Coaching services provided by The Gifted Learning Lab are not therapy and do not involve professional licensure
There's nothing wrong with you or your kid - all the standard parenting advice you've heard is just a poor fit for gifted/2e kids and teens
Perhaps this resonates
with you...
You know your kid or teen is awesome. They’re smart, funny, creative, and caring. But they also have big, intense feelings that overwhelm them.
Your kid seems more passionate than their peers - they’re the one who storms out of the room when corrected or bursts into tears when something doesn’t go their way.
Your kid loves to learn, but they hate the feeling of not knowing something. If learning feels too hard or they make a mistake, they may cry, rip up their work, or need a break from the activity.
Your kid is hard on themselves - really hard. Even though they’re bright and talented, they call themselves stupid, say they’re the worst in the world, say they hate themselves, or wonder why they’re so different from their peers.
Once your kid is having a big feeling, it’s hard to help them out of it. You’ve tried reassuring them, reasoning with them, talking them through it, being understanding - nothing seems to help.
You’re worried your child’s perfectionism will erode their love of learning and that their big feelings will drive away friends.
You’ve read a lot of parenting books and tried to implement the strategies, but your kid seems to run on a different operating system - nothing you’ve tried has been quite right.
Sometimes you worry you’re too lenient with your child and they’ll never learn to function in the “real world.” But other times you worry you’re too strict or that your child is developing some shame about their big feelings.
you're ready for something new
You want to feel more confident and connected even when your kid is overwhelmed or you're at odds.
You’re craving clear principles and practical strategies to guide you during tough moments.
You've maxed out general parenting advice and want ideas from someone who understands emotionally intense gifted and twice-exceptional kids like yours.
The Less Conflict, More Confidence Parenting Framework for gifted/2e families will help you...
Understand giftedness and twice-exceptionality so your kid's intensity makes sense and feels more predictable - even for kids who go from 0 to 60 instantaneously
Defuse emotionally tense moments - instead of accidentally escalating your kid with standard parenting strategies (like naming their feelings or suggesting deep breaths)
Lean into your child’s strengths - we'll use these to make tricky tasks easier
Find a way to do your morning routine, meals, hygiene tasks, and bedtime rituals in a unique way that actually feels good for your kid and for you - so you have fewer power struggles and less overwhelm day to day
Bolster your child’s resilience - even though they hate mistakes and feel easily criticized
Tap into your strengths as a parent and feel more connected to your own values, creativity, autonomy, and sense of humor - even when things are tense
What's Included
Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid is an 8-week group coaching program with 16 live meetings, asynchronous coaching, private coaching calls, and online resources.
In the program, I lead you through my Less Conflict, More Confidence Parenting Framework to help you get unstuck from stressful dynamics with your kid.
Read below to learn more about what's included & how the program works.
8 weekly live (and recorded) Learning Lab meetings
Learn the Less Conflict, More Confidence Parenting Framework and make a plan to use it at home
Overview: Each week, I share in-depth information about one section of the Less Conflict, More Confidence Parenting Framework, then guide you through a reflection and planning process to apply the ideas and strategies to your specific situation. There's time for Q&A too.
90 minutes each
8 weekly live (and recorded) Office Hours meetings
Get my help with your parenting questions & connect with other families who get it
Overview: This hour is devoted to participants' questions. You also feel less alone as you hear from other parents and share ideas. You can ask any question you have about parenting and we'll talk about it through a gifted/2e lens.
60 minutes each
Try your new strategies from the Less Conflict, More Confidence Parenting Framework to see what works best for your specific kid(s)
Overview: Between meetings, you’ll try out new approaches and see what works best for you and your family. You can get my support to adapt and personalize the strategies through asynchronous coaching and private coaching calls (see below).
Asynchronous coaching
Get coaching support between meetings
Overview: Ask me coaching questions any time in Mighty Networks, a private online community. I reply with a personalized coaching video addressing all of your specific questions and concerns - and throughout the program your feedback gets more personalized as I know you and your family better.
