The Rainforest Mind (RFM): Mysterious, Misunderstood, and Misdiagnosed (original) (raw)

Are you highly sensitive, smart, complex, creative, intense, curious and misunderstood? According to Paula Prober (Your Rainforest Mind, 2016), these are the typical signs of a rainforest mind. Prober is a former teacher of gifted children and has coined the term rainforest mind. I have to admit, after having read dozens of books on gifted and twice exceptional children, I found the book rather underwhelming. It is poorly structured, quite repetitive, leaves a lot unclear (e.g. if there is a difference between HSPs and RFMs-both concepts are based on overexcitabilities), and overuses anecdotal evidence. The author frequently tells her readers frequently just to read some of her main sources, such as Elaine Aaron, Susan Cain and watch a couple of TED-talks. Even the metaphor of the rainforest seems to work poorly: "Like the rain forest, are you intense, multilayered, colorful, creative, overwhelming, highly sensitive, complex, idealistic, and influential?" WTF? Nevertheless, the book is well worth reading as it offers some great insights into the struggles of gifted and 2e children and teens. Contrary to the mythology that "smart" people will be just fine without help, what often comes with smart is excessive doubt, anxiety, depression, shame, and loneliness. [...] Billy, 16, had been experiencing severe anxiety, missing several days of school. His mother described him as "hard on himself," a "perfectionist," and "very sensitive." He felt judged, misunderstood, and bullied by peers. Never identified in school as gifted, Billy assumed there was something seriously wrong with him. He knew he was different, but he did not know why.