Lois Tucker

Everything was unlocked when I learned how to read, also. If I visualize, it's more that I know the words and concepts behind the words rather than seeing anything (including seeing words). It's a knowing-ness. I know what things are and if I don't know, I look them up in dictionary or our now-massive www-encyclopedia.

I just learned I have total aphantasia, yet the only thing disturbing is the idea that OTHER PEOPLE think it's weird. It's how I've always been. I've gotten along fine without seeing things in my mind's eye. I'm sorry you experience it as distressing. It's possible to do all the "visualize a safe place" and "concentrate on a gold light" meditation-type stuff without seeing something actually in your mind's eye. It's about focusing your attention and you can do that with the darkness behind your eyes. I'm quoting a TED talk guy here: There is no true normal out there and difference is not deviance. https://www.ted.com/talks/alex_rosenthal_can_you_picture_things_in_your_mind_i_can_t?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

I have complete aphantasia but have always excelled at anything involving words. How sounds and shapes make up words, how periods are ends of sentences, what paragraphs and chapters look like are things I learned when I around 5 years old and it unlocked spelling along with word meaning. I looked up anything I didn't know in a dictionary & learned more that way. I don't see words in my mind, I just know them. Maybe something similar would help? You don't say how old she is. Spelling is as much knowing pronunciation as meaning and letters.