Gifted adults present unique, diverse and complex combinations of cognitive functioning, emotional processing and behavior in therapeutic settings. All too often, mental health professionals have little to no training in identifying or treating gifted clients. Among gifted adults, misdiagnosis and dual diagnosis are more common because the presentation of symptoms may differ for this subpopulation from the general population, despite the same psychopathology. In the area of trauma, diagnosing and treatment planning for gifted adults brings forth another layer of complexity as the gifted child and the gifted adult does not experience trauma in the same way as their peers.

In fact, their ability to thrive after trauma, in terms of schooling and professional development, may mask the functional impairment that results from post-traumatic stress disorder or other trauma-related disorders. In this presentation, we will explore the concept of resilience as it relates to giftedness and trauma exposure, with a broader definition of trauma than what is currently in the DSM-5 to provide a more culturally humble perspective in this webinar. This exploration will follow with a discussion about how the gifted adult, and survivors, develops differently from their peers and how those differences impacts their risk for mental illness and stability in adulthood. Further concepts we will investigate include asynchronous development and how today’s career paths leave little room for gifted, resilient adults to function at their full potential while still prioritizing their necessary self-care.

Understanding the intersection of trauma and giftedness in the development of adults professionally and personally is crucial for proper mental health treatment and higher education curriculum development, along with campus programs.

$20 SENG Members | $40 Non-members

Deadline to register: 10/22, 5:00PM Eastern

All registrants will have access to the recorded SENGinar.

Registration