Private online network
Access recordings and resources & connect with other parents in your cohort
Overview: Connect with other parents in your cohort and access recordings and additional curated resources.
You have lifetime access to the network and resources; recordings are available for 6 months after the program ends.
Two private coaching calls with Danika, your gifted/2e parent coach
Get 1:1 support from Danika, focused on your most pressing questions
Overview: The program includes two 45-minute private coaching calls per family so you can go more in-depth about your most pressing questions or talk privately about certain topics.
By the end of 8 weeks, you’ll have:
A clearer understanding of what's hard for your gifted/2e kid or teen, why it's hard, and what to do about it - so there's less unnecessary stress in your family's daily life
A simple 3-step process to help your kid move through big feelings and stuck moments - instead of escalating their feelings or feeling trapped in an endless cycle
Four guiding principles to help you problem-solve any tricky parenting situation
A developing sense of which strategies work best for your family, in what situations, and with what adaptations - thanks to lots of experience applying and adjusting your new strategies in real time (supported by lots of planning, debriefing, and coaching feedback from me + cheerleading from other parents in your group)
A plan to support your child and yourself in the year ahead - in a way that honors capacity and sustainability more than high-pressure productivity or pushing through
The Less Conflict, More Confidence
Parenting Framework
For parents with gifted and twice-exceptional kids or teens
Week 1: Understand Gifted & Twice-Exceptional Intensity
We'll do a deep dive on common gifted and twice-exceptional characteristics that can contribute to seemingly intense behaviors or feelings - so you can understand the sources of your child's intensity and what they need to thrive. We'll also start to develop a more compassionate story about your child's challenges.
If you’re not sure why your gifted or twice-exceptional kid does the things they do - or why they struggle with some seemingly simple tasks - this is the week when you finally get a clearer picture.
Week 2: Validate Big Emotions & Intense Moments
You’ll learn VIEW, a 3-step process you can use when your gifted or twice-exceptional kid has big feelings or an intense moment. Parents say that the VIEW strategy helps them reduce power struggles and reduce overall intensity in the home.
A lot of parents wonder how they can validate and support their child’s intense feelings or perspectives when they don't agree with them, or when their kid breaks a rule, asks for something impossible, or acts aggressively - we’ll talk about that!
Week 3: Enhance Autonomy & Interests
Intense gifted/2e kids often crave autonomy or need autonomy to feel safe. We'll talk about how you can promote their sense of autonomy during daily routines and in the language you use. Surprisingly, giving intense kids more control can help them feel safe and thereby lead to a calmer home life.
Gifted/2e kids also thrive when they’re engaged in or connected to one of their interests. You’ll explore some creative, new ways to expand and leverage your child’s interests - because incorporating their interests can reduce meltdowns and improve mood, relationships, and behavior.
Week 4: Support Challenges by Embracing Neurodiversity
Many intense gifted and twice-exceptional kids need additional supports and accommodations to set them up for success and reduce their emotional overwhelm. But, many parents don’t know where to start or which supports are reasonable.
We’ll discuss concrete strategies to support your child’s challenges with an approach that affirms neurodiversity and helps your child develop a realistic, positive identity. These strategies will help you meet your kid where they're at to avoid many difficulties, meltdowns, and power struggles in the first place.
Week 5: Craft Better-Fit Learning
Typical school practices often aren’t a great fit for bright, strong-willed kids. That’s one reason parents of gifted and twice-exceptional kids often have to communicate and advocate more often with school than the average parent.
This week, you’ll learn common educational “fit” problems for gifted students and some potential solutions, such as acceleration, assistive technology, 504 and IEP plans, and collaboration with school. I’ll tailor the specific content to each group’s questions, with extra time for Q&A.
For families who are homeschooling, unschooling, or deschooling, we'll discuss how to support gifted/2e learning overall - wherever it happens!
Week 6: Support Social Relationships and Belonging
Many intense gifted and twice-exceptional kids struggle to find "their people" or feel out of place in typical social situations. We'll talk about how to recognize, honor, and celebrate your child's social strengths and social preferences to help them feel connected with others and find a sense of belonging. We'll discuss big ideas and practical strategies to support neurodivergent friendships and social well-being.
