Raising a twice-exceptional (2e) young adult means navigating the incredible potential of giftedness alongside the real-world challenges of learning, emotional, or developmental differences. These teens are often bright, articulate, and passionate, but they can also experience intense frustration, anxiety, low self-esteem, and difficulty with emotional regulation or executive functioning. So how do you know when it might be time to seek therapy?
As a therapist who specializes in working with 2e teens and young adults, I believe therapy isn’t about fixing your child. It’s about giving them a space to better understand themselves, develop skills that support their growth, and tap into their passions without being held back by emotional, social, or neurological roadblocks.
“Therapy isn’t about fixing what’s broken—it’s about unlocking the potential that’s already there.”
5 Signs Your Twice-Exceptional Young Adult May Benefit from Therapy
- Emotional Outbursts or Shutdowns Are Frequent: Even the most gifted teens can melt down when they don’t have the tools to manage strong emotions. If your young adult regularly experiences intense frustration, rage, anxiety, or periods of complete withdrawal, it may be a sign they need support with emotional regulation.
- They Struggle with Motivation or Follow-Through: Executive functioning challenges can make planning, organizing, or completing tasks feel impossible—even for a highly capable teen. If your 2e child starts things they never finish, avoids responsibilities, or spirals into shame and self-doubt when they can’t meet expectations, therapy can help.
- Social Struggles or Masking Are Taking a Toll: 2e teens often feel like they don’t quite fit in. Some mask their neurodivergent traits to "pass" socially, which can be incredibly draining. Others avoid social interaction altogether out of anxiety or past rejection. Therapy can help them unmask safely, develop social skills, and find community.
- They’re Expressing Hopelessness, Self-Criticism, or Burnout: Gifted kids often set impossibly high standards for themselves and feel like failures when they don’t meet them. If your child talks about being broken, not trying hard enough, or feeling hopeless, they deserve a space where those feelings can be explored and reframed.
- You’re Walking on Eggshells: If you, as a parent, feel like you're constantly trying to manage their moods or avoid triggering an outburst, you’re not alone. Therapy isn’t just for the young adult—it supports the whole family system by giving everyone the tools to communicate more effectively and reduce tension at home.
How Therapy Helps 2e Teens Thrive
In my work, therapy isn’t about labeling or pathologizing a teen who already feels misunderstood. It’s about creating a collaborative space where they set their own goals and explore what it means to live a life that feels both meaningful and manageable.
Therapy for 2e teens might focus on:
- Emotional regulation and distress tolerance
- Building executive functioning and time management skills
- Understanding their unique brain wiring and reducing shame
- Exploring identity, passions, and values
- Developing social skills and deepening relationships
- Managing anxiety, perfectionism, or school-related burnout
“Support isn’t about minimizing struggle—it’s about helping 2e teens grow into the most authentic version of themselves.”
Finding the Right Therapist for Your 2e Teen
A strengths-based approach is key. Your teen should feel like the therapist sees and values their brilliance while also helping them work through their challenges. Therapy shouldn’t feel like "fixing what's wrong" but rather like building on what’s already there.
Look for a therapist who:
- Specializes in twice-exceptionality or neurodiversity
- Uses collaborative goal-setting with the teen, not just the parent
- Balances insight-oriented work with practical tools
- Encourages autonomy and agency in the teen
Final Thoughts
If you’re wondering whether it’s time for therapy, trust that question. Starting therapy doesn’t mean something is broken—it means your 2e young adult is worthy of support and capable of growing into their full potential. Therapy can be the space where they learn to thrive as their authentic, complex, brilliant selves.
Looking for a 2e Therapist? The Center for Twice Exceptional Counseling specializes in therapy for 2e teens and young adults. If your child is gifted with ADHD, autism, or other neurodivergent traits, we’re here to help them thrive.
The most meaningful growth happens when teens feel seen, safe, and supported just as they are.
