CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS

Presenter: Deborah Fraser

IN FROM THE MARGINS: Sustaining and extending the emotionally and spiritually gifted

Whilst there are awards, competitions and prizes for excellence in the academic, sporting and artistic fields, there is little to commend the emotionally and spiritually gifted. Moreover, to be gifted in the emotional or spiritual realm is to live with great sensitivity and intensity (Piechowski, 2006). The cost of living like this is immense, as such young people are frequently misunderstood and their strength of feeling, empathy and insight can be readily belittled, ignored or dismissed. Having gifts in these areas is also however, uplifting and transformative. Understanding what it means to be emotionally or spiritually gifted enables teachers, counsellors and parents to support these gifted young people; support which is essential for mental health and well-being. This paper explores what is meant by emotional and spiritual giftedness and it provides some suggestions, based on recent research, for sustaining and extending these valuable and often marginalized gifts.