Always searching for the perfect books for my gifted education classes, I have come upon a new book I will certainly require for my fall course, Social and Psychological Foundations of Gifted Education. That book, Living with Intensity, is edited by by Susan Daniels and Michael Piechowski and includes chapters from experts in the field of gifted education.
The authors have divided Living with Intensity into the following sections:
Part One: Kazimierz Dabrowski, Overexcitability, Giftedness, and Developmental Potential
Part Two: Understanding Intensity: Practical Applications for Parents, Teachers, and Counselors
Part Three: Still Gifted After All These Years — Lifespan Intensity and Gifted Adults
Part Four: Current Research and Future Directions
My first posting was June 1, 2008, and the topic was “Bright, Sensitive, Intense“. I have been interested in the “amplified ways of being” of gifted children, and Living with Intensity goes a long way to explain these amplified ways. If you are a gifted adult, or a parent or teacher of a gifted child, this book is a must read!
So how does a highly sensitive person enjoy a trip to an intense city like Las Vegas? I managed to do that last week, and staying in a smaller hotel made all the difference. I was attending a conference for educators, and it was being held at the Westin Casaurina, so I decided to stay there. It was a great decision. It is a small hotel fully-equipped with a casino, a spa, a workout facility, and a restaurant. It is just a block away from the larger casinos, but it is a very comfortable place for a highly sensitive person. You can see outdoors through the large windows of the small casino, and due to the space left between the rows of video machines, most of the sights and sounds are not overwhelming.
I wish I had equally good things to say about the workshop I attended. The speaker liked to make a strong point by suddenly yelling his comments. I must admit that I received several jolts to my heart area from this technique. By the morning of the second day, I was actually feeling agitated by this emotional jolting, and I decided to skip the last afternoon session.
It is hard to believe that I was once very afraid to fly in an airplane. Even after waiting two hours to take a plane that needed its electrical system repaired, I was able to board the plane without anxiety. Several things have made a difference. Years ago, while flying, I would listen to tapes that promote relaxation. I currently use two products that keep my nervous system from over-reacting: Calms Forte and Rescue Remedy. The final thing that has made a significant difference in my life is oxygen. Whenever I fly on a plane or am in an environment that overwhelms me due to air fresheners, perfume, diesel gas, etc., I use oxygen that has been prescribed by my doctor. Now that I know how to prepare myself, this highly sensitive person is able to enjoy an otherwise intense trip.
