My early years: Towards becoming a researcher and counselor of gifted children and their families

Abstract

This case study describes the family background, early and later childhood, and the period up to the age of 18 of a counselor and researcher of giftedness. The reader is invited to walk with the author through her multi-cultural and multi-lingual background and is exposed to her path towards her professional and personal goal and call. This case study illustrates the impact of being open to diverse ways of life, encompassing various countries, cultures, and three generations of family members and non-family members, primarily educators. The reader learns how a combined knowledge of literature, science, and human relations and connections serves as milestones to build a future as a researcher and counselor of the gifted. The writer describes in detail her Israeli ultra-orthodox background, in a Holocaust survivor's family, her special relationship with her grandmother and her older brother; the adults who helped her build her emotional spine in addition to her large base of general and linguistic knowledge, and her persistence despite many difficulties. She also gives us a glimpse of her family and work experiences since her early teens, which led her to become an expert on giftedness. This work demonstrates how strong personality and willpower, in addition to curiosity and intelligence, can help materialize one's talent and how it is possible to successfully combine various abilities and skills across multiple scientific and creative areas into a cohesive whole, shaping a professional who can not only understand gifted children but also help them.