At Elevate Counseling, we celebrate quirky personalities, immense talent, and creative thinking, as well as embrace the unique challenges that come with being gifted.
In our experience working with twice exceptional (2e) and gifted individuals, certain issues repeatedly come up in therapy:
- Heightened levels of sensitivity and intensity
- Existential depression and advanced empathy
- Anxiety
- Perfectionism
- Relationship difficulties
- Organizational issues and difficulty multitasking
- Asynchronous development
- Multipotentiality
Counseling that is specifically designed for gifted and exceptionally bright individuals is different because the causes of underlying problems are different.
Gifted and High Achieving children and adults possess advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity which creates inner experiences and awareness that is different from those of their peers. It impacts all aspects of their lives: their emotional, social, educational/vocational and spiritual well-being.
They often have an insatiable curiosity, advanced mental ability, surprising intensity, and an abundance of thought-provoking questions. For the gifted individual, the ability to take concepts and ideas to the next level is not a choice; it's something they automatically do without trying. While this can be a great asset in school or work, it can also cause problems.
What Does It Mean To Be Gifted or Twice Exceptional?
- 2e often refers to a person who is both intellectually gifted and also has one (or more) learning differences or neurodivergent conditions
- giftedness does not always equal academic achievement
- gifted individuals often have asynchronous development
- often comes with emotional intensity or heightened sensitivity
- can lead to perfectionism and/or burnout
- may result in feeling different than one's peers or lead to "masking"
- can contribute to over-identifying with intelligence or success
We Help Gifted and High Achievers:
- Learn effective ways to communicate, cooperate and solve problems
- Manage the side effects of mentally "running too fast" and develop the necessary skills to "slow down" thinking when it benefits you the most.
- Evaluate both the blessings and the burdens of being gifted and develop insight into how to use those talents effectively.
- Address co-occurring disorders, such as anxiety and depression, through scientifically-validated treatment modalities
Supporting Parents of Gifted Children and Teens
Parenting a gifted or twice-exceptional (2e) child can be both rewarding and challenging. Many gifted children experience the world with unique intensity, creativity, and depth, which can be incredible strengths while also contributing to anxiety, perfectionism, emotional overwhelm, or feeling misunderstood.
At Elevate Counseling, we help parents better understand their child's unique experiences while building stronger communication, connection, and support. Our goal is not to change who your child is, but to help them better understand themselves, navigate challenges, and feel confident embracing who they are.
We Get You
Jamie Dana and her team have extensive experience working with the gifted population. Members of our team are parents of gifted students, partners of gifted spouses, or are gifted themselves and understand the struggles you face from multiple perspectives. Jamie has spent over 20 years working in the field evaluating and providing support for 2e and gifted individuals and their families. She has been called on to provide her expertise at conferences and professional development seminars for professionals working with the gifted and high achieving population.
Beyond Labels
Although a label can be helpful for many to understand a set of characteristics or traits, we recognize that each individual is unique. When we work with gifted children, teens and adults, we are careful not to make assumptions about people just because they are gifted. We see our role as working collaboratively with you, so that together we come to understand underlying problems, explore potentially needed tools, and develop skills and solutions to live an elevated life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More About Giftedness
- What "Giftedness" Is (And What It Isn't) – Explore common misconceptions about giftedness and what it really means beyond high intelligence.
- Twice Exceptional Students: When Strengths Hide Struggles – Learn how giftedness and neurodivergence can interact and why 2e individuals are often misunderstood.
- Executive Functioning 101: The Brain's CEO – Understand executive functioning skills and why they matter for gifted and twice-exceptional individuals.