#Gifted adults series

Additionally, something like 80% of gifted people experience bullying trauma due to their differences from peers and this increases likelihood of distress related issues like depression, anxiety etc.

It is difficult to know because many gifted people are not identified and those who are not identified are likely to experience more trauma/distress due to lack of awareness about how this changes 'normal' and spending a lot of time trying to fit into a definition of normal that is not appropriate for them. Gifted people appear to have mental illness at similar rates as the rest of the population- maybe. I don't know if it's true, but I've heard that depression and having a higher IQ are somehow intertwined? What is the age range between your clients?Įarly 20s to 70s, I consult with parents about their kids but don't enjoy working with children. There are a constellation of traits that are common among gifted people intensity (being/feeling 'too much') in general and within 5 identified domains that are called overexcitabilities (intellectual, emotional, psychomotor, sensate, and imaginational), asynchrony (internal= uneven development in different parts of self, say intellectually very strong but physically clumsy or emotionally unsophisticated for example externally= feeling/being out of sync with peers, society, professionally etc), having strong metacognitive (thinking about one's thinking) and insight capabilities, are a few of the most common traits I see.

embodied decision making + focusing workĮach session will be 60-minutes in duration and the number/frequency of sessions will vary for each individual.Are there any similar traits the majority of your clients have?.

challenging barriers to meaningful change.

identifying + deconstructing goals + values that are congruent with purpose.

exploring + accepting one's complex, highly sensitive + creative self.

#Gifted adults series

This series of individual sessions consists of a multi-phase format that includes: Think you may be gifted, and seeking support hasn't been so helpful in the past? Check out the Life Architecture Program at Method. Since many therapists are not aware of the different experience of gifted individuals, they may misinterpret thoughts, feelings, and behaviors typical of gifted adults and inappropriately diagnose. In hopes to mitigate the intensity of their emotions and heightened sensitivity, gifted people may find ways to attempt to escape or numb. These thoughts can lead to feelings of hopelessness and meaninglessness. Existential concern. Gifted adults’ innate ability to think abstractly may lead them to consider and deeply question issues such as death, freedom, and the human condition.Gifted adults may feel bored and ready for the next challenge once they reach a certain point in their career. They also may find it difficult to find career satisfaction when they can see so many issues, see how they could be addressed, and yet feel unable to make an impact. Gifted adults may experience a constant sense of urgency about wanting to pursue many ideas at once, which can make it difficult to decide where to put energy and even lead to underachievement. This also makes partnering a challenge for gifted adults as well as getting support from a coach/therapist/mentor who can match their complexity, speed and/or depth. Gifted adults often find others’ interests or conversation to be superficial or dull, which makes it difficult to participate socially in a genuine manner. Consistent feelings of not fitting in with others in addition to perfectionistic tendencies + strong inner critic may contribute to a negative self narrative. Who is a gifted adult? It is a commonly misunderstood term with a limited traditional definition, often associated only with IQ. The reality is that there are multiple types of extraordinary abilities (including creativity!) not captured in that conventional conception of giftedness.īeing gifted also comes with its own unique challenges due to the overall experience of feeling misunderstood (and being misunderstood) by others. Here are some common concerns that I see in gifted clients: