Overexcitabilities: What they are and how they manifest in

gifted children

Goleta Union School District Gifted Education Services Parent Night

February 1, 2018

• March 8th: Laying a Foundation in Math

for Elementary School and Beyond

• March 8th: Laying a Foundation in Math

for Elementary School and Beyond

Anna Scharfeld

• March 8th: Laying a Foundation in Math

for Elementary School and Beyond

Anna Scharfeld

• May 10th: What Colleges are looking

for Today

• March 8th: Laying a Foundation in Math

for Elementary School and Beyond

Anna Scharfeld

• May 10th: What Colleges are looking

for Today

Eileen Swoboda

When was the last time you felt

overstimulated?

Factors

What was at play?

External

Factors

What was at play?

factors

External Internal

Factors

What was at play?

factors factors

External Internal

Factors

What was at play?

factors factors

Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980)

Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980)

Polish psychiatrist,

psychologist, and physician

Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980)

Polish psychiatrist,

psychologist, and physician

Counseled artists, writers,

actors, and members of religious

orders

Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980)

Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980)

“saw inner forces at work that, on one hand generated overstimulation, conflict and pain…

Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980)

“saw inner forces at work that, on one hand generated overstimulation, conflict and pain…

…but on the other, provoked individuals to search for a way through the pain, strife and disharmony.

Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980)

Was first to suggest that intensified experiencing, thinking, feeling and imagining were related to creativity and talent.

“saw inner forces at work that, on one hand generated overstimulation, conflict and pain…

…but on the other, provoked individuals to search for a way through the pain, strife and disharmony.

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities

Psychomotor

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities

Psychomotor

Sensual

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities

Psychomotor

SensualIntellectual

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities

Psychomotor

SensualIntellectual

Imaginational

Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities

Psychomotor

SensualIntellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

Psychomotor

Sensual

Intellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

Psychomotor

Sensual

Intellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

Love of movement; capacity for being active and energetic.

Psychomotor

Sensual

Intellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

Love of movement; capacity for being active and energetic.

Heightened experience of + or - feelings from sight, scent, touch, taste or hearing.

Psychomotor

Sensual

Intellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

Love of movement; capacity for being active and energetic.

Heightened experience of + or - feelings from sight, scent, touch, taste or hearing.

A “marked need to seek truth and understanding, to gain knowledge, and to analyze.”

Psychomotor

Sensual

Intellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

Love of movement; capacity for being active and energetic.

Heightened experience of + or - feelings from sight, scent, touch, taste or hearing.

Heightened play of the imagination with rich association of images and impressions

A “marked need to seek truth and understanding, to gain knowledge, and to analyze.”

Psychomotor

Sensual

Intellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

Love of movement; capacity for being active and energetic.

Heightened experience of + or - feelings from sight, scent, touch, taste or hearing.

Heightened play of the imagination with rich association of images and impressions

A “marked need to seek truth and understanding, to gain knowledge, and to analyze.”

Intense feelings, extremes of complex emotions, and strong identification with others’ feelings.

Activity

Activity

Phase-1

1. Grab the card that was on your seat when you

came in.

1. Grab the card that was on your seat when you

came in.

2. Read both the description of the excitability and the

strategies for it.

1. Grab the card that was on your seat when you

came in.

2. Read both the description of the excitability and the

strategies for it.

3. Share the information with your neighbor, and if it rings

true for you or not.

Yes!No!

Activity

Activity

Phase- 2

Emotional

Go to a table in the back that has an excitability that you do connect with.

Emotional

Go to a table in the back that has an excitability that you do connect with.

Emotional

Go to a table in the back that has an excitability that you do connect with.

Share an experience…

Emotional

Go to a table in the back that has an excitability that you do connect with.

Share an experience…

Emotional

…or, ask a question about what other’s have noticed about it or done.

What can we do about these?

Don’t judge them.

Look for patterns

Look for patterns

Look for patterns

Bring awareness to it.

Bring awareness to it. How are you feeling

right now?

Bring awareness to it. How are you feeling

right now? What is your body doing/

telling you?

Bring awareness to it. How are you feeling

right now? What is your body doing/

telling you?

How is your mind feeling?

Bring awareness to it. How are you feeling

right now? What is your body doing/

telling you?

How can I help?What do you need?

How is your mind feeling?

Bring awareness to it. How are you feeling

right now? What is your body doing/

telling you?

How can I help?What do you need?

What do you notice about you in these types of situations?

How is your mind feeling?

External Internal

Factors

What was at play?

factors factors

What was at play?

Externalfactors

Internalfactors

What was at play?

Externalfactors

Internalfactors

What was at play?

Externalfactors

Internalfactors

Psychomotor

SensualIntellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

What was at play?

Externalfactors

Internalfactors

Psychomotor

SensualIntellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

✓.

What was at play?

Externalfactors

Internalfactors

Psychomotor

SensualIntellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

✓.✓.

What was at play?

Externalfactors

Internalfactors

Psychomotor

SensualIntellectual

Imaginational

Emotional

✓.✓.

✓.

Example

Example

✓Super excited

Example

✓Super excited

✓Tons of great ideas

Example

✓Super excited

✓Tons of great ideas

“Emotional intensity in the gifted is not a matter

of feeling more than other people, but a different

way of experiencing the world: vivid, absorbing,

penetrating, encompassing, complex,

commanding – a way of being quiveringly alive.”

(Sword, 2012)

For further questions, email Joanna Lauer

jlauer@goleta.k12.ca.us