Intersection of Intensity:
Exploring Giftedness and Trauma
How does trauma affect giftedness?
How does giftedness affect trauma?
In the book Intersection of Intensity, trauma therapist and doctor of developmental psychology Patty Gently, MSMHC, PhD, combines years of experience as a therapist with a clinical, research-based exploration of how trauma affects gifted individuals and how they can experience healing and post-traumatic growth.
Intersection of Intensity: Exploring Giftedness and Trauma
By Patricia L. Gently, MSMHC, PhD
ISBN: 1953360378
Publication Date: September 1, 2024
Pre-orders Available
*For individuals who ordered from Booktopia (Australia), refunds can be sought here:
Intersection of Intensity is the highly anticipated book about giftedness and trauma from the publisher of Bright, Talented, and Black, Guiding the Gifted Child, Insight Into a Bright Mind, and Living With Intensity.
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Written for therapists, educators, parents, and gifted individuals alike, its chapters acquaint readers with giftedness and trauma separately and thoroughly before exploring their complex interactions. Each chapter concludes with a summary, questions, and check-ins for the reader. After all, even reading about trauma can stir up difficult feelings.
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Dr. Patty Gently offers compelling insights inspired by her clients’ journeys and lived experiences as she explores concepts including gifted compensation, effective therapeutic modalities, identity development, and more.
The book answers questions posed by a community of gifted adults and weaves well-established psychological concepts of emotional blunting, demand avoidance, and learning with her extensive knowledge of how gifted individuals might experience the world.
As an expert who has presented about trauma and giftedness for years, Dr. Patty wrote Intersection of Intensity as a trauma therapist first. Her wide-ranging exploration delves into trauma, giftedness, and their intersection to ultimately offer hope for gifted minds seeking a pathway to healing.
Published By
Quotes from Intersection of Intensity
Pattern-FInding and Meaning-Making
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“Gifted individuals often exhibit a notable propensity for pattern recognition (pattern-finding) and the ascription of meaning (meaning-making), setting them apart from others.”
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“Together, pattern-finding and meaning-making help gifted individuals code information into their minds and memories. Meaning-making, in fact, helps individuals group activities, events, and behaviors into categories for more rapid recall such that when a new pattern presents itself, the mind automatically pulls from those stores to categorize by meaning and purpose."
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Gifted Memory and Trauma
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“When it comes to trauma and memory processing, gifted individuals may exhibit heightened sensitivity and emotional intensity, resulting in more profound and vivid memories of traumatic events. Due to their advanced cognitive abilities, they may also have a more intricate understanding and analysis of traumatic experiences, which can contribute to emotional and psychological responses.”
The Importance of Being Understood
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“Being understood is important since many gifted individuals, particularly if they have not found peer groups or literature about giftedness, feel chronically misunderstood or like there is something wrong with them or the way they think and feel. Their developmental trauma can also feed this negative cognition. Once a gifted person learns that there are others like them, there can be a major shift in the conceptualization of self.”
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Nature, Nurture, and Giftedness
“I believed most of my struggles could be blamed on my parents and my developmental trauma, and they may be the first to tell you that they were not perfect. However, as I learned more and more about giftedness, demand avoidance, rejection-sensitive dysphoria, and processing styles, I also learned about how my nature further interacted with my nurture. So, while my parents are not off the proverbial hook, there is undoubtedly more to the story of why me.”
Preview Dr. Patty Gently's introduction,
as written in May 2023, on the Bright Insight Blog
Reviews and Praise for Intersection of Intensity:
Praise from Joy Lawson Davis, Ed.D.
The author has courageously written a book which is destined to be a foundational text in the study of trauma as it affects gifted individuals over the lifespan. While the book is written for clinicians, I believe that practitioners, researchers, advocates, parents, and gifted adults can benefit from the research and recommended strategies designed to better understand trauma, its development, and impact on the life experiences of the gifted. The text is very well written and follows a format which enables the reader to continuously be reminded of previous discussions and closes each chapter with reflective questions that may be used in book study sessions, class discussions or individually. I anxiously await the author’s future publications regarding trauma, identity, and the psychosocial needs of special populations of gifted learners. ​​​​​​​​​​​
—Joy Lawson Davis, Ed.D., Diversity/Gifted Education/ Teacher Ed Scholar, Author and Professional Development expert​​​​
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Praise from Andrew Mahoney, M.S., L.P.C.​
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This book clearly transcends most views on the subject of giftedness and exceptionality as relating to the psychological, developmental and neurobiological factors that affect this special population. Patty crossed a precipice in her work that most would not venture to go over. Patty begins the process of laying the foundation to move all of us towards a far deeper and more complex understanding of the gifted person’s struggle with their humanity. She takes on what most, in the field of gifted would hesitate to embrace. Her work demonstrates how those who venture into the world of giftedness should never compromise on facing the complexities of the gifted. And as you read her work do not lose sight of her deep passion and commitment to those who are gifted. ​
—Andrew Mahoney, M.S., L.P.C., Founder Center for Identity Potential Identity Potential LLC
Praise from Jennifer Harvey Sallin
​With Intersection of Intensity, Patty Gently has given us an important contribution to the field of gifted psychology. It is essential for gifted people to understand how traumas, both acute and developmental, affect a person’s access to their authentic gifted expression across the lifespan. Equally essential is understanding how to heal those traumas and how someone can recover their capacity for joy, connection, support, wholeness, and meaning in their gifted experience. Having Patty’s words of guidance and wisdom on their path to healing, gifted readers will find comfort, hope, direction, and practical answers for the ‘how’ of facing, healing, and growing from painful pasts. The book is an excellent primer for laypeople and helpful resource for professionals in the field of gifted psychology and gifted education. It is also an important guide for parents, carers, partners, friends, and employers wanting to best support the gifted people in their care. The field of gifted psychology is richer with this contribution. Thank you Patty! ​
-Jennifer Harvey Sallin, Psychologist, Founder of InterGifted and Host of the Conversations on Gifted Trauma Podcast
KCap
United States
If you are gifted or love a gifted person you need this book!
“This is the best book on the subject of 2e and probably the only one you will find that addresses 2e and trauma in this way.
And the gravy is it is an incredibly reader friendly easy read for a non-professional. Which is amazing considering the subject matter.
I love that you place us in a position of personal power instantly. The book is making me feel like I am permitted to be an expert on the one subject I know most about… myself!!!!"
MandyB
United States
Exactly what I’ve been wishing for
“I’ve been searching for years for a resource that provides factual/indepth information about giftedness and 2e—that doesn’t feel too text book-y… or pretentious… or goofy… And this book hits the spot. The way that Dr Patricia Gently writes is easy to understand and relate to. She answers questions I didn’t even know I HAD. I’m WOWED."
Robin
The Netherlands
“Intersection of Intensity is Dr. Gently's profound love letter to gifted & twice/multiple exceptional individuals with a history of (complex) trauma/PTSD.
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Affirming. Informative. Compassionate. Validating."
