within the Church who are ready to be seen.
Whether you are two years into your journey or just two days, remember: the Church doesn’t need “super-humans.” It needs people who know how to be real.