Counseling for Gifted Parents
While recently reading a thesis on introducing gifted education to Japan, the following passage stood out "what was highest in need was counseling for the parents of gifted children. Many replied that they would receive moderately strong benefits from consultation...". The author referenced an article from Gifted Child Quarterly (Feldhusen, J.F., Kelly, K.R., and Moon, S.M., Vol. 41, pgs. 16 - 25, 1997).
The next day, a colleague from work related to me remarks she had heard at a conference made by a teacher from Argentina of the severely handicapped. Her approach was to involve the entire family in counseling.
It has long been known that gifted children have social-emotional issues that require the services of various types of counselors. However, I had not considered that parents needed counseling as well.
In recent months, my involvement with an international group of professionals who are gifted advocates on Twitter(#gtchat)brought me in contact with my first life coach, Lisa Lauffer (http://www.deepwaterscoaching.com/index.htm) Lisa specializes in working with gifted parents. An idea quite foreign to me; I am now convinced it is imperative that gifted parents avail themselves of such services. On her website, Lisa states, "I help moms ignite their own potential as they help their children unleash theirs." That statement was like an epiphany for me!
Many times as I was raising my own children, I felt very alone. Today, parents are so fortunate to have personal coaches and counselors who actually know and understand the unique challenges of parenting gifted children. Take my advice and get in touch with DeepWatersCoaching. You can follow her on Twitter and from there link to her site.
The next day, a colleague from work related to me remarks she had heard at a conference made by a teacher from Argentina of the severely handicapped. Her approach was to involve the entire family in counseling.
It has long been known that gifted children have social-emotional issues that require the services of various types of counselors. However, I had not considered that parents needed counseling as well.
In recent months, my involvement with an international group of professionals who are gifted advocates on Twitter(#gtchat)brought me in contact with my first life coach, Lisa Lauffer (http://www.deepwaterscoaching.com/index.htm) Lisa specializes in working with gifted parents. An idea quite foreign to me; I am now convinced it is imperative that gifted parents avail themselves of such services. On her website, Lisa states, "I help moms ignite their own potential as they help their children unleash theirs." That statement was like an epiphany for me!
Many times as I was raising my own children, I felt very alone. Today, parents are so fortunate to have personal coaches and counselors who actually know and understand the unique challenges of parenting gifted children. Take my advice and get in touch with DeepWatersCoaching. You can follow her on Twitter and from there link to her site.
I was also so fortunate to have worked with Lisa, and now call her a dear friend. I'm also luckier than I should be, because she lives about an hour away and we've gotten together a few times.
ReplyDeleteThere's a psychologist in Boulder, not far from me, who counsels gifted children and their families. We've worked with her as a family, as a couple, my husband has gone alone, and we will likely continue to work with her for the foreseeable future. Having a resource like that has helped in so many ways, not the least of which is knowing you're A)not alone and B) not crazy. ;)