Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about giftedness

Allgemein

Who offers counseling?

There is a wide range of counseling services specifically aimed at the exceptionally gifted and their environment. Generally, counseling is provided by qualified and specialized psychologists, for example, in school psychology or educational counseling centers, private practices, or in professional gifted counseling centers and private associations (e.g., the German Society for the Gifted Child). Educators who have received further training are also increasingly taking on counseling responsibilities, especially in providing guidance and instruction to professionals and educational institutions when implementing measures to support gifted students.

Determining which counseling center is most appropriate depends on the specific questions at hand. School psychology counseling centers, for example, are tasked with supporting students in their learning development and in the successful completion of their school careers; and they often have more direct contact with the school than other institutions. In contrast, parenting resource centers (Erziehungsberatungsstellen) focus on providing counseling to parents on parenting issues and family relationship problems. Specialized, professional gifted psychology counseling centers, on the other hand, often have greater experience in assessment and individual case counseling on the topic of giftedness. In some cases, however, families have to travel considerable distances to use these services, thus making them less suitable for counseling involving several consecutive appointments. The more clearly the individuals seeking advice can formulate their concerns, the more likely they are to determine, together with the counselor, if the counseling services offered are suitable for their needs or to identify who might be able to provide better assistance.

To access a searchable directory of gifted and talented counseling services in Germany, please visit the Karg Foundation’s giftedness resource portal (only available in German language).

Guiding

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