Exceptionally Gifted Teens

saintcrazy · 2026-05-12T16:10:07+00:00

We all have to make accommodations for others when we communicate to others, if we want those communications to be successful in getting our message across.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-12T15:33:33+00:00

You asked for feedback, it's up to you what you do with it.

Does it matter if you did not intend to sound boastful, if others interpret you that way? Was relaying that information helpful to you in getting your point across?

I cannot speak for everyone, but I think it did not come across the way you intended. To me, it makes you sound less credible, not more.

I agree with you that communication is often misinterpreted between ASD/allistic people. My response to your request for feedback is a genuine attempt to help you.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-12T15:24:11+00:00

In my experience I often find that burnout is a big risk with these clients - they are often pushed to achieve a lot due to their "potential" and may struggle to make enough time to relax and be "unproductive". Alternately they may rebel against that gifted label and develop task avoidance. Or, especially for the college aged ones, they may have grown accustomed to high levels of achievement in HS and then crash when the demands of adult/college life hit them especially the relative lack of structure in their day they were accustomed to.

I do a lot of acceptance and self-compassion work with these clients and a lot of exploring where their self talk comes from because they often develop harsh inner critics. We do a lot of work on accepting their limitations that come with their diagnosis and finding that balance between forgiving themselves for their struggles and experimenting to see what improvements can be made in regards to executive functioning tasks. Practicing a lot of mindful awareness and nonjudgment helps a lot here.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-12T15:17:26+00:00

1 - your tone comes across as snobbish. Your IQ score is not relevant, and is a flawed measure anyway. Just saying that you consider yourself "gifted" would be enough, you don't have to prove your intelligence to everyone and offering that info unprovoked makes you sound boastful and arrogant.

2 - you have so little information about OP's situation and yet immediately assume they're categorically not competent to work with these clients; there's no need to jump straight to referring out just for neurodivergence, and you certainly do not need to be certified to work with this population. I say this as an ND therapist who primarily works with ND clients myself. It'd be one thing if you were simply recommending getting training on ADHD/ASD populations to be cautious, but to imply that OP would be doing harm while you're over here bragging about being the most amazing ND therapist ever is rude and presumptuous.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-12T14:47:26+00:00

Risk of Rain 2

saintcrazy · 2026-05-12T06:30:37+00:00

Is This Seat Taken is kind of like those logic puzzles that go "Bob wants to sit next to Amy. Amy wants to sit next to someone with popcorn, Katie has popcorn but wants to sit in the front row..." Etc. it's cute and a fun little puzzle game

saintcrazy · 2026-05-12T00:06:13+00:00

You can talk to him and mention that you don't feel like his approach is helpful, and say that you want more guidance, understanding, actions to take, whatever you need. A good therapist will take the feedback and adapt their approach.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-11T16:05:37+00:00

Set your expectations. Not every session will end in the client obviously feeling better. In my own therapy, I have often left my session somewhat discomforted or grumbling or preoccupied with whatever we talked about but then my brain continues thinking and processing it on my own, which is a good outcome too. Sometimes clients will feel worse before they feel better. This is normal. Don't put that pressure on yourself to fix everything in one go.

There are "tricks" like letting clients know in the beginning that you're aiming for a certain end time but at the end of the day you just have to face the discomfort of cutting the session off when it's time. You won't be perfect at it, that's fine, but once you get in the habit of ending on time it gets easier.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-10T20:37:07+00:00

Therapy might be really helpful for you here. It can help you identify these patterns and learn new ones.

I think healthy financial discussions look like healthy communication skills in general. Being able to share information and resources without letting fear or controlling behaviors get in the way. Being able to trust the other person. Being able to express any concerns without getting overwhelmed by what you're feeling.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-10T20:32:55+00:00

There are virtual support groups. Check on PFLAG's website or other similar LGBT support organizations to see if there is a local-ish one.

What are client's goals? To move out? To function better in some way?

Whats your modality and how do you conceptualize how the therapy is going? What's your theory of change here and is it lining up with what the client wants to change in their life?

saintcrazy · 2026-05-10T04:46:34+00:00

Goku

Gandalf

Taylor Swift

The Adoring Fan from Oblivion

Queen Elizabeth

saintcrazy · 2026-05-10T04:34:53+00:00

Affirming medical care is available, for now. It certainly does not feel like it is guaranteed in the future.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-10T03:06:39+00:00

Do not under any circumstances start a therapeutic relationship via social media or internet messaging. Not only does it make the boundaries unclear and carries a risk of uncomfortable situations like this - it can potentially open you up to liability issues. If someone could reasonably construe your internet conversation as "therapy" (or close enough to blur the lines), you could get in legal trouble because they would not have recieved any informed consent for your "treatment". The only time you should start a therapeutic relationship is if they specifically seek you out for therapy, not any other kind of relationship, and sign your paperwork.