Week 7: Encourage Resilience
If your child gets overwhelmed by setbacks and disappointments, you’re not alone! This week you’ll learn tips and strategies to support your child’s engagement and resilience. These strategies are based on motivation research but adapted for gifted and twice-exceptional folks specifically. We’ll review common de-motivating messages to avoid and more motivating messages to use instead. These approaches can help reduce perfectionism over time.
Kids and teens are also more resilient when they understand themselves and what they need to thrive. If you’re not sure how to talk with your kid about being gifted or 2e, you’ll get help crafting affirmative, clear descriptions that resonate with your child.
Week 8: Reflect, Integrate, & Look Ahead
In the final week of the program, you'll reflect on your learning lab experience and identify your key take-aways and any important mindset shifts. You’ll also identify your biggest wins and favorite new strategies. Then I'll lead you through a reflection and planning process to help to get clarity about next steps to support your family's well-being and your growing confidence as a parent.
For parents who want to continue working together, there is an alumni community membership that includes twice-monthly coaching calls, alumni-only resources, connections with other parents, and opportunities for private coaching.
Meet Danika, your gifted/2e parent coach
Hi, I’m Dr. Danika Maddocks! I help parents understand and thrive with their gifted and twice-exceptional kids and teens.
I’ve sought out intense and sensitive gifted/2e kids and teens in every iteration of my career - as a teacher, therapist, assessment provider, school consultant, and now a parent coach.
I've conducted award-winning research on twice-exceptionality and I'm constantly learning new information and perspectives to understand and support gifted/2e kids, teens, and families.
I love these kids' and teens' fierce integrity, creative thinking, and willingness to say what’s on their mind. I also love working with these kids’ parents, who often delight in their children and work double-time to support them despite the lack of tailored resources and relevant supports.
As a former gifted/2e kid raising an intense gifted/2e preschooler, I often understand these dynamics from the inside out and have an intuitive grasp of families’ joys and challenges.
I know how difficult it can be raising (or being!) an intense or sensitive gifted/2e person - because most places in the world aren't designed for gifted/2e needs, interests, preferences, or natural way of doing things.
And I believe all kids and teens can thrive when there's a good fit between their characteristics and their environment.
I created The Gifted Learning Lab and Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid so more parents of gifted/2e kids get the information and support they deserve - so you can have less conflict at home and feel more confident raising your kid in a way that helps the whole family thrive.
Parent Testimonials
Participants describe how this coaching experience reduced conflict at home and improved their confidence as parents
In the past it was hard to set consistent limits with my son because he often pushed back. I had to prepare for a 45-minute meltdown if I stuck to my limits.
During the coaching program, I learned ways I could value my son’s autonomy while maintaining my own boundaries. When I gave him more autonomy, he stopped pushing back as much. In the group, it was helpful to share struggles and hear that other parents with gifted kids experience the same struggles we do.
Now I feel less shame and guilt over parenting because I’ve realized we are already doing so much.
Mom of a gifted 5-year-old
Before this program, it was hard to deal with my son’s day-to-day intensity challenges, and I wasn’t sure how to help him with friendship challenges at school.
It was so helpful to learn specific strategies that are easy to remember in the heat of the moment (like VIEW). It was also helpful to learn how many of our challenges are shared by other families.
It was invaluable to have a thoughtful and knowledgeable person (Danika ;-)) to get ideas for specific situations. It's one thing to read or learn a theory about what will help - it's another thing entirely to have professional guidance applying the theory to specific challenges. I found the most value in the program from these weekly discussions and collaborative problem solving. I also appreciated the sense that we were "doing the work" during the lab meetings - this helped me feel certain we are doing enough and on the right path as parents.
