Neurodiversity Podcast

Shopping for the holidays can be a headache, but choosing the right gifts for high-ability kids is extra-challenging. Between meal planning and decorating, Jen Merrill found time to pop in with holiday stories and gift ideas, and Emily divulges her darker history as a "peeker." Shopping for the hard-to-buy-for kids in your life, on this special holiday edition of Mind Matters . About our guest - J...

Often, gifted kids feel isolated and unable to find like-minded peers, so they end up lacking opportunities to socialize and communicate. Dr. Jean Peterson joins us to talk about ways to bring gifted kids into the conversation, including tips on conducting gifted discussion circles and group counseling. Getting kids talking - on episode 47 of Mind Matters . About the guest - Jean Sunde Peterson, P...

In this bonus episode, Emily Kircher-Morris talks about uncertainty and doubt. How can we help our kids be less afraid of uncertainty, and more comfortable with doubt? And for advocates of gifted kids, she explains why it's better to say "I don't know" than jump to conclusions from anecdotal evidence. This is a bonus episode of Mind Matters, as Emily shares her thoughts after the National Associat...

How can educators, counselors, and parents help neuro-diverse kids learn executive functioning skills? Gifted and twice-exceptional kids often lag with this skill development, so we'll talk about tools and techniques you can use to help kids grow. Our guest is Brendan Mahan , an ADHD/executive functioning consultant and speaker, a veteran educator, and the host of a podcast called ADHD Essentials...

We've had mixed results in our efforts to identify 2e kids. It's a complicated process, and many of the assessment tools used to identify ASD and other disorders need to be utilized differently when working with gifted individuals. Megan Foley-Nicpon joins us on episode 44 to tell us what she's learned through various research projects about identifying the elusive 2e child. About the guest - Mega...

School counselors wear a variety of hats, but "giftedness expert" often isn't one of them. On episode 43, Jean Peterson and Susannah Wood, authors of Counseling Gifted Students: A Guide for School Counselors , join us to talk about ways school counselors can better meet the needs of their gifted students. About the guests - Jean Sunde Peterson , Ph. D. , Professor Emerita and former director of sc...

Advanced Placement is a good way for many kids to get a head start on college. On episode 42, Andrew Scanlan and Chester E Finn, Jr. of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute , answer questions about the history of AP, where it's going, and where kids may encounter difficulties. About the guests -  Chester E. Finn, Jr. is Distinguished Senior Fellow and President Emeritus at the Thomas B. Fordham Institu...

This is the final installment of our series on suicide among gifted and 2e people. Today, Lisa shares the story of what led to her son's suicide, and we get a glimpse into her current state of mind, nine months after her Nick's death. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www. MindMattersP...

In part two of our series on suicide among high-ability people, we explore some of the signs of depression and suicidal ideation with Lisa Van Gemert , author of Perfectionism , and Living Gifted . We explore ways to identify problems that could lead to self-harm or suicide, and suggest ways to help you work through those problems. If you haven't listened to episode 39 with Dr. Tracy Cross , we su...

Is suicidal ideation more prevalent among the gifted population? Do our beliefs about suicide square with statistics? In part one of our series on suicide among gifted and 2e youth, Dr. Tracy Cross joins us to shed some light on a dark subject, and shares his Spiral Model of the Suicidal Mind . This is a series all parents should hear. About the guest - Dr. Tracy L. Cross holds an endowed chair, J...

As parents and educators prepare for the start of the new school year, middle schools everywhere are welcoming a new crop of excited, nervous, and sometimes unprepared kids. On episode 38 we talk about the middle school transition, and the changes parents can expect to see as their kids adapt to their new surroundings. Guest Phyllis Fagell is author of Middle School Matters, and she joins us with...

Gifted kids turn into gifted adults, it's something you live with for your entire life. When adults forget about their own atypical wiring, they open themselves up to social issues, and miss opportunities to continue growing. Guests Aurora Remember-Holtzman and Michelle Benedict talk to us about their experiences, and provide advice for people who may have forgotten they were gifted. About the gue...

