For Sarah, understanding comes before intervention.

With more than 25 years of experience across education, therapy, and coaching, she has spent much of her career exploring a question that continues to guide her work: why do some learners struggle in environments that are designed to help them learn?

Her answer has never been simply to look at what a learner cannot do. Instead, she looks for the person behind the difficulty: their strengths, motivations, ways of thinking, and the environment around them.

“I wanted to understand the ‘why’ behind their struggles,” she shares, “and to uncover the strengths hidden beneath.”

That curiosity led Sarah into the field of Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) and, more broadly, to working with neurodivergent individuals, families, and educators.

Her guiding philosophy is both personal and professional:

“Embrace your unique quirks, and you’ll unlock the superpowers within you. Use them to thrive, flourish, and create a better world.”

Sarah’s work in SpLD is grounded in a fundamental belief that everyone can learn, and education should empower every individual to live their best life. Early in her career, she found herself drawn to learners who didn’t quite fit the mould, those who learned differently and saw the world through unique lenses.

Her perspective deepened when she became a mother to neurodivergent children. Supporting them taught her firsthand that no two learners are the same. Their individual profiles challenged her to grow, adapt, and find new ways of understanding, not only for her own family but also for others walking similar paths.

Today, Sarah works extensively with what she calls “the atypical atypicals,” individuals whose learning differences do not fit neatly into standard diagnostic patterns. She particularly enjoys working with twice-exceptional learners: those who are gifted while simultaneously navigating challenges that can too easily be overlooked or dismissed.

“Every learner deserves to feel seen, capable, and proud of who they are,” Sarah says with conviction. “This belief guides everything I do.”

Understanding Before Intervention

Sarah’s practice is holistic, strengths-based, and values-centric. She works collaboratively with clients, their families, and other clinicians, with an emphasis on understanding the individual rather than simply addressing a diagnosis or presenting difficulty.

For her, meaningful change does not begin with having the perfect plan. It begins with being present and genuinely understanding the person in front of you.

“I don’t see my role as having all the answers. My clients and I work things out together. When we slow down and truly listen, we create the space to understand who they are, what they need, and what’s possible for them.”

Some of the most meaningful moments in her work are when a person begins to see their own potential differently.

“Nothing makes me smile more than witnessing a ‘lightbulb moment’ like when a child realises they can learn, and even enjoy learning, or when an adult begins to see themselves not as a problem to be fixed, but as a person with inherent worth in spite of their challenges.”

For Sarah, this distinction is fundamental to special education.

“We are not fixers,” she says gently. “We are facilitators. Every person has value, no matter how they learn, behave, or communicate. Our job is to see them, to connect with them, and to help them grow in ways that honour who they are.”

As an interdisciplinarian, Sarah draws on a wide range of disciplines, from invention education to sports and the arts, to cultivate individuals’ confidence in themselves and their ability to navigate their own learning and lives, while building emotional agility and mental fitness. Her approach reflects her belief that learning does not just happen in classrooms; it happens throughout life.

Building a More Inclusive Community

Sarah’s commitment to inclusion extends beyond her individual work with learners and families. She is a community activist and advocate for inclusion, and founded the Anything DYStinctive Community, a social support and resource-sharing network for neurodivergent individuals and families. She is also involved in local and overseas community efforts to promote inclusive and accessible learning opportunities.

“True inclusion,” Sarah believes, “happens when we move beyond labels and create environments where all learners can thrive in school, work, and play.”

Her vision is of a Singapore where educators, clinicians, and families share a common language of support, and where collaboration rather than confusion defines the system.

“We all want to see our clients succeed and thrive,” she says. “If we strengthen communication and understanding across systems, we’ll build a different and better world for everyone.”

Sarah’s interest in strengthening the wider educational support ecosystem also extends into her academic work. She is conducting research examining Singapore’s educational support ecosystem and how collaboration across home, school, and healthcare can be strengthened. She recently presented this work at the Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference at the National Institute of Education (NIE).

Her involvement with the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia), RETA, brings together her interest in professional learning and community building.

“I joined because I wanted to be part of a community that gets it,” she shares. “RETA reminds me that I’m not alone, that we’re all learning together, just like our students. And together, we can raise the standard of practice for all who learn differently.”

A Message of Hope

When asked what advice she has for those with special educational needs, Sarah’s words are direct and affirming.

“You are not broken. You are not less. You are not nothing. The world needs your quirks, insights, and ideas. You make life more interesting, more human, and more whole.”

For the parents, educators, clinicians, and others who walk alongside them, she has a message of appreciation and encouragement:

“Thank you. You are often the reason someone keeps trying. You help them believe in themselves when it’s the hardest. I know it can be exhausting, but please DO NOT quit. Every small act of understanding from you can help someone find their way.”

For Sarah, the goal is ultimately to help people understand and embrace their own DYStinction.

“When we embrace our DYStinction,” she says with a smile, “we don’t just flourish. We help others do the same, and together, we make the world a kinder, more inclusive place.”