Working with Gifted Adults
Support for Insightful, Deep-Thinking, and Highly Sensitive Minds
You’re in the right place if you think and feel deeply — sometimes to the point of overwhelm — and you’re looking for a therapist who understands intensity, sensitivity, complexity, and self-reflection as strengths, not flaws.
Being a gifted, high-ability, or highly sensitive adult can be both meaningful and challenging. You may think deeply, feel intensely, notice subtleties others miss, or see multiple angles of a situation all at once. At the same time, you might struggle with overwhelm, anxiety, perfectionism, burnout, loneliness, or a persistent sense of not quite fitting in.
If you’ve ever been told you’re “too much,” “too sensitive,” “too intense,” or “too in your head,” you’re not alone.
I’m David Rothman, LPC, and I provide online therapy for gifted, high-ability, and twice-exceptional (2e) adults throughout Colorado. I work with thoughtful people who want a therapist who understands complexity, emotional depth, and nonlinear ways of thinking.
Common Experiences of Gifted & High-Ability Adults
Many gifted and high-ability people share experiences like:
intense thinking, reflection, or rumination
high personal standards or perfectionism
anxiety, over-responsibility, or self-criticism
feeling misunderstood, or “different,” even in adulthood
difficulty relaxing or “turning your mind off”
emotional depth or sensitivity
burnout or chronic overwhelm
feeling under-stimulated yet overstimulated at the same time
a sense of meaning-searching or existential concern
masking or editing yourself to fit social expectations
Some also experience ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, sensory sensitivity, or trauma alongside giftedness — sometimes referred to as being twice-exceptional (2e).
Therapy can help you understand these patterns rather than judge them.
How Therapy Helps Gifted Adults
Therapy with me is steady, collaborative, and grounded. We take the time to slow down, notice what’s happening inside, and make sense of your experiences — not to pathologize you, but to help you relate to yourself with more clarity and compassion.
Together, we’ll work to:
reduce anxiety, self-criticism, and mental overload
support emotional regulation and nervous-system steadiness
explore identity, purpose, and meaning
work with perfectionism rather than against it
develop self-compassion and self-trust
build healthier boundaries
strengthen relationships and connection
understand how childhood experiences shape current patterns
The goal isn’t to change who you are — it’s to help you feel more grounded, connected, and at home in your own mind and life.
Twice-Exceptional (2e) Adults
Some gifted adults also live with:
ADHD
OCD
autism spectrum traits
trauma histories
learning differences
sensory sensitivity
This can create tension between what you know you’re capable of and what feels hard in day-to-day life.
We’ll work to understand this complexity with care — without shame or judgment.
My Approach With Gifted & Deep-Thinking Clients
My work is attachment-based, emotionally focused, trauma-informed, and psychodynamic. In simple terms, that means we explore:
how your early relational experiences shaped your inner world
how you respond to stress, emotion, and connection
the beliefs you hold about yourself and others
the parts of you that learned to perform, perfect, or protect
And we do this at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
You don’t need to simplify yourself here. Your full complexity is welcome.
You Don’t Have to Carry It All Internally
Many gifted and high-ability adults grow used to being the one who figures things out — sometimes silently.
Therapy offers space where:
you don’t have to be “on”
you don’t have to explain or perform
you don’t have to minimize what you feel
Just a real, grounded conversation — about what matters.
Online Therapy for Gifted Adults in Colorado
If you’re a gifted, highly sensitive, high-ability, or deep-thinking adult looking for a therapist who understands nuance and complexity, I’d be honored to connect. I offer online therapy for gifted and twice-exceptional adults across Colorado.
If you’re looking for online therapy for gifted adults in Colorado, I’m here to help.
Schedule an Appointment or Contact Me when you’re ready to begin.