Dad of a 2e 5-year-old
Robynn, mom of a 2e 11-year-old
I joined this program looking for strategies for middle grade kids because I have a preteen. I learned emotional communication strategies when my kid was a toddler and these were immensely helpful, but she still struggled with extreme emotions that got more intense coupled with middle school, hormones, and added complexities. I'm an empath, so all her big emotions settled into me on top of my feelings of guilt and worry as her mother.
This program led to a huge mindset shift for me. Before this program, I had my own ideas about how to build my daughter’s confidence. And this is an exaggeration - but they mostly focused on giving her coping strategies to live with and blend in with neurotypical people. And after the program, I see the situation more like - no, you don't have to do that. You can own everything about yourself, have these tools, and make life work for YOU.
My confidence has improved as a parent thanks to this program. Now I feel more confident helping my kid understand that her difference/neurodiversity is real, is beautiful, and is a strength, not a hindrance.
Mom of a 2e 8-year-old
We came to this program right after our child's neuropsychological assessment because we knew we needed more information and we knew our child needed something different. The approach we learned in this program has been that something different!
Now I know how to be more of the mom my child needs and that feels empowering for me and comforting for her. I have been using the VIEW approach and it has been very helpful. I feel calmer, and she deescalates more quickly or never escalates to begin with. Her experience has been seen and heard.
Having come fresh from an assessment, we didn’t yet have accommodations in place at our child’s school. Between Danika's suggestions and those of other parents in the group, we felt prepared when we attended our first school meeting. We were able to put accommodations in place that help our child at school and also decrease some of her intensity at home. She is getting more of what she needs during the day.
Being part of the program has been such a helpful and affirming experience. I’m so glad we didn’t wait to take the course. I feel like it saved us months of flailing, searching, and experimentation!
Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid IS for you if...
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You think your kid is awesome but you're at a loss about how to support their intense feelings or challenging behaviors.
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You've realized that standard parenting advice doesn't work well for your kid, teen, or family, and you're open to trying a new approach.
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You want to work WITH your kid's brain and you're ready to try new parenting approaches to find a good fit.
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You want to learn and make brave changes alongside other thoughtful parents who understand the joys and challenges of raising a bright, passionate kid.
Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid is NOT for you if...
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You want to reign in your child’s big feelings and behaviors but you're not open to trying new perspectives and approaches as a parent.
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You really want your kid to fit the standard parenting models, and you're less interested in exploring ways that the standard models don't fit your kid.
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You don't want to try new parenting techniques right now - during this program, you'll try new strategies at home and get my help problem-solving and adapting your approach as needed.
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You’re not very confident your child is bright or gifted - if that’s the case, the examples in this program won’t be a great fit. (No testing is required though.)
Program Details for the SPRING 2025 cohort
Schedule
The Spring 2025 cohort will run from April 15th through June 5th.
Our live meeting schedule will be:
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Learning Lab meetings - Tuesdays, 10-11:30am PST (1-2:30pm EST)
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Office Hours meetings - Thursdays, 10:30-11:30am PST (1:30-2:30pm EST)
All live group meetings are recorded and recordings are available for 6 months after the program ends.
Get on the waitlist to be the first to know when registration is open.
Cost
The 8-week program costs $2325 USD.
You can select a 5-month payment plan ($465/month) or a 10-month payment plan ($232.50/month).
There's no extra cost to use a payment plan.
The registration fee covers two adults per household.
Each cohort has two pay-what-you-can spots available for parents who cannot afford the full price of the program or for whom paying the full price would create hardship. You can see all the details and apply for the pay-what-you-can spots here.
The deadline to apply for a reduced-fee spot is March 10th.
Recipients will be selected by random drawing, and I'll let everyone know by email whether they were selected or not. If you aren't selected for this cohort, you are welcome to re-apply for a reduced-fee spot in a future cohort.
Value - What's Included
To recap - the program is 8 weeks long and includes:
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The Less Conflict, More Confidence Parenting Framework for parents of gifted and twice-exceptional kids and teens
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8 live (and recorded) Learning Lab meetings (90 minutes)
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8 live (and recorded) Office Hour meetings (60 minutes)
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2 private coaching calls (45 minutes each)
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Asynchronous coaching in Mighty Networks - you can post your questions any time during the program and I'll reply with a coaching video or written response 1-2 times per week
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Private online community with your cohort (up to 16 families), moderated by me
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6 months of access to recordings
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Lifetime access to handouts, slides, and resources
Click here to review more details about what's included and how the program works.
registration
Thanks for your interest in the program!
