33. When learning about Overexcitabilities changes your life! Meet Chris Wells
Christiane Wells, PhD, LSW, is the Director of Qualitative Research at the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development. She studies the lived experience of giftedness and emotional development through the lens of Dąbrowski’s theory of positive disintegration and critical psychology. She has investigated the history of Dąbrowski’s constructs and their evolution and also studies Polish in order to read his original works. Her background in qualitative methods includes using text and content analysis techniques to examine and evaluate data and bodies of literature. Chris is also a therapist in private practice with gifted and twice-exceptional adults.
TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
The DSM does not cover giftedness. If you have a professional who is working with the DSM but not familiar with giftedness, you might not get a diagnosis which answers all your questions and covers all your needs.
The word gifted is not only a word important for children’s education and giftedness does not end after you graduate from school. Gifted school programs most often focus on the academic side of giftedness but not what it means to be gifted.
Gifted children can be burdened with the expectations which comes with being identified and tabled as gifted. This can lead to gifted trauma and a feeling of not being truly seen.
Gifted children not necessarily thrive academically.
If you are an extreme outlier, being in a regular school can feel like torture!
Parents often learn through their children about their own giftedness and twice-exceptionality (2e).
An ADHD diagnosis could potentially be a sign of Overexcitabilities (OEs).
There are many ways that you can be gifted outside of the stereotypes.
Dąbrowski’s work is extensive and not all of it has been translated into the English language yet.
There is not enough respect for qualitative research! Respect for the inner experience of giftedness, which matters whether you can put a number on it or not!
Let’s Talk 2e adults’ conference is the first of it’s kind and completely free for the first 24 hours on November 1st, 2021 - you can purchase access forever, use my affiliate link
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Learn more from Chris by listening to her and Emma Nicholson’s podcast called Positive Disintegration
Subscribe to their Positive Disintegration Substack
Follow Chris on Twitter
Chris has a facebook group together with friend for parents of gifted and 2e kids
Chris will be a keynote speaker at the 15th Dabrowski Congress in July 2022
You can find more information on Michael Piechowski and his work here
Book Living with Intensity by Susan Daniels and Michael Piechowski
Reexamining Overexcitability: A Framework for Understanding Intense Experience by Michael Piechowski and Chris Wells. PDF download. This is Chapter of the Handbook for Counselors Serving Students With Gifts & Talents
Bill Tillier's website: positivedisintegration.com
Book Exceptionally Gifted Children by Miraca Gross
Join the Let’s talk 2e adult conference with my affiliate link here
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