Continuing Education for Psychologists
APA-Approved & Neurodiversity-Affirming

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When Strengths and Struggles Collide: Giftedness & Neurodivergence in Clinical Practice

A look into the complex developmental profiles and mental impacts of the intersection of giftedness and neurodivergence in children, teens, and adults.
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Live
Webinar

Join us live on 05/27/2026  from 12PM to 1 PM EST as a Gifted Autistic Adult shares lived experience of the intersection of these two profiles.   

Recording available after live presentaiton.

Audience

For  Psychologists, Mental Health Therapists, Spiritual Counselors,
 Music Therapists, Art Therapists,
 Allied Health Professionals

$35

  Includes 1 CE Credit.

1 Credit Hour

Approved Provider for APA &
PA Board SW, MFT, & PC., CBMT


Introductory


Program design to build foundational understanding of an emerging area of knowledge.

Course Description

This course provides an in-depth examination of individuals who present with both high cognitive ability and neurodevelopmental or learning differences, often referred to as twice-exceptional. Central to this course is the concept of asynchronous development, defined as uneven progression across cognitive, emotional, and social domains, which contributes to complex and often misleading clinical presentations. These discrepancies frequently result in masking effects, where strengths obscure disabilities or disabilities obscure strengths, leading to underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis, and inappropriate intervention planning .

The course integrates multidisciplinary research demonstrating that high-ability individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions may experience significant psychosocial vulnerability, including increased internalizing symptoms and elevated risk for suicidal ideation . Contrary to common assumptions, high intelligence does not function as a protective factor and may, in some cases, exacerbate emotional distress.

Participants will examine systemic barriers to identification and support, including cultural bias, inequitable access to services, and structural limitations within educational and clinical systems. Special attention is given to minoritized populations, whose experiences of twice-exceptionality are shaped by intersecting sociocultural factors that influence both access to care and mental health outcomes .

Using a neurodiversity-affirming framework, the course emphasizes strength-based, trauma-informed, and developmentally responsive counseling approaches. Participants will engage with real-world case studies illustrating the lived experience of asynchronous development, including challenges related to identity, self-concept, social integration, and educational mismatch. The course concludes with applied strategies for assessment, intervention, and interdisciplinary collaboration designed to support optimal functioning across the lifespan.


Learning Objectives


Differentiate

characteristics of giftedness, neurodevelopmental conditions, and twice-exceptionality, including the role of asynchronous development in clinical presentation.

Apply

neurodiversity-affirming, strength-based, and trauma-informed counseling interventions that address both exceptional ability and co-occurring challenges.

Analyze

how cognitive strengths may mask disabilities (and vice versa), contributing to misdiagnosis, delayed identification, and diagnostic overshadowing in clinical and educational settings.

Integrate

case-based evidence presented to design developmentally responsive treatment plans that account for asynchronous development across cognitive, emotional, and social domains.

Evaluate

research linking high cognitive ability and neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., autism) with elevated mental health risks, including suicidal ideation and internalizing symptoms.

Learning Schedule & Approved Provider Status

Moringa Institute is committed to delivering high-quality continuing education that aligns with the standards of national credentialing bodies and state licensing boards. The following learning schedule outlines the structure of the program, along with approved provider status and credit information applicable to this offering.

Course Schedule

1. Introduction & Conceptual Framing (0:00–0:05 | 5 minutes)

  • Welcome and disclosures
  • Overview of course purpose
  • Key definitions:
    • Giftedness / high cognitive ability
    • Neurodivergence
    • Asynchronous development

2. Understanding the Dual Profile (0:05–0:15 | 10 minutes)

  • Characteristics of gifted neurodivergent individuals
  • Uneven development across domains
  • The masking effect (strengths hiding challenges and vice versa)
  • Brief case vignette illustrating asynchronous development

3. Diagnostic Challenges & Misinterpretation (0:15–0:25 | 10 minutes)

  • Diagnostic overshadowing
  • Common clinical misinterpretations:
    • Behavioral concerns vs. unmet cognitive needs
    • “Lack of motivation” vs. executive functioning deficits
  • Barriers to identification:
    • Systemic limitations
    • Clinician bias
    • Over-reliance on single measures

4. Mental Health Risks & Lived Experience (0:25–0:35 | 10 minutes)

  • Internalizing symptoms in high-ability neurodivergent individuals
  • Elevated risk for:
    • Anxiety and depression
    • Suicidal ideation
  • Contributing factors:
    • Social isolation
    • Bullying
    • Identity conflict
  • Why giftedness is not protective

5. Clinical Interventions & Adaptations (0:35–0:50 | 15 minutes)

  • Neurodiversity-affirming counseling practices
  • Strength-based treatment planning
  • Key adaptations:
    • Communication and processing supports
    • Addressing emotional awareness (alexithymia)
    • Supporting identity and self-concept
  • Integrating strengths into therapy
  • Modifying standard interventions (e.g., CBT adaptations)

6. Applied Case Integration (0:50–0:57 | 7 minutes)

  • Lived-experience case example
  • Clinical walkthrough:
    • Assessment considerations
    • Differential diagnosis
    • Treatment planning
  • Emphasis on asynchronous development in practice

