Shawn McKown

My Personal Statement on Mental Health for the Gifted

When I first joined SENG and was placed on their therapy provider list, I began receiving calls and emails from parents all over the state of Texas. They were desperate. Their children were desperate. They had tried counselors in their area who had no knowledge or experience with the gifted and their children were terribly frustrated with the experience. Some offered to drive five hours so their child could see me. Did I know of anyone in their area experienced in therapy with the gifted? There was no one. Some of the calls I receive now are from therapists. “I have a client (child) who is gifted and therapy is not going well. Do you offer training?” “I want to work with the gifted. Can you refer some children to me?” “Of course I work with the gifted. I work with everyone.” For me, this is more frightening than the calls from the parents trying to find an experienced therapist. I have contacted psychologists in Dallas and Houston, asking them if they are interested in providing services to these underserved children. I offered to provide them with a list of resources to prepare themselves to work with this population. Not interested. So many gifted children struggle through years of school because there was no one versed in providing therapy for them within commuting distance. I personally know one who ultimately took her life, after an endless string of therapists, because life was just too difficult. I watched her grow up. I know her parents. I ask myself if those therapists had any experience working with the gifted. The fact is, most therapists will work their entire careers and never see a cognitively gifted client. Mental health for the gifted? We are not doing enough. And there are not enough of us. SENG seminars addressing giftedness and assessment such as those with Linda Silverman and others have been much needed, However, there is a great need for training therapists to work with the gifted.

Education and Credentials

Doctorate
Psy.D.

Specialized Areas

Autism

Age ranges served

Young children (birth to 6 years old)

Languages Spoken

English

Experience

10-Jun

Nationally Licensed

No

Services Offered

Assessment: Diagnostic evaluation for psychoeducational, neuropsychological ect

Treatment Modalities

Attachment-Based Therapy

Gifted Training

CEU/training

Service Format

Virtual

Payment Format

Private Pay

Client Speciality

Diagnoses