TPP 057a: Using a Strengths-Based Approach to Support Differently Wired Kids

This episode features a conversation with Giselle Marzo Segura, a designer, teacher, mentor, writer and solutions thinker based in Miami, Florida, who is also the parent of a differently-wired daughter. As a result of her journey with her daughter, Giselle was moved to create a venture called Strength Clusters, which is all about helping people understand and connect with each other through the language of character strengths. 

I’ll let Giselle tell you her whole story, because it’s very inspiring and personal, but for now, I’ll let you know that we’re going to be talking about his idea of why current systems aimed at supporting differently-wired kids do so by focusing on the deficits. We’ll also get into how truly transformational it can be, not just for the child but for the whole family, when we flip that on its head and focus on an individual’s strengths.

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• The cost of not allowing differently-wired kids to hang out in their areas of strength for large chunks of the day
• Why Giselle believes differently-wired kids need the opportunity to express what’s inside of them
• What the language of positive psychology and character strengths is
• What happens when the whole family views each other through the lens of character strengths and is on the same page
• The magic of looking at a child as a whole person
• That there are other types of learning beyond cognitive learning, such as learning through the body and emotions

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Strength Clusters (Giselle’s website)
• Character Strenths are Virtues: A Handbook and Classification by Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson
• Via Character Strengths Survey
• Brene Brown’s website
• The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown
• Pamela Slim’s website

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