2e LEARNERS is an online community to help support 2e learners, also known as twice-exceptional students or GT/LD (“gifted and talented” with “learning disabilities”). The site is operated by a parent of a 2e learner who shares resources and provides a community for dialogue among parents.
2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter was founded in 2003 and publishes bi-monthly publications in electronic form for those who raise, educate, and counsel high-ability, gifted children who also have learning challenges.
A Mother’s Retreat is an eight week therapy group led by Michelle Bodwell, LMFT, ATR in South Pasadena, CA. The group focuses on supporting mothers of children with high emotional needs. Emotionally intense children experience the world differently than those around them. Parenting a child with high emotional needs takes a great deal of understanding and energy, and at the same time can also feel isolating and overwhelming. This therapeutic group fosters community amongst mothers who understand the challenges of raising exceptional children, and gives tools to help mothers stay engaged and equipped for their journey.
This article by the team at the Gifted Parenting Support blog provides resources and ideas for how to ensure twice-exceptional children are understood by their school’s administrators and teachers in order to receive the best education possible.
Amend Psychological Services in Lexington, Kentucky provides comprehensive psychological services including assessment and evaluation, consultations, counseling, and therapy for children, adolescents, and their families. Among the populations served are gifted/talented students and twice-exceptional learners; the site also provides resources and facts about giftedness.
The Anne Ford Scholarship is a $10,000 scholarship ($2,500/year over four years) granted to a graduating high school senior with a documented learning disability (LD) and/or ADHD who will be enrolled in a full-time bachelor’s degree program in the fall.
Seattle Relationship Therapy offers Twice-Exceptional Parent Support Groups, Gifted Parent Workshops, and personalized therapy for individuals and families. Anne is a certified SENG (supporting emotional needs of the gifted) model parent support group facilitator and can also offer online therapy appointments to non-local families in need.
Arete Academy of Exceptional Education is committed to partnering with parents to educate and support twice-exceptional students — gifted students who also have learning disabilities — so they can learn the academic, social and emotional skills needed to overcome their disabilities, reach their full potential and apply their gifts to make lasting contributions to the world.
Aspiring Youth provides innovative social skills groups, summer camps, tutoring, and other services for students ages 8 and up. Some of their students are shy, some are quirky and some are twice exceptional. Many have a diagnosis of Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD, learning disabilities or other similar traits. By creating trust, connection and an engaging community, they help their students as they navigate the social world.
Assets School serves gifted and capable students specializing in those with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences. They provide a strength-based program, complemented by outreach and training, that empowers students to become effective learners and confident self-advocates.
Assets School provides premier educational services to gifted and dyslexic children by providing model, integrated learning environments and professional outreach programs. They utilize research-based teaching methodologies and resources to provide integrated curriculum and instruction to help students reach their full potential. They provide intensive academic remediation, acceleration and enrichment as well as on-going and continuous counseling services. The average student-to-teacher ratio is 8:1 which allows our faculty to truly focus on the needs of each individual student.
Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. Autism Speaks enhances lives today and is accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow.
Dr. Marie Hartwell-Walker’s article gives anecdotes of unique challenges and practical applications of how to support twice-exceptional children. Her tips are aimed to help the twice-exceptional population avoid feeling isolated and misunderstood.
The mission of the Belin-Blank Center is to empower and serve the international gifted community through exemplary leadership in programs, research, and advocacy. Through several initiatives including: The Acceleration Institute, The Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search (BESTS), and the National Institute for Twice-Exceptionality (NITE), the Belin-Blank Center identifies gifted, talented, and artistic learners; provides assessment, counseling, and consultation services; increases awareness and use of acceleration; and facilitates the professional development of educators and administrators. To learn more about the Belin-Blank Center and their many programs and services, visit them online.
Beljan Psychological Services specializes in pediatric neuropsychology. With a focus on brain-based disorders, they provide an array of diagnostic and treatment services including assessment, consultation, psychotherapy, neurocognitive therapy, reading intervention, and forensic evaluation. Associates are trained in an array of specialties, including learning disabilities, executive function disorders, depression, anxiety, gifted identification, and family counseling. Dr. Paul Beljan is an expert in evaluating and understanding gifted children and their common misdiagnoses. He has taught gifted education and pediatric neuropsychology at the master’s and doctoral levels, as well as authored and co-authored several books and publications about giftedness and misdiagnosis.
In addition to her practice in Santa Monica, Dr. Beth is a consultant and evaluator for the Mirman School for Gifted Children, Head Start Preschools, the Pasadena School District Preschool Team, and more. She offers assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning related to giftedness, kindergarten readiness, learning disorders, and austistic spectrum disorders. She also helps develop IEPs, consult on school placement, and review previous assessments.
Big Minds is an attachment-based, community focused school in Pinole, CA designed to give 2e students the time and support necessary to grow into thoughtful, articulate citizens.
This book is authored by Kelly Hirt, a public school teacher with 25 years experience who understands the frustration felt by many teachers and parents. After realizing that her own son was one of these unique learners, Hirt developed strategies that any teacher or parent can readily implement. She outlines 12 strategies to design a supportive, safe, and encouraging learning environment for twice-exceptional students.
Bridges Academy is dedicated to understanding and educating gifted and highly gifted students with learning differences (twice-exceptional or 2e students) and fostering a successful academic and social experience for students and for the broader community through work of two divisions: Bridges Academy and The Center for Twice-Exceptional Research and Professional Development (The 2e Center). Located in Studio City, CA, the Academy serves students 4th through 7th grade (The Phoenix Program) and 7th through 12th grade (The Da Vinci Program).
Brightmont Academy offers full-time private school, individual courses, and tutoring. At the center of Brightmont’s personalized learning approach is one-to-one instruction: one highly qualified teacher working with one student throughout every learning session. To foster continual progress, each teaching moment is optimized to accommodate a student’s needs. Brightmont Academy’s approach has been successful for a variety of students, including homeschool, gifted, and 2e students.
Dr. Cathy Cohn, winner of the Impact on Education award for the Boulder Valley School District, is an advocate for teaching social-emotional skills in school. From her practice in Colorado, she offers psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, and is very experienced with working with gifted and twice-exceptional children who struggle with anxiety, self-esteem, motivation, or other obstacles.
Celebrating High Potential welcomes children, teens, and adults who are gifted or twice-exceptional and are seeking advice, support and resources. The aim of CHP is to provide access to research-based and evidence-based practices for students, families, and teachers, as well as up-to-date information about ways to connect with others who are gifted and find enrichment activities and special programs.
The Center for Connection’s integrative, collaborative network of independent professionals represents a unique model in direct response to the needs expressed by families. CFC’s connection-based model is based on providing more comprehensive services for families, with independent professionals ranging from psychotherapy to parent education to neuropsychological assessments, from physical health and educational therapy to occupational therapy, and more.
CNLD in Ann Arbor, Michigan provides services such as assessment, therapy, intervention, and advocacy for twice-exceptional children and children with other educational concerns.
The mission of the Chicago Gifted Community Center (CGCC) is to facilitate educational and emotional support for gifted children and their families in the greater Chicago area, hosting events by region in Chicago, North Suburban Chicago, West Suburban Chicago, and South Suburban Chicago. CGCC is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization created by parents of gifted children with the intention of unifying the many meetup groups, school related organizations, and parent groups throughout the Chicago area. CGCC provides membership opportunities, discussion boards, speaker events, child support programs and activities, regional meetups, and book series related to raising gifted children.
