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Dr. Colleen Plein, an otolaryngologist and coach for gifted adults, joins the podcast to explore the unique challenges of being a gifted or neurodivergent adult—something many of us in medicine and surgery can relate to. Find her on instagram here or email her [email protected]. She is resource for all of you gifted docs out there.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Neurodivergence isn’t something kids "grow out of"
• Gifted individuals often experience social struggles due to asynchronous development
• How normalizing your neurodivergence can be incredibly freeing
• The lack of support for gifted kids in school systems—and the lasting impact
• The performance cliff and how it affects gifted individuals
• How early praise for intelligence and achievement can lead to a fixed mindset and self-worth tied to external success
• Why gifted kids can struggle, even with loving, supportive parents
• The challenge of finding identity and self-worth beyond what you do or produce
• The overlap between giftedness, ADHD, and autism
• Why coaching can be especially effective for gifted minds, who are drawn to “out-thinking” their thoughts
• The impact of rejection sensitive dysphoria in residency
• How simply having language for your experience can be a relief
• A surprising reason you might procrastinate finishing your charts
• How coaching can fill in gaps that therapy often doesn’t
• The importance of connecting with other gifted and neurodivergent individuals who share similar lived experiences

This conversation is packed with insights that can shift the way you see yourself and your experiences.