GIFTED ADULTS & YOUNG PEOPLE

What is being gifted

Many Gifted people are highly driven, able to do several things at one time, impatient with delay and quickly bored. These skills can help but also cause problems, particularly when not identified.

Surprisingly, many Gifted young people do badly at school or fail at University – often through boredom or finding classes un-challenging. Non-gifted students fit more easily into the educational system, being less demanding.

 

Common signs of giftedness

  • High levels of energy and curiosity
  • Quick learning and achieving ability
  • Skills in abstract thinking and seeing patterns
  • High morals and a need to speak openly about them
  • An intense nature
  • A need to be intellectually challenged, or face boredom

 

Problems with being Gifted

  • Being overly sensitivity or anxious
  • Off balance physically, mentally or emotionally
  • Doubts about self, abilities or competence
  • Self blame and self doubt
  • Overwork and a tendency to burn out
  • Not enjoying life, work or relating
  • Isolation
  • Feelings of not doing or being enough
  • Escape into other activities without relief

 

Gifted children

Problems include:

  • Difficulty making friends – feelings different, shyness, low self esteem, or bullying
  • Depression or high anxiety – insomnia, obsessions or bad behaviour. becomes  introverted or withdrawn
  • Perfectionism or fear of failure – avoidance of disappointment by refusing to do tasks, such as homework
  • Intense sensitivity to criticism or anger
  • High observation and intellectual skills
  • Holding back in social situations, feeling awkward communicating
  • Over-developed sense of right and wrong
  • Controlling – bossy, seeks unhealthy control
  • Impatience – quickly frustrated at themselves or others. Lacking in empathy or acceptance of failure
  • Burnout – exhausted from over-work and high expectations
  • Misdiagnosis – wrongly labeled as ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, OCD or  depression.

 

How therapy helps

I have worked with Gifted adults and children for 10 years, using CBT therapy, Counselling and Hypnosis.

Many clients struggle with a lifetime of feeling ‘different’ from others, finding themselves insecure, isolated or anxious.

Therapy helps provide understanding of the advantages of Giftedness, giving tools to use skills for success. Anxiety and stress are reduced. This leads to confidence, control, self-esteem and succeed.