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When I heard that Paula Prober had a book coming out, I had to read it. And read it I did! I consumed Your Rainforest Mind in 24-hours and today I wanted to talk about it.

You may already know Paula from her website, Your Rainforest Mind. Paula is a licensed counselor in private practice in Eugene, Oregon. She has over thirty years of experience working with gifted youth and adults in both the classroom and the private practice setting. Paula is a colleague of mine; she participates in both the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum and Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page blogging communities. She is supportive, helpful, and kind.

I’ve been a fan of Paula’s for years now. While many gifted bloggers focus on gifted children, Paula has experience with both gifted youth and adults. I thoroughly enjoy reading about giftedness in teens and adults, and I appreciate Paula’s work in this area.

Table of Contents

Journey into Giftedness: Your Rainforest Mind

Wondering if your child is gifted/2e?

Giftedness is a journey

There’s this thing that happens when you discover that your child is gifted.

First, you scour the internet, looking for resources.

Then, you order all the books.

You read everything.

And then, before you know it, you find yourself reflecting upon your own childhood and education. And suddenly, things start to make more sense. You understand yourself in a way that you hadn’t before.

Your Rainforest Mind

Paula uses the analogy of a rainforest to describe giftedness and she describes the gifted brain as a Rainforest Mind. I appreciate how Paula looks beyond cognitive abilities to understand the whole individual.

Are you wondering if you are a Rainforest Mind (RFM), too?

Do you feel like you are too much?
Have you been told you are “too sensitive“? Are you an empath?
Do you struggle with perfectionism, precision, and/or procrastination?
Do you find it challenging to make decisions and stay on one path? Do you feel that life holds too many possibilities and choices?
Do you feel lonely?
Did you find school to be challenging, or not challenging enough?
Do you grapple with leading an authentic life?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, this book is for you. Paula explores all of these questions and more in her book, Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth.

Last day of camp and that means my last couple hours alone! I’m spending it reading. And I’m taking notes with my poppy pen- how appropriate!

A photo posted by MyLittlePoppies (@my_little_poppies) on Jul 1, 2016 at 6:17am PDT

I devoured Your Rainforest Mind in an afternoon. Paula has done a fantastic job describing the gifted experience. Reading her words is like chatting with a good friend. This book is an incredibly relatable, useful, and easy read. Filled with fascinating case studies, Your Rainforest Mind will have you reflecting upon giftedness in a way that you haven’t before. And unlike many other gifted books, Paula has included a list of helpful, applicable strategies at the end of every single chapter.