Giftedness can be a double-edged sword when it comes to empathy and compassion. When we help kids realize their emotional potential, their capacity for empathy and kindness will grow. Christine Fonseca is our guest on episode 36. About the guest - Christine Fonseca is a licensed Educational Psychologist , critically acclaimed author, and a nationally recognized speaker on topics related to educati...

People with ADHD have to face both the strengths and struggles that come along with their diagnosis. When ADHD is combined with giftedness , a condition known as twice-exceptionality , those struggles can be magnified, or maybe worse, hidden. On episode 35 Dr. Matthew Fugate shares data from his research about ADHD and provides parents and teachers insight into better understanding our kids. About...

In school districts in the US and around the world, there are programs in place to help gifted and twice-exceptional kids overcome their educational challenges. But one of the least-expensive and easiest tools to utilize, acceleration , is often overlooked. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik from the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa joins us on episode 34 to talk about most kids' first option for a...

One thing's for sure about parenting - it's hard. Even more so with gifted and twice-exceptional kids. But parents often get so caught up in taking care of their kids they forget the all-important self-care. Jen Torbeck Merrill is the author of If This Is a Gift, Can I Send It Back , and also a parenting self-care advocate. She's our guest on episode 33 of Mind Matters . About the guest - Jen Merr...

Special education services can make a huge difference in the educational experience of a twice-exceptional child. On episode 32, author and education writer Amanda Morin joins us to discuss some of the services available and share best practices for parents and counselors to effectively advocate on behalf of 2e kids. About the guest - Amanda Morin worked as a classroom teacher and as an early inte...

When your inner skeptic constantly nags at you saying something's not right, what should you do? Dr. Brian Housand thinks you should celebrate. On episode 31 Emily Kircher-Morris talks with Brian about how to fight fake news, and the short answer is: question everything. About the guest - Dr. Brian Housand is the Coordinator of the Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program at the University of...

There is more to giftedness than just intelligence. Dr. James Delisle joins us on episode 30 to talk about what's below the surface of giftedness, and how parents, counselors, and teachers can dig a little to find out what makes gifted kids tick. About the guest - James Delisle, PhD , was a professor of education at Kent State University (Ohio) for 25 years and was selected by faculty and students...

For even the most academically successful student, the social aspect of school can be incredibly stressful. When you add the complexity of being gifted or twice-exceptional, school can be overwhelming. On episode 29 we talk with Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver about the social impact of the educational experience for gifted girls. About the guest - Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver is an educator, author, and...

There is a myth that gifted people are mostly financially secure, white, and don't require the same attention as an average child. Our guest is Marc Smolowitz , who is making a film about America's gifted and talented population that puts those myths to rest. "The G Word"  will highlight the educational challenges, social isolation, and deep emotional sensitivities of gifted people. Listen to our...

On this episode we discuss some widely held ideas about education, giftedness, and intelligence that may not be as rooted in science as we thought. Explore some of our most revered and trusted theories along with us. Our guest is Dr. Devon MacEachron , who has spent much of her career tracking down the facts and sorting through the fiction. About the guest -   Dr. Devon MacEachron earned her B.A....

Have we inadvertently harmed our children by taking away play time? Does our tendency to make decisions for our kids, instead of allowing them to make their own choices, negatively impact executive function? Mead Ploszay , middle school learning specialist for an independent school district in the midwest, joins us to share results of her study of student choice and unstructured, free time. About...

The systems in place for gifted kids in public education often fall short for 2e students. Sometimes 2e kids aren't even identified with the limited testing resources of some schools. In the first of several episodes on twice-exceptionality this year, we talk with Chris Wiebe from Bridges Academy in Los Angeles CA about how they address the specific needs of twice-exceptional students, and how oth...

When we don't provide a challenge for our gifted kids at school and let them fly under the radar, they can develop internal monologues that equate being smart with everything being easy. Emily Mofield and Megan Parker Peters , authors of Teaching Tenacity, Resilience, and a Drive for Excellence , on episode 24 of Mind Matters . About the guests - Emily Mofield, EdD , is an assistant professor in t...