"What SENG Means to Me"

"SENG is more than just a source of essential information on raising and supporting gifted children and adults, though it fulfills that role beautifully. It is also a caring community of parents, professionals, and gifted individuals brought together by the desire to share the common challenges, concerns, and joys that are a part of the gifted experience. No other organization for the gifted comes close to fulfilling this critical--and in some cases life-saving--role, and we would strongly encourage all who work with, raise, or are gifted individuals themselves support SENG. We cannot possibly overstate the blessing that SENG has been in our own lives--both as professionals and parents--and in the lives of the families with whom we work. " 

Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide, Authors of The Mislabeled Child

"I cannot express how much this website and its many articles helped me. For most of my life, I thought I was not just "different", "weird" or "strange" but maybe even "crazy" as it seems that many could not "see", "feel" what I saw, thought, felt. In other words, I struggled to understand that I simply was different. My parents also blamed me for my differences as I wasn't fitting the "social mold" and moreover was embarrassing them. I thus learned fast to keep to myself, not only was I hurt, as I felt "misunderstood" but without knowing exactly why, I was in the total "dark". Over the years, I met some people similar to me, with whom I could speak freely or rather express my true self which hibernated in order to survive in our society. It helped considerably but at the same time, it was very frustrating as it confirmed "I" was "different", "we" were "different" from others.

Today, while I hide behind a mask, I have the chance to have a few people who understood my need to find out more about myself, thus I was referred to this website. After reading many articles, I cannot express clearly how much it meant to me. I recognized myself in so many of the "behaviors" described. It has been a release as I now know I am not quite "crazy". There is not something "wrong" with me for feeling, thinking things the way I do. Thank you for that. By the way, I am only 23 years old, and this is so meaningful to me."

~Anonymous

"SENG has been in the background helping our family for almost a year now.

When you have a very bright child, the time and energy required to feed their intellect pales in comparison to struggling to support them in their experiences with their highly intense emotions.  The constant misunderstandings these children have to deal with in the "real world" is heartbreaking at times.  The precious encounters with people who get it, even if it's the presenter at a webinar who you might never meet, a professional who replies to your long and emotional e-mail, the author of an article, or another parent who's some years ahead of you, validates our experiences as a family and helps us be more supportive and wiser parents.

Even though our child is young, we can already see that having support from people who value and understand the sometimes scary, intense feelings of the highly gifted child and how it is inseparable from their intellect can mean a life of self-understanding and high self-worth as opposed to the tragedy of a life of loneliness/depression or isolation.

SENG has been great for helping us as parents with knowing we are not alone (the best benefit of the SENG network) and feeling like there are other people operating in this alternative universe of parenting a highly bright and intense child.

The articles are helpful for us and to be used as tools to try and enlighten others, especially the schools we've encountered that just aren't quite there yet."

~Anonymous

"Since I was diagnosed with a mental illness at the age of 20, that resulted in relying on prescribed drugs, and with the possibility of holding the label forever, I started reading in the area of psychology/psychiatry, mainly in understanding my diagnosed illness, and in pursuit of my identity. My effort in the quest of the latter increased considerably when I completed my masters degree at the age of 32, as I started doubting considerably, and with reasons, about my illness. I relied heavily on the material available on the Internet about giftedness. SENG was among one of those search findings I encountered and I found wealth of formal publications there that helped me considerably in my pursuit of identity search. One very specific example was getting to know the book "The Misdiagnosis of Gifted Children", followed by online purchasing and reading. With the help of all my hunches, and the understandings I got about mental illnesses and giftedness, I was able to stop the psychiatric drugs I was relying on after 19 years, and for last 14 months I have managed to control my intense emotions by myself, without the help of medications."

~Anonymous

~Anonymous

“The SENG website has been invaluable for the parents in my district.  As a program administrator, the availability of SENG information has been a life saver.”

~Anonymous

“SENG provided resources for parents, teachers and friends of gifted children.  I refer parents to the website on the path to understand and help their gifted child. SENG turns my voice into an emotional song for emotional well-being for gifted individuals and allows me to have the calm in the “storm” of life.”

~Anonymous

“SENG is the resource for one to go to for any topic related to the true being of children who are gifted.  I use their website as my first resource when I need questions answered about the problems my students bring to me.  SENG’s contribution to the field of gifted in invaluable.”

~Anonymous

“The support provided by SENG indicates a deep understanding of and commitment to children who exhibit gifted behaviors.”

~Anonymous

“I have facilitated the SENG Model Parent Groups for parents of gifted children.  Parents felt the information was insightful and helpful in assisting their children in reaching their fullest potential.”

~Anonymous

“SENG is the best resource in our field to help parents, educators, and children accept and recognize and celebrate the important affective aspects of being gifted 24/7.”

~Anonymous

~Anonymous