giftedness

If you grew up in “gifted and talented” programs or were identified as “high-achieving” in school, you may have a complicated relationship with the idea of giftedness. I find most gifted clients I work with would hesitate to even identify themselves as gifted, aware of potential stigma attached, unsure if it really fits them, or having trauma related to this label in childhood. Whether or not you take on the identification, I think it can be tremendously helpful to understand how giftedness may be impacting your life in adulthood. Giftedness is not just academic ease (in fact, many gifted folks did not perform well in school, finding it understimulating), it is a wholly different way of experiencing the world, your relationships, your work, and your sense of self. This difference is not “better” than or “superior” to anyone else, but is a difference, and one worth exploring.

If you’re unsure about giftedness in general or if it has an impact, I often have folks start by reading this (very old) article by Lovecky that describes common characteristics of gifted people (beyond academics) and challenges they might experience. I also have people poke around the Intergifted website- where you will find a wealth of helpful articles and resources.

If anything here sounds resonant to you, I’m interested in working together! I am passionate about creating a space where you can show up fully as yourself- no need to slow down your processing or make your big, complex, hyper-connected thoughts more manageable. Let’s chat.

*I completed the Giftedness 101 training through Intergifted- a cohort-based training program, teaching gifted therapist how to work well with gifted clients.

**While I love gifted children/adolescents, I only work with adults at my practice.