Right now, registration is open for families who were on the waitlist for the Spring 2025 cohort. Registration will open to the general public on Monday, February 24th. To be notified when registration is open, you can get on my email list (below).
If you want to chat with me about whether the program is a good fit, I offer free 20-minute Fit Chats - sign up for a Fit Chat here.
Have more questions about Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid and whether it's a good fit for you and your family?
You may find it helpful to read the Frequently Asked Questions below. You're also welcome to schedule a free 20-minute Fit Chat with me to talk about your kid(s) or teen(s) and your questions, to help you get more clarity about whether the program would be a good fit for you right now.
If you prefer to email your questions, you can reach me at danika@giftedlearninglab.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this program appropriate if I have a young child or teen?
A: This program is designed for parents of intense gifted kids ages 2-18. The key principles you’ll learn are relevant throughout the lifespan - so if you’re a grown-up gifted kid, you may even use some of them to support yourself. I have a background in child development and I've helped parents with kids ages 2-18, so I’ll help you understand how to adapt the strategies for different ages. You can continue to use the strategies for years to come.
Q: Does my child or teen need to be officially identified as gifted for me to participate in the coaching program?
A: Your child does not have to be officially identified as gifted, as long as you strongly suspect your child is cognitively gifted or advanced. If you have any questions about whether the learning lab is a good fit, please contact me directly at danika@giftedlearninglab.com to set up a time to chat.
Q: I've already read a lot of books and articles and listened to a lot of podcasts about gifted kids, intense kids, or parenting. What's different about this program?
A: (1) Everything is designed specifically for parents of intense gifted and twice-exceptional kids. Perhaps you've had this experience - you hear or read about a parenting idea that seems great, but when you try it with your child it falls flat, backfires, or seems to create more difficulty. This experience is super common for parents of intense gifted/2e kids, and it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your execution (or your kids!). You need strategies and problem-solving help tailored to intense gifted/2e kids like yours. In Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid, all of the information and strategies have helped other families with intense gifted and 2e kids. I’ve been working directly with these kids and their families for over 20 years as a teacher, tutor, therapist, psychologist, and now a parent coach, so I have a lot of experiences to draw from and adapt. I also was an intense gifted/2e kid and now I’m raising one, so I get personal practice adapting strategies in real time! 🙃 I designed Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid so more parents can get access to the ideas and strategies they actually need (2) You get a lot more hands-on support and guidance. A parenting strategy or idea is only helpful if you can figure out how to apply it to your child and your family. As you know, I write about parenting strategies and ideas every week in Gifted Lab Notes. Some weeks, you might feel confident using the ideas from Gifted Lab Notes right away. Other weeks, you might wonder how the idea would work with your child...or whether you'd need to adapt it. You might wonder if the idea could help with your biggest concerns...or if you need a different approach for that particular situation. Take a complex child + other family members + ever-changing stressors - that's why even smart, intentional parents often feel stuck when they try a new parenting approach with their intense gifted/2e kid - or when they have to decide which strategy to try in the first place! I designed Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid to be highly interactive, so you'll get lots of help applying and adapting the strategies we discuss.
Q: The program seems like a big commitment - is it worth doing this now?