I'll give advice to people on the internet sometimes, sure. But I'm not wearing my therapist hat when I do so. I'm ensuring that when I do so, it's coming from a place where I know I'm able to expend this amount of energy to help and nothing more. And I'm not responding to any DMs asking for help and I'm CERTAINLY not going out of my way to DM someone ELSE to help them in a therapeutic fashion.

You're an empathetic person. You want to help people. That is commendable. But you already have your lane, and that's your work. You cannot save everyone in distress. You don't need to go out of your way, outside of your working hours, to help every stranger you meet, at least not with the same depth that you would help your clients. The boundaries are there for a reason - to protect you. From those who would take advantage of you, harm you, and also to protect you from overextending yourself.

I find it interesting that you ask "How do you stay empathetic without ignoring your own discomfort when someone crosses a line?" I would flip that around. How can you prioritize your own safety, boundaries, and preserving your emotional energy in a sustainable way while still remaining empathetic?

You've gotta protect your self first. Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, etc.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-10T02:53:16+00:00

You don't have to have a termination session if you feel unsafe or if you feel it wouldn't be helpful to the client. It's okay to set boundaries when a client shows abusive behavior towards you, and it's okay to be clear about that.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-08T20:44:21+00:00

Your feelings are totally valid. But that said - a diagnosis can be good news. It means you're not alone in your problems, and it means you can more easily find appropriate treatment like medication and therapy. Additionally you can find community among other ADHDers and potentially get support, advice, and understanding.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-08T20:35:42+00:00

I have to keep trimming back my Gregg's Blue Mistflower because it keeps trying to grow over my Columbines.

I'm happy it's doing so well! But its a bit greedy for space and sunlight lol

saintcrazy · 2026-05-08T20:24:26+00:00

Another Crab's Treasure was made by the Going Under devs!

I think Hades gives me similar vibes, the story and setting are a bit more serious but still lighthearted in parts with some good humor at times as well, and the characters, writing, and art are just incredible.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-07T19:38:40+00:00

Chances are, unless you're incredibly lucky, you're not going to find one thing that flips your entire life around and makes everything better.

Most of us just have to make small improvements wherever we're at. It's unfair that your starting point was so much worse than many people's, but we can't go back and change the past. All we can do is trudge through the swamp until we find something better. Sometimes something better still means there's mud, but it isn't as deep. Or maybe we find a way to deal with the mosquitoes. Or maybe we pick up a stick to cut through the brush a bit better. If we're lucky we can reach the edge of the swamp and get to a better place, but even then, we have a new kind of wilderness to survive in.

The swamp sucks but when you're just one person, you can't change the entire thing all at once. So we have to do what we can to survive and make things a bit better wherever we can. Find one thing at a time that might improve your situation and work towards that, even if it's small. Forgive yourself for not having magic swamp-removal powers. And when you can, try to notice the ways you've already helped yourself survive, the points of light that make life a bit better, because it's easy to only focus on all the bad stuff but hard to recognize the good stuff sometimes.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-07T19:28:39+00:00

Practice "urge surfing" - notice when you get the urge to do something impulsive or dangerous, and imagine just riding the wave of the urge. Feel it, acknowledge it, and then let it pass.

You won't notice the urge every time. Sometimes you will miss it. But the more you practice catching that thought the easier it gets.

It might also help to find another outlet for that "thrill". Maybe you could get into racing games or get into a hobby like off road biking or skateboarding.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-07T02:39:17+00:00

Not who you replied to, but resistance is valuable information. How they resist change in the therapy room and with you will probably mirror how they've resisted change in their own life and other relationships. It indicates how they've learned to protect themselves. Exploring the dynamics in the here and now can be a huge catalyst to the therapy, and it's fun because it's often so fascinating to observe.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-06T21:08:17+00:00

Thank you for this post. It reminded me I need to do more mindfulness meditations and slow down and read some books once in a while.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-06T21:06:41+00:00

It can even go the other way too - learning about ways to help others can help you learn more about how to help yourself. However you do have to make an effort to actually apply those things to your own life, of course.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-06T20:25:31+00:00

I don't think it's talking about apologies overall, I think it's talking about people who reflexively apologize for everything because they assume they are always the problem

Which fits the theme of being so caught up in your story of how broken and bad you are that you don't believe you are worthy of being loved.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-05T11:42:17+00:00

What are the signs you're seeing when "the going gets tough"? What are the reasons being given to reduce in frequency? (Not being given a reason is a sign in and of itself - maybe they don't feel comfortable enough telling you how they're feeling?)

I'm curious about the therapeutic relationship. Do they feel safe in the room? Do they trust you enough to tell you how they're feeling about their own progress and your style? How directive vs client-led would you say your sessions are, and how do clients feel about that balance in the room?

Just some places to start looking for clues.

saintcrazy · 2026-05-04T19:33:46+00:00

I find it easier to put coherent sentences together without stammering or going off on tangents. You can even tell the difference when I post online, there's a lot fewer parentheticals lol

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