The capacity to develop strong and lasting friendships cannot develop in the gifted individual until she herself has experienced the glad peace of being understood and accepted by "kindred spirits" -- people of similar abilities, values and interests. Miraca U. M. Gross
(continued from previous page)
Teaching a gifted adult to see the other person’s worldview in order to connect with them--not conform to them—is important. Therapy or coaching will need to focus on helping the gifted adult to develop skills to assess situations, communicate and interact in his or her own best interests, and, more importantly, how to recognize a bad situation and what to do when nothing can be done to alter it.
Essential, also, is helping the client to find, develop and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with other gifted individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations and communities. The gifted benefit most from interacting with peers. A person with multiple abilities can never have too many gifted people in their lives.
Summary of Therapy & Coaching Issues
The first issue a gifted adult needs to face in coaching or therapy is identifying and becoming familiar with the traits of his or her own giftedness.
What are the traits I have and how does having them affect me personally in my daily living? What do I need to incorporate into my lifestyle to make sure that I am getting my needs met and am developing and using my talents?
How does it feel to be gifted? Now? In the past? What are the benefits? What are the burdens? What are the personal skills I need in order to live with my multiple abilities? How can I develop these skills?
The second issue the gifted adult must face is, What are the interpersonal consequences of the gifted traits I possess? How do my multiple talents and abilities affect others when I interact with them? How do others without these abilities experience the world? How can I interact with others so that my needs are met? How can I communicate with others so that I am understood? So I can communicate clearly and have good relationships?
The third issue the gifted adult must face is, What are the interpersonal skills I need to develop in order to deal with those people who are envious, jealous or sabotaging of me in my personal, professional or social environments? How does it feel to me when these things happen? What are old wounds in this area? Who are people I can talk to about these things? Who can I go to for help in healing these wounds so I can move forward whole, again?
The fourth issue the gifted adult must face is how can I find, develop and maintain relationships with other gifted adults? Where do I find other gifted adults? How can I include other gifted adults in my life?
The fifth issue is an issue that continues no matter what the subject is, How does my being gifted influence my life on a daily basis? What are my thoughts and feelings about this? How are my goals for myself affected by my multiple talents, sensitivities and perceptions? Are my goals realistic for me at this time? What type of help, input and resources do I need in order to continue my own personal, professional and creative development? How do I feel about my achievements and the works I have in progress?
The sixth issue is an overall issue that is for the therapist or coach and the client: How can we work best together? What are the best ways we can collaborate to get the work done? What are the most important aspects of therapy or coaching for you, the gifted adult, as client?
Conclusion
Highly gifted, talented and creative individuals have much to gain from a skilled and informed therapist or coach who is willing to actively and effectively engage them.
I have enjoyed my work with highly gifted, talented and creative adult for more than 15 years, and I expect to enjoy it for many more.
Good luck to you in your learning adventures in growth and development.
© Lynne Azpeitia
(310) 828-7121 (626) 797-5977
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Existential Depression in Gifted Individuals
James T. Webb, Ph.D.
It has been my experience that gifted and talented persons are more likely to experience a type of depression referred to as existential depression. Although an episode of existential depression may be precipitated in anyone by a major loss or the threat of a loss which highlights the transient nature of life, persons of higher intellectual ability are more prone to experience existential depression spontaneously …More