A: I designed the program to be highly interactive and supportive. There's 2.5 hours of live meeting times with me and your small cohort each week, and I know that's a substantial time commitment. Yet - many participants say that this program has actually saved them time. Our Learning Lab meetings provide the critical information you need about the week's topic, so you can start to make changes right away without additional research or reading. I help you understand what underlies your child's intensity, and I help you shift your parenting in small ways to create more connection and ease. Most parents I work with are in one of two spots, and both groups find that the program saves them time (1) Some parents have known their kid is gifted or 2e for some time, and they've done a lot of research to understand giftedness, autism, ADHD, or their child's other exceptionalities. Despite understanding their kid's brain, they still struggle with daily parenting interactions. They know their parenting approach isn't working, but they can't find clear guidance about what would work with their kid. These parents appreciate the concrete parenting strategies and all the help adapting techniques to their particular situation. They save time by finally learning strategies that work for daily interactions. They spend less time in trial-and-error, and less time responding to meltdowns, arguments, power struggles, and other conflict at home. (2) Other parents have recently learned that their child is gifted or 2e, and they feel overwhelmed by everything there is to learn about their child's brain and needs. Many of these parents have also been craving a new approach to parenting, but they haven't known where to start. These parents appreciate that the program provides a simple, clear framework to understand their child's new diagnosis and what their child needs to thrive. They save months of time spent researching and searching for clear information. They also appreciate the concrete parenting strategies and the way I tie the strategies to gifted/2e needs.
Q: What if I can't attend all the Learning Lab meetings and Office Hours live? Will I still get a lot out of the program?
A: All of our live meetings are recorded, and you have access to these recordings for 6 months. If you watch a recording and have a question, you can ask questions at any time during the program in our private Mighty Networks forum and I’ll reply with a video. Participating asynchronously won’t be quite as immersive as participating live, but through Mighty Networks you can get a lot of asynchronous support and coaching from me and interact with other families in your cohort as well. (You also get two private coaching calls during the program, which you'll schedule at a time that works for you.) Some parents in past cohorts were not able to attend the Tuesday meetings, but watched the videos each week and attended the Friday Office Hours as much as possible. The Office Hours meeting is fully interactive and gives you time to ask and discuss questions in real time with me and other families. Parents who missed the Office Hours meetings said it was still very helpful to watch the recordings. You’re welcome to join from work, from your parked car, while watching your younger child (I’d recommend headphones), or while your kid uses a screen. If you can figure out a creative way to join, you are welcome to join however works for you!
Q: Is there a payment plan?
A: Yes, you can pay the fee in 5 monthly payments instead of a single payment. There are no additional fees to use a payment plan.
Q: Do you have experience with...
A: ..queer, nonbinary, and trans kids and teens? Teens with long-standing mental health challenges? Single-parent families? Kids with sensory sensitivities? Kids with chronic health conditions? Kids with significant anxiety, depression, panic attacks, somatic symptoms? Kids who use medication for ADHD, anxiety, or mood? Preschoolers and kindergarteners? Public schools? Private schools? Homeschooling? The answer (to all these, at least) is yes! I've been working with gifted/2e kids and their families in a lot of capacities over the last 20 years, and my private practice is focused on these types of families. I used to teach middle school and I learn a ton from my teen clients. I have an intense gifted 4 year old at home and I run a free discussion group for parents of bright kids ages 1-5, so I've learned a lot about gifted/2e intensity in this age group (in addition to my training in general child development). I love to research and do deep learning dives on all things related to gifted/2e kids, so that includes neurodiversity in general, LGBTQIA+ identities, anxiety and depression, burnout, family stress, sensory sensitivities, chronic health conditions, school issues of all types, and more. If you'd like to know whether I have experience with some specific aspect of your child's experience or your parenting concerns, feel free to email or schedule a chat! It makes sense you'd want to know that before we work together.
Q: Is this program therapy?
A: No, this group coaching program is not therapy and is not a substitute for therapy or a professional relationship with a licensed mental health professional. During group coaching lab meetings, you'll reflect privately on your own experiences, strengths, and challenges - but we won't spend time exploring any participant's personal psychology in depth with the group or with me. If you or your child are already participating in therapy services, this group coaching program can be a great complement to your personal therapy work because it will give you a gifted-specific framework to understand your child and improve your family dynamics. If at any point during the group coaching program you realize that your own or your child's anxiety, sadness, history of trauma and stress, or other mental health challenges are affecting your ability to use the new information and strategies you're learning, I'd encourage you to seek out therapy services to get additional personalized support.
Q: What if I have some issues with the terms "gifted" or "twice-exceptional"?
A: You don’t have to be completely comfortable with the labels “gifted” or “twice-exceptional” to benefit from this program, as long as you see your child as bright or as intellectually/academically advanced. During this program, you’ll get a chance to understand giftedness in a new way and learn more about what giftedness means for your child. The term “gifted” has a complicated and problematic history. Historically, IQ testing and gifted programs have been used to support eugenics, racial stereotypes, and inequities. Yet some children from all races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic situations are unusually bright and advanced. My view of giftedness is this: giftedness isn’t about being better, it’s about being different. And I believe it’s important to acknowledge when a child is bright or gifted because we have to understand a child accurately to support them well. For gifted kids, knowing they’re gifted helps us make a better fit between their environments and their unique characteristics. If you don’t believe that gifted or high-ability children sometimes think and process the world differently than typically developing children, this program probably won’t be a good match.
Q: What if I have some issues with the word "intense"?
A: If the descriptions at the top of this page resonate with you, this program will probably be a good fit even if you don't love the word "intense" or if you prefer other words to describe your kid - like passionate, energetic, sensitive, assertive, independent, strong-willed, or curious. I chose the word "intense" because it resonates with many parents whose gifted kids feel deeply, think deeply, and notice things that others don't. I think "intense" can be a useful shorthand, but it doesn't capture all the nuance and individuality of a child's strong feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. In this program, we'll look at "intensity" in a new way that highlight your child's strengths and helps you identify successful strategies to support them.
Q: My intense gifted child is autistic, has ADHD, or has a learning disability like dyslexia. Is this program designed for families like ours?
A: Absolutely! I have a special interest in twice-exceptionality and Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid was designed with twice-exceptional kids in mind. I strive to make all the approaches and strategies neurodiversity-affirming and appropriate for twice-exceptional kids. We also spend significant time helping you adapt the principles and strategies to your specific child's neurotype, personality, interests, and other characteristics. I have a lot of experience supporting families of intense gifted kids who are autistic, have ADHD, and have learning disabilities or sensory sensitivities - as well as supporting the kids themselves. I am continually learning about neurodiversity-affirming approaches to parenting and coaching as well as the lived experiences of neurodiverse folks of all kinds. If you're interested in the program and want to learn more about supporting your twice-exceptional kid, I would love to have you!
Q: My intense gifted kid is a PDAer (has persistent drive for autonomy / pathological demand avoidance). Or, I've noticed that they have a lot of PDA characteristics. Is this program a good fit for families whose kid is PDA?
A: Yes! I've been learning a ton about PDA over the last two years and my own kid has PDA characteristics, so I understand many of the constraints inherent in parenting a PDA kid. As I learn more about internalized PDA, I recognize my own internal PDA experiences as well, so I bring a lot of compassion and intuition to my work supporting PDAers and their families. In July 2024, I did a webinar called "Supporting Gifted and Twice-Exceptional PDAers" for PDA North America. Every cohort of Support Your Intense Gifted/2e Kid has had at least one family with a PDAer, and often multiple. Every week, we talk about how to adapt the new approaches and ideas to support kids with PDA characteristics specifically. In my experience, most intense gifted/2e kids benefit from PDA-informed approaches, so these are highlighted throughout the program. In terms of specific training, I've completed the PDA North American Certification Program - Level 1, the Therapists and PDA Masterclass from At Peace Parents, and PDA: Not What You Think It Is! from Dr. Donna Henderson and Neurodivergent Insights.
Q: What's the refund policy?
A: This is an all-in investment. There are no refunds after live meetings have begun. You’ll be learning a new framework to help you understand your child better, feel calmer as a parent, and bolster your support systems. The 8-week group coaching experience walks you through this framework and gives you the tools you need to make real, lasting changes in your parenting and your family. This is vulnerable, exciting work. I want you to be fully invested in the process so you can get the most out of what the learning lab has to offer. With this policy, you’ll know that your labmates are as invested in the process as you are.