7. Summary & Key Takeaways (0:57–1:00 | 3 minutes)

  • Review of learning objectives
  • Core clinical shifts:
    • From deficit-based to dual-profile understanding
    • From standard to individualized care
  • Closing remarks

Course References

Bachtel, K., & Fell, R. (2022). Trauma Induced Twice-Exceptionality: Preventing Psychological Injury of Gifted Children in the Classroom. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10378-0_7

Casten, L. G., Thomas, T. R., Doobay, A. F., Foley-Nicpon, M., Kramer, S., Nickl-Jockschat, T., Abel, T., Assouline, S., & Michaelson, J. J. (2023). The combination of autism and exceptional cognitive ability is associated with suicidal ideation. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107698

Cormier, C. J. (2025). How Did You Get Here? You’re Not Supposed to Be Here: Supporting the Social-Emotional and Mental Health Needs of Minoritized Twice Exceptional Students. Teaching Exceptional Children, 57(6), 424–429. https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599211073073

Lee Sook Huey, Saw Jo Anne, Fatanah Ramlee, Chan Kah Mun, & Alicia Ng Cher Ching. (2024). Case Report on Twice Exceptional Paradox: Unravelling the Potential and Challenges of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Cognitive Giftedness in Malaysia. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 22(2), 175–195.

Pfeiffer, S. I., Maralani, F. M., & Prado, R. M. (2025). The often perplexing and challenging work with the twice-exceptional student. Academia Mental Health & Well-Being, 2(4), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.20935/MHealthWellB7990

Townend, G., McGregor, M., Alonzo, D., & Nguyen, H. T. M. (2024). What would it take? Enhancing outcomes for high-ability students with disability. Frontiers in Education, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1322872

APA Continuing Education Information


Education Standard
Standard D1.1: Program content focuses on application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that have overall consistent and credible empirical support in the contemporary peer reviewed scientific literature beyond those publications and other types of communications devoted primarily to the promotion of the approach.

APA Continuing Education Approval
This course has been reviewed by Moringa Institute’s APA Committee and has been approved as meeting the criteria for American Psychological Association (APA) Continuing Education (CE) credits.

The lead psychologist overseeing the development of the entire course content is Gary Champlin, PhD ensuring alignment with APA standards for educational quality and professional relevance.

CE Policies

Moringa Institute is committed to maintaining Continuing Education policies that align with the standards of national credentialing bodies and state licensing boards. Our policies are designed to promote accessibility, inclusivity, transparency, and accountability in all CE programming.

These policies are intended to ensure clarity and provide participants with a structured framework for CE participation. Click below to review detailed information regarding:
  • Reasonable accommodations and accessibility supports
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments
  • Grievance procedures
  • Refund and cancellation policies Attendance and completion requirements
  • Privacy and confidentiality practices

Accommodation Requests

Moringa Institute is committed to supporting individuals who require support or accommodations in order to participate in our course offerings.  Specific requests can be emailed directly to info@moringainstitute.com or by filling out our Accommodation Request Form.

LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

NADD-CC

Competency-Based Clinical Certification from NADD

PARENT

Parent of Autistic Adult
Meet the instructor

Maleita Olson, LCSW, NADD-CC

Maleita Olson, LCSW, is a co-founder and former executive director of Spectra Support Services, LLC. She is a licensed clinical social worker in PA. During Maleita’s 30 plus year career, she has worked for in community-based, institutional, government and medical settings, with a primary focus on serving individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Maleita has a master of social work degree from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. She is a certified clinician with the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD). She is a frequent presenter at local, state, and national conferences on topics related to autism spectrum disorder, the transition to adulthood, and impacts of disability on the family.
Maleita lives in Springfield, PA with her husband and four children, three of whom are neurodivergent. She is a past president of ASCEND: the Asperger and Autism Alliance for Greater Philadelphia and a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Arc of Delaware County, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Autism Society of America.

PHY

Physicist

NADD-DSP

Competency-Based Direct Support Professional

ADVOCATE

Autism
Self-Advocate
Meet the instructor

Timothy Olson, BS

Timothy Olson is an autistic adult, neurodivergent public speaker, and advocate focused on mental health awareness and the recognition of neurodiversity. Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at age five, he received support throughout his schooling for his giftedness, autism, and ADHD, and went on to earn a degree in Physics from Elon University.


Since 2019, Tim has represented autism advocates on panels at his university and at local conferences, including Next Steps Into Adulthood hosted by the Center for Autism Research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He currently works as a peer mentor supporting young adults with Autism and/or intellectual disabilities with significant support needs, blending lived experience with professional insight from his work as a Direct Support Professional.


In addition to his advocacy, Tim is an emerging environmental professional with a focus on sustainability and reducing carbon footprints. He is passionate about public transportation and the environment, and enjoys cycling, music, and performing as a member of both a local acapella group and concert band in the greater Philadelphia area.

Mission

The Moringa Institute advances professional excellence by providing psychologists, master’s level clinicians, and students with innovative opportunities to discover and integrate evidence-based practices into their work. Rooted in decades of experience and a commitment to holistic, lifespan-focused care, we strengthen professionals’ knowledge, skills, and frameworks to better serve individuals and communities.

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