Play Therapy with Gifted Children Amy Ray LPC, NCC, Registered Play Therapist

Objectives Learn characteristics of individuals defined as gifted Identify common concerns with gifted children Learn techniques to address concerns with gifted children in play therapy

What does Gifted mean?

Defining Giftedness “Children are gifted when their ability is significantly above the norm for their age.” National Association for Gifted Children (https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/what-giftedness)

Defining Giftedness Aptitude versus achievement Criteria varies from state to state Found in all SES Innate ability

Defining Giftedness Presents as any of the following: Overall intellect or in specific subjects Creative Artistic Leadership

Common Characteristics Diversity within population Asynchronous development Creative Sensitive Excellent memory

Common Characteristics Learns new information fast Intense Intrinsically motivated Perfectionism Enjoys problem solving/puzzles

Common Characteristics Vivid imagination May or may not be high achievers Desire for deep understanding of topics Thinks outside the box Enjoys organization Overexcitabilities (Dabrowski)

Overexcitabilities: Intellectual

Overexcitabilities: Imaginational

Overexcitabilities: Sensual

Overexcitabilities: Psychomotor

Overexcitabilities: Emotional

Twice Exceptional Autism ADHD Learning Disabilities

Common Concerns Social Skills Perfectionism Emotional Regulation Intensity High Expectations from others Disruptive Behavior Questioning Authority Academic Performance Sensitivities Educational Environment Challenges

Common Misdiagnoses ADHD OCD ODD Bipolar Disorder Depression

Important Considerations Ask about cognitive ability/giftedness during assessment process Assess for common concerns with gifted children Consider gifted traits when making a diagnosis Normalize common gifted characteristics with child and family

Important Considerations Assist in developing skills to help cope with asynchronous development, social skills, and overexcitabilities (OE) Explore using a multi-disciplinary approach Include play therapy activities that allow them to use their skills related to their OE Do not assume they are too advanced or too mature for play therapy!

Activities for Emotional Awareness Feelings Candyland (Lowenstein, 1999) Bugs & Wishes (http://schoolcounselorideas.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-bug-and- wish.html?spref=pi) Draw/Express an intensity scale Anger Buttons (Goodyear-Brown, 2002) You’ve Got Dragons by Kathryn Cave (Fortino Barnes, 2017)

Relaxation Activities Mindfulness Eating Jelly Bean (mindfulness handouts at https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/mindfulness- exercises.pdf) Progressive Muscle Relaxation Deep breathing with bubbles (Goodyear-Brown, 2002)

Social Skills Activities Totika game Uno/Therapy cards mix (http://therapeuticinterventionsk- 12.blogspot.ca/2012/02/combining-card-games-uno- ungame.html) Book- Have you Filled a Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud

Other Activities Imagination Storytelling Drawing Poetry Psychomotor Beach ball Movement for answers Sensual Sandtray Play-doh

Allow them to come up with ideas too! Other Activities Allow them to come up with ideas too!

Resources Overexcitabilities checklist http://www.giftedservices.com.au/handouts/index.html Clinical Guidelines for working with gifted clients http://www.davincilearning.org/sketchbook/research.html National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) https://www.nagc.org/ Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) http://sengifted.org/ Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope with Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca

References Colangelo, N. & Wood, S. M. (2015). Counseling the Gifted: Past, Present, and Future Directions. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93, 133-142. Cross, J. R. & Cross, T. L. (2015). Clinical and Mental Health Issues in Counseling the Gifted Individual. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93, 163-172. Fonseca, C. (2016). Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope with Explosive Feelings. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press. Goodyear-Brown, Paris. (2002). Digging for Buried Treasure: 52 Prop-Based Play Therapy Interventions for Treating the Problems of Childhood. Lowenstein, L. (1999). Creative Interventions for Troubled Children & Youth. Peterson, Jean S. (2015). School Counselors and Gifted Kids: Respecting Both Cognitive and Affective. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93, 153-162. Fortino, J. & Barnes, M. (2017). Top 12 Creative Play Therapy Interventions for Working with Teens and Tweens. 2017 APT Annual Conference

References https://www.nagc.org/ http://sengifted.org/ http://therapeuticinterventionsk-12.blogspot.ca/2012/02/combining- card-games-uno-ungame.html http://schoolcounselorideas.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-bug-and- wish.html?spref=pi https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/mindfulness-exercises.pdf

One Last Thing…. Consider “liking” Kids Inc. on Facebook Please email me at AmyRayLLC@gmail.com one thing you learned from this presentation. Thank you!