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Serving the Needs of the Gifted Community

Gifted Identity℠ specializes in serving the needs of the gifted community and those who support it, including consultation, coaching, counseling, psychotherapy, homeschooling support, parent and family support, educational guidance, educator and administrator training, SENG Model parent-groups, workshops, speaking engagements, and retreats.

Located in both Northern and Southern California, our services are conducted in-office (in-person), over the phone, or via online e-Therapy. Please scroll down this page to learn more about our services and how to contact us.

Giftedness presents us with both joys and challenges. The innate characteristics of giftedness may look or feel like areas of concern. Gifted individuals can have trouble finding their fit in a society and educational system defined by norms and standards that do not match. Sadly, gifted individuals are frequently misunderstood, and often misdiagnosed by those who do not understand their true nature. Gifted Identity℠ understands these experiences and how to help you.

 

Parents of Gifted Children

Gifted children are very complex. Parenting gifted children comes with many joys and challenges, and sometimes their unique behaviors can cause even the most confident parents to question themselves. Parents often feel alone in their search for answers, because others, even professionals, often do not always understand what gifted children see and experience. We believe that parents know their children better than anyone else, and through working together we can provide context for your concerns, and figure out solutions to the problems and challenges. There is no reason for you or your child to suffer. Through Gifted Identity℠, we can make sure you enjoy your seat at one of the greatest shows on earth: Raising your amazing child.

Gifted Identity℠ can help the following challenges (and more):

  • Are you unsure what gifted really means and how it impacts your child, you and your family?
  • Are you confused by the dichotomy between what you have seen your child do and say and the behaviors that are exhibited?
  • Does she have trouble finding, making or keeping friends?
  • Is her energy wearing you out at home?
  • Does your child struggle with sensitivity or sensory issues?
  • Does your child report to being bored at school, or complain or act out at school due to boredom?
  • Is your child acting out at school or home?
  • Is your child underachieving?
  • Are you unsure if your school is the right fit for your child?
  • Has your child been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD?
  • Does your child's diagnosis seem like it does not really fit?
  • Do you struggle with how to manage your child's angry outbursts, especially if he or she later feels remorseful?
  • Have you noticed your child seems sad or depressed?
  • Does your child worry excessively or struggle with symptoms of anxiety?
  • Does he underachieve or struggle with perfectionism?
  • Is your school providing him with appropriate challenge so that he can learn resiliency?
  • Do you need help from a professional third-party to help negotiate with your child’s school?

 

Schools and Educators

Contrary to popular belief, gifted children can be some of the most difficult and challenging students in a classroom. With little or no training required in how to teach gifted students in particular, educators often struggle to understand and meet the needs of these often confusing and complex children. Gifted Identity℠ offers consulting and coaching services to educators, schools and districts on the social and emotional needs of gifted students, identification methodologies, ways to meet the educational needs of the gifted, and ways to build successful partnerships with parents.

Gifted Identity℠ offers Professional Development support for teachers and administrators:

  • Helping parents and educators understand gifted traits
  • Helping parents and educators understand the social and emotional needs of gifted children
  • Providing solutions to many common classroom behavior problems
  • Giving assistance regarding how to identify gifted students
  • Offering options for satisfying the educational needs of gifted children or a specific child
  • Helping educators with how to talk to parents and the community about giftedness
  • Providing gifted education design and support School and parent mediation

 

Homeschool Support

Gifted children are the fastest growing population of students to be homeschooled in the United States. This is partially due to continuing decreases in funding for gifted programs in the educational system, but it also stems from the tremendous rise in resources available to the homeschool community. Homeschooling is quickly becoming a mainstream option for parents, and because it is completely customizable by its nature, homeschooling is the perfect solution for many families with children who do not quite fit into the traditional system. Although the thought of being in charge of your child’s education can be daunting at first, homeschooling offers a vibrant community filled with dedicated and caring parents, and potentially more like-minded peers than your child might find in a typical school setting.

  • What are my legal options as far as homeschooling in the state of California?
  • Is homeschooling the right decision for my family?
  • What things should I consider in order to make a good decision?
  • How does one get started? How does it work?
  • What does it look like?
  • How do I know that I am doing it right?
  • How do I ensure my child gets the appropriate socialization?
  • Can homeschoolers go to college and how does that work?
  • What if they want to go back to traditional school after a few years of homeschooling?
  • How do I choose from the many homeschool educational options available?
  • How do I explain this to my family?
  • I am already homeschooling, but am encountering some problems or looking for something specific
  • Can I homeschool if I work full time?

 

Gifted Individuals

Many gifted individuals have learned how to fit in by distorting their image. First, they might do this with others, but then often over time, even to themselves. Sometimes discovering who you are and how you fit in comes from a slow and painful process of learning what you are not and where you do not feel understood or accepted. However, gifted adults often possess a strong drive for self-improvement and a need to understand themselves better, and this process inevitably leads individuals to those ah-ha moments where they are able to find peace, understanding and/or acceptance with some of their gifted traits. Whether those traits are challenging or pleasant, the emotional intensity that comes with their discoveries can be illuminating, and allow for fuller life experiences. Gifted Identity℠ can help you understand how your giftedness impacts your life and provide you with coaching or counseling that can help you become more comfortable with yourself and better define and reach your goals.

  • Do you wonder how your giftedness impacts your life?
  • Do you struggle with your purpose in life, what you want to do and how you want to accomplish it?
  • Do people call you intense, or say you are too much of this or too much of that?
  • Do you frequently find yourself disappointed with people, confused as to why you can see things that they cannot?
  • Are you uncomfortable owning your successes?
  • Do you wish for a thought-partner who really gets gifted?
  • Are you depressed, troubled, lonely or confused?
  • Do you long for someone with whom you can have those difficult spiritual discussions?

 

Gifted Identity℠ Services

We offer consultation, coaching, counseling and psychotherapy services in Northern and Southern California.

Gifted Identity℠ can help you understand how your giftedness impacts your life, and provides coaching and counseling to help you become more comfortable with yourself, and to better define and reach your goals.

 

In Northern California

  • Email us by filling out the contact form
  • Call Dr. Grace Malonai at 925-954-6229

In Southern California

  • Email us by filling out the contact form
  • Call Sharon Duncan directly at 909-802-0199

Online

"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well."

~Diane Ackerman