The Gifted Adult

Are you relentlessly curious and creative, always willing to rock the boat in order to get things done . . . extremely energetic and focused, yet constantly switching gears . . . intensely sensitive, able to intuit subtly charged situations and decipher others' feeling? If these traits sound familiar, then you may be an Everyday Genius--an ordinary person of unusual vision who breaks the mold and isn't afraid to push progress forward. . . . As thought-provoking as Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence, psychologist Mary-Elaine Jacobsen's Gifted Adults draws on a wide range of groundbreaking research and her own clinical experience to show America's twenty million gifted adults how to identify and free their extraordinary potential. Gifted Adults presents the first practical tool for rating your Evolutionary Intelligence Quotient through an in-depth personality-type profile. Demystifying what it means to be a gifted adult, this book offers practical guidance for eliminating self-sabotage and underachievement, helping Everyday Geniuses and those who know, love, and work with them to understand and support the exceptional gifts inherent in these unique personality traits.

This groundbreaking work identifies the traits common to everyday geniuses and offers a revolutionary new measurement tool to assess unconventional intelligence.

Do you long to drive a Ferrari at top speed on the open road, but find yourself always stuck on the freeway during rush hour? Do you wonder how you can feel like "not enough" and "too much" at the same time? Like the rain forest, are you sometimes intense, multilayered, colorful, creative, overwhelming, highly sensitive, complex, and/or idealistic? And, like the rain forest, have you met too many chainsaws?Enter Paula Prober, M.S., M.Ed., who understands the diversity and complexity of minds like yours. In "Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Youths and Adults," Paula explores the challenges faced by gifted adults of all ages. Through case studies and extensive research, Paula will help you tap into your inner creativity, find peace, and discover the limitless potential that comes with your Rainforest Mind.

Gifted Grownups, Marylou Kelly Streznewski's unprecedented, 10-year study of 100 gifted adults, examines how being identified as a "smart kid" early on affects career choices, friendships, and romantic pairings later in life. Why do some talented and gifted people become Mozarts and Einsteins or corporate chieftains, while others drop out of school, struggle to hold down jobs, or turn to self-destructive behavior? What are the signs of giftedness, its pitfalls, and its promise? Marylou Streznewski provides answers to these and other questions, and creates an intriguing picture of what it is like to have an accelerated mind in a slow-moving world.

Our brightest, most creative children and adults are often being misdiagnosed with behavioral and emotional disorders such as ADHD, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder, Bipolar, OCD, or Asperger?s. Many receive unneeded medication and inappropriate counseling as a result. Physicians, psychologists, and counselors are unaware of characteristics of gifted children and adults that mimic pathological diagnoses. Six nationally prominent health care professionals describe ways parents and professionals can distinguish between gifted behaviors and pathological behaviors. ?These authors have brought to light a widespread and serious problem?the wasting of lives from the misdiagnosis of gifted children and adults and the inappropriate treatment that often follows.? Jack G. Wiggins, Ph. D., Former President, American Psychological Association

In my estimation Giftedness 101 ranks high among authoritative texts devoted to this particular population of children. It not only offers thorough experience and knowledge-based insights to those who are already or are contemplating serving the social emotional needs of these children in the future, but also those who profess to educate future teachers, those who would venture out into classrooms charged with the teaching and many others besides. It should be required reading for politicians - especially those who shape educational policy."--Gifted and Talented International "Linda Silverman is an articulate, insightful, authoritative, and extremely "gifted" international expert in the assessment of giftedness...[She] has created a gem with Giftedness 101. The fields of psychology and education should welcome this vibrant book with open arms." Alan S. Kaufman, PhD Yale Child Study Center School of Medicine "This is a really terrific book! I'm really impressed at how much information has been packed into it, how accessible it is (without talking down to the audience), and how well the author has parsed the many key issues in the world of giftedness. Parents and mental health professionals with find this book incredibly useful. I look forward to sharing it far and wide. I think it is a book that was badly needed and will really fill a niche." Corin Goodwin CEO & Executive Director, Gifted Homeschoolers Forum This is the most thorough history, explanation, and call to action for gifted advocates you will find."--Laughing at Chaos Blog What is giftedness? Is it the potential for success or is it the experience of being an "outsider"? This book addresses the unique psychological needs of gifted children, which are often manifested as "feeling different," and examines special issues such as gifted children with learning disabilities, gender considerations, implications of socio-economic status, and more. Giftedness 101 dispels common myths about giftedness and challenges the view that eminence is the true signifier of giftedness. It offers specific guidelines to psychologists, parents, and teachers; describes comprehensive assessment of the gifted; provides support for the twice exceptional; and focuses on the complex inner world of the gifted. The book defines giftedness as a psychological reality with powerful ramifications throughout the lifespan. Giftedness 101 will be a valuable, eye-opening resource for psychologists, educators, and other professionals who work with the gifted, as well as gifted individuals and their families. Key Features: Provides a concise, accessible overview of one of the most important and challenging topics in psychology and education Examines the concept of giftedness across the lifespan Covers both the intellectual assessment and development of gifted individuals as well as the psychological well-being issues of this population Written by a prominent expert in the field of the psychology of giftedness

Selected posts from the popular blog Your Rainforest Mind along with specific strategies and resources to guide your journey back to authenticity, purpose, love, and to finally deciding what color to paint your living room. Have you been told that you're too sensitive, too dramatic, too verbal, too smart, too curious, and too intense? Do you feel like not enough and too much at the same time? Do you ask yourself: If I'm so smart, why am I so dumb? Yes? Then, chances are, you have a rainforest mind. A mind that runs faster, wider, and deeper than most. A personhood that is highly sensitive, perceptive, and empathetic. Like the tropical rainforest, you're extremely complex, full of life, and misunderstood. You have the ability to make a significant contribution to society but you're being cut down before you can find your way. Let this book help you find your way. Take a journey into your rainforest mind.

This book describes the overexcitabilities often associated with gifted children and adults, as well as strategies for dealing with children and adults who experience them. It also provides essential information on Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration. Learn practical methods for nurturing sensitivity, intensity, perfectionism.