Gifted & Grown Up

Chad Peevy reflects on his interview with Dr. Eric Maisel, diving deeper into themes of meaning-making, resistance, and what it means to live as a gifted adult. He challenges traditional ideas about intelligence, questions whether being "smart" is a cause or a consequence, and explores how trauma, curiosity, and drive shape our identity.

Chad also opens up about the emotional tension between wanting to do meaningful work and the perfectionism that holds so many gifted adults back. He shares his own struggles with clicking “publish,” the fear of not being excellent, and how Dr. Maisel’s concept of a “body of work” has helped reframe the creative process.

This episode is an invitation to give yourself permission—permission to fight your fight, to do imperfect work, and to show up for the life you're meant to live.

📩 Subscribe to the Gifted & Grown Up newsletter for tools, insights, and support—for gifted adults and the people who love them. 👉 Join the newsletter

 

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Mazel and His Impact
00:29 Exploring Giftedness in Adults
01:32 The Three Personalities Concept
02:24 Nature vs. Nurture Debate
02:49 Living with Giftedness
04:44 Resistance and Moral Justice
09:28 Creating a Body of Work
12:53 Reflections on Giftedness Terminology
15:41 Conclusion and Invitation for Feedback

 

💬 Submit your questions, comments and reflections to Chad and Paula here. 

 

Find Chad on Instagram

Chad's Website

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:39 Welcoming Dr. Eric Mazel
01:03 Discussing 'Why Smart People Hurt'
02:17 The Concept of Resistance
02:40 Autobiographical Insights
03:18 Existential Beliefs and Early Influences
04:27 Military Service and Resistance
06:21 The Challenge of Meaning
07:56 Paradigm Shifts in Understanding Life
09:11 The Nature of Meaning and Purpose
10:36 Smart People and the Burden of Clarity
20:55 Dealing with Meaning Leaks
25:16 Embracing Multiple Life Purposes
32:51 Creative Process and Allowing Messiness
35:02 Letting Go of Perfectionism
35:34 Identifying Good Ideas
38:13 The Importance of Daily Practice
40:03 Harnessing Sleep Thinking
41:36 Balancing Input and Output
43:35 Evolving Creative Work
58:14 Fighting Against Psychiatry
01:06:46 A New Mental Model: Serene Readiness

 

📩 Subscribe to the Gifted & Grown Up newsletter for tools, insights, and support—for gifted adults and the people who love them. 👉 Join the newsletter

📄 In this episode of Gifted & Grown Up, I’m joined by Dr. Eric Maisel, existential psychologist and author of more than 50 books, including Why Smart People Hurt and Redesign Your Mind.

We explore the inner lives of gifted adults—their sensitivity, creativity, intensity, and the unique challenges they face trying to make meaning in a chaotic world. Dr. Maisel offers no-nonsense advice and practical frameworks for managing the mental chatter, perfectionism, and existential dread that often come with a gifted mind.

This is a powerful conversation about taking responsibility for your inner world and choosing to become the author of your own experience.

 

🔑 What We Talk About:

The myth of the tortured genius

Existential depression and meaning-making

Why gifted adults often feel like outsiders

How to “redesign your mind” and quiet mental chatter

Dr. Maisel’s definition of meaning and how to create it

The role of creativity in the life of the gifted adult

How smart people get stuck—and how to get unstuck

The difference between coaching and therapy for gifted folks

 

📚 Resources Mentioned:

Why Smart People Hurt on Amazon

Redesign Your Mind on Amazon

Eric’s Website

Find Eric on LinkedIn

 

Find Eric on Facebook

 

✨ Want more?

Listen to the companion reflection episode where I unpack my reactions to this conversation and how Dr. Maisel’s work is influencing my thinking.

🔗 Reflection Episode – Eric Maisel

 

💬 Submit your questions, comments and reflections to Chad and Eric here.

In this reflection episode, I unpack my emotional response to my interview with Paula Prober, author of Your Rainforest Mind.

We talk about what it feels like to finally be seen as a gifted adult, why giftedness isn’t just about intellect, and how deep feelers like Paula help us make sense of our inner world. I share why this conversation stirred up so much in me—including the moment I teared up—and why Paula’s metaphor is more than just language… it’s healing.

Whether you’re a gifted adult or love someone who is, this episode is for you.

 

📩 Subscribe to the Gifted & Grown Up newsletter for tools, insights, and support—for gifted adults and the people who love them. 👉 Join the newsletter

 

00:00 – Why Paula’s work matters
02:00 – The moment of tears
03:50 – The pain of gifted adulthood
06:00 – Hope and the power of being seen
08:20 – Gifted loneliness is real
09:00 – Coming out—again
10:15 – Paula’s advice for thriving as a gifted adult
12:20 – The world needs your gifted mind
12:55 – Why more people need to know Paula Prober
13:30 – The role of gifted feelers
13:50 – Join the next conversation with Paula

 

💬 Submit your questions, comments and reflections to Chad and Paula here. 

Find Chad on Instagram

Chad's Website

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:42 Paula Prober's Journey into Gifted Education
02:29 Transition to Therapy and Blogging
05:53 Understanding the Rainforest Mind
08:19 Challenges and Traits of the Gifted
13:03 Self-Acceptance and Overcoming Myths
19:30 Therapeutic Approaches and Self-Care
26:26 The Role of Physical Activities and Tango
33:21 Therapy for the Rainforest Mind
36:21 Navigating Loneliness and Relationships
43:39 Spirituality and the Rainforest Mind
49:45 Career Challenges for Gifted Individuals
55:38 Coping with the Current Climate
59:58 Finding Your Purpose and Joy
01:02:36 Understanding Giftedness
01:04:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

 

📩 Subscribe to the Gifted & Grown Up newsletter for tools, insights, and support—for gifted adults and the people who love them. 👉 Join the newsletter

 

📄 In this episode, I talk with Paula Prober, psychotherapist and author of Your Rainforest Mind, one of the first books that helped me truly understand what it means to be a gifted adult.

We explore what it means to have a rainforest mind, how giftedness shows up in adulthood, and why so many gifted people feel like they’re too much—or never enough. We talk about relationships, grief, intuition, and the difference between intellectual understanding and emotional validation. This conversation hit me on a deep level. It wasn’t just informative—it was personal.

 

🔑 What We Talk About:

What a “rainforest mind” actually is

The emotional needs of gifted adults

Grieving the past when you discover you're gifted later in life

Giftedness and trauma: where they intersect

Navigating relationships when you’re “a lot”

Why gifted adults often seek depth, meaning, and solitude

How to recognize that you’re not broken—you’re just complex

The power of naming your experience

 

📚 Resources Mentioned:

A Short Guide to Love and Relationships When You Are Sensitive And Smart — Part One

A Short Guide to Love and Relationships When You Are Sensitive and Smart — Part Two

A Short Guide to Love and Relationships When You are Sensitive and Smart — Part Three

Your Rainforest Mind by Paula Prober on Amazon

Journey Into Your Rainforest Mind - Audiobook

Paula’s Blog

Find Paula on Instagram

Find Paula on Facebook

 

✨ Want more?

Listen to the companion reflection episode where I unpack my emotional reactions to this conversation—why it moved me, and why I think we need more gifted feelers in the world.

🔗 Reflection Episode – Paula Prober

 

💬 Submit your questions, comments and reflections to Chad and